Selma’s combo doubles tennis team placed second in the United States Tennis Association Southern Combo Doubles in Gulf Shores on Sunday.

The performance made Selma No. 2 in the state. A win would’ve sent the team to the sectional tournament.

“We were really pleased. We were surprised we did this well,” said coach and team organizer Baxter Stinson. “We competed in this kind of thing earlier in the year, and were not quite as successful. We really turned it around within a month.”

Team members vary in age and include the old and young alike. Combo tennis is a form of the game that matches players of similar skill levels to reach a set number.

For instance, the Selma team participated in the 5.5 combo tournament. Each two-person team had to have a skill level or handicap that equaled 5.5.

“I think I could’ve done better,” said team member Lyn Kendall. “But then you always think that. When you see some of the other people play in categories so much better than you are, then you say, ‘by durn I sure would like to be able to play with so-and-so.’”

Forty teams through the state participated in preliminary rounds. Only 10 advanced to Gulf Shores for the state title.

And despite coming up just short of advancing to the next level, team members are not discouraged or upset. The result just made them hungrier.

“We played (Tuesday) morning and I talked to Baxter and said, ‘I’m all fired up. I need more lessons,’” said Kendall.