FAIRHOPE — Tomas Catar and his daughter Claudia won the United States Tennis Association’s National Father/Daughter Clay Court Championship in Wellington, Florida and will become the No. 1 team in the country.

The Catars cruised through the first two rounds with wins over Anissa and Shiva Lakshmin (6-0, 6-2) as well as Rodrigo and Regina Arrangoiz (6-1, 6-2). Their biggest battle came in the semifinals where they eventually prevailed by a 6-1, 6-7 (5-7) [11-9] margin over Edward and Audrey Butterworth.

In the finals on Sunday, Nov. 5, Tomas and Claudia Catar came away with a 4-6, 7-5 [10-6] win over Eduardo and Sophia Pacheco from Weston, Florida that will put them in the top spot of the Father/Daughter National USTA rankings.

“This has been the best experience that we could have asked for,” Tomas said. “Just having to spend more time with your daughter is a win. Winning one Gold Ball was something very special but winning two Gold Balls is incredible and it will take us a little more time to soak that in.”

Claudia agreed with her father’s sentiment and said, “there is no one I would rather win this award with. Winning a gold is already special but winning it with your father and coach is truly an amazing thing.”

They won their first “Gold Ball” in August on the grass courts of the famous Long Wood Cricket Club in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. The USTA Clay Courts Championships in Wellington was only their second major tournament of the year.

National Father/Daughter Clay Courts and Grass Courts Championships are two out of four major National Championships that are on the schedule every year. The other two are Indoor and Hard Court Father/Daughter National Championships.

Originally from Slovakia, Tomas is the Director of Tennis at the Mike Ford Tennis Center in Fairhope. He is a former professional tennis player and he has been coaching tennis for the last 25 years.

A senior at Fairhope High School, Claudia is the No. 1 player on the Pirate tennis team. She has won numerous USTA tournaments and has been a top-10 ranked player in Alabama for the last five years.