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Botts readies for Big Al's MT File photo Tami Botts will limit her Big Al's tournament playing time to mixed doubles. Former Ashland High tennis star picks doubles By GREG STILES ASHLAND -- Five-time defending Big Al's men's open champion Todd Stanley is back, searching for No. 6. The 32-year-old Stanley has won more Big Al's open titles than anyone and is in the favorite's role once more, with his old doubles buddy Matt Mancasola, of Eldorado Hills, Calif., No. 2 in the 25-man draw. The tournament begins Friday and ends Sunday with finals at Hunter Park. Defending women's open champion Tami Botts of Ashland won't try to make it two straight. The 19-year-old, who played collegiately for Louisiana State, has limited her summer schedule to a handful of tournaments and the 24th annual Big Al's wasn't in her plans. "The competition is not going to be that strong," Botts says, "so I decided I'd give somebody else a chance to win." Botts will, however, play mixed doubles with Doug Neuman. Two weekends ago, Botts won the 38th annual Pacific Western Open Tennis Championships at Eugene. Botts is ranked No. 7 among Pacific Northwest women's open players, based on last year's efforts. Rather than spend the summer enhancing her PNWTA standing, however, she's just enjoyed a break from school. "I experienced everything you could in terms of tennis last year -- the ups and the downs," says Botts, who played No. 4 singles and No. 2 doubles for LSU. "Things came together later in the season and that was exciting. I knew playing in the Southeastern Conference was going to be tough." One of the biggest surprises was that her opponents weren't necessarily 18-22-year-olds that may have won state high school championships as she did in 1998. "Seventy-five percent of my matches were against foreigners," she says. "I was playing 26-year-olds who had played on the pro tour. We were thrown to wolves right away. "In college it's not necessarily who hits the ball best, but who can go out in the conditions and compete the best. The biggest difference between juniors and college is not about stroke production, but if you can stay mentally tough day in and day out." Jan Balbutin of Chico, Calif., who was seeded No. 1 in 1996 but didn't get past the semifinals, was given the top nod with Botts out. Of the nearly 300 players set to compete in the event, only 60 call the Rogue Valley home. But Big Al's continues to thrive, because it's a nice weekend getaway from California's Central Valley or points north. "Most of the people want to be through playing by 6, so they can go to the theater," says first-year tournament director Kimberley Boesche, president of Supporters of Tennis for Ashland Youth. "They're coming to Ashland and figure they might as well play some tennis. That's the way it was for (former champion) Beau Toy. He wanted to play Friday morning so he could go to the theater in the afternoon." Play begins 7:30 a.m. Friday in the largest draws, the men's 3.5 and 4.0 divisions. There are 43 men's 3.5 singles players and 30 doubles teams. Marv Jensen of Longview, Wash., is the top seed for singles. Today's Sports Index Mail Tribune Copyright� The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, OR U.S.A.