Wiimbledon crowns top 'tennis' champs

NEW YORK - When John Orekunrin fell into bed Friday night, perhaps a little tipsy from end-of-the-work week festivities, his morning plans didn’t extend beyond sleeping late into Saturday. At least that’s what the 25-year-old Manhattanite claimed.

It was John's roommate, Steve Estes, also 25, who rousted John out of the sack, insisting they hop the train and head south to “Wiimbledon,” the second annual Wii Tennis Tournament which took place 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.., Saturday, June 7, at Barcade in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn.

“Women, free beer and video games,” was the siren call that pushed a groggy John — and no doubt a good portion of fellow attendees — into the sun-scorched 98 degree day. No more than a casual home Wii player himself, or so John’s story goes, he rose quickly through the tournament’s rounds, handily trouncing last year’s reigning champion, 24-year-old Russell Yagoda.

Wiimbledon is the puny brainchild of Brooklynites Steve Bryant and Lane Buschel. Bryant registered the domain” wiimbledon.net” with no specific plans soon after the Nintendo console took the game market by storm. On a whim, the video game aficionados decided to see if they could make it work. Certainly their neighborhood came with the perfect location — Barcade, a drinking establishment named for the impressive collection of vintage video games lining its walls.

A smashing success
Taking place a few weeks before its namesake, the Wimbledon tennis tournament, Wiimbledon 2007 was a smashing success, bringing in over 120 players and lots of positive press. While most attendees — both this year and last — traveled no further than across New York City’s five boroughs, Wiimbledon’s garnered attention from MTV, Wired magazine, ABC News and the New York Times, to name a few. It’s no wonder sponsors such as Prince tennis gear are happy to help pony up the prizes.

Joshua Lott / AFP - Getty Images Ana Hurka-Robles swings the Wii Remote.

The swag worked out well for John, who received a complimentary white terry Prince headband that he stretched tight around his noggin to sop up the steady stream of sweat pouring down his shaved head. The stifling heat didn’t affect his game, though. And while he claimed he didn’t come prepared to compete, he also said he wasn’t surprised that he’d made it to the tournament’s Final Eight. “I mean, look at this place,” John said, smiling. “It’s full of nerds.”

The Wii competitor sheepishly admitted that he runs an Internet startup, and does enjoy video games — but quickly emphasized, “I am not a geek.”

Indeed, the chiseled guns emerging from John’s drenched black t-shirt are somewhat of an anomaly among the Wiimbledon crowd, which was composed largely of 20-something males who wore hipster thrift store t-shirts and whose physiques suggested that video games are the extent of their sports experience.

Where fashions, forehands collide
Those who were dressed for the occasion donned cartoonish mockups of various decades of tennis togs — short pleated skirts for the women, tiny, shiny shorts for the guys. Plus one dude who dressed as a banana. But the hot day — New York’s first of the season — seemed to put the kibosh on most costume plans, while at the same time inspiring brisk Barcade microbrew sales.  Last year, one guy came in a bear costume — nothing so insulated this year. After surveying the bar, John and roommate Steve concurred that they didn’t see much competition among the unathletic-looking crowd.

“Let me tell you something about John,” said Julie Ruvolo, one of the Wiimbledon officials running the tournament. “John’s biceps are the size of my thighs.” True enough, but for an outsider, Wii tennis doesn’t seem to be a game that requires muscular fortitude, at least beyond hand-eye coordination. Competitors standing before the hodgepodge of Wiimbledon’s various-sized TV screens stared intently at their avatars (called Miis) while flapping their Wii Remotes as if brushing away gnats. But Julie’s arrived at Barcade at 9 a.m., and by midday, she’d gained some pretty good insight into everyone’s game.

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