Last modified: Wednesday, July 8, 2009 2:24 AM EDT Miller honored in Newport BY PETER GOBIS SUN CHRONICLE STAFF NEWPORT - She's still No. 1, Lynn Miller, the Wheaton College men's and women's tennis coach. The New England chapter of the U.S. Tennis Association honored the Franklin resident and Lyons' coach as one of the No. 1 players in New England Tuesday at the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Players, in both singles and doubles divisions, who were ranked No. 1 in their respective age divisions were honored, with Miller being noticed as one of the No. 1 ranked female doubles tennis players in the "50" doubles section - for the eighth time. "It's a nice honor," said Miller, who is back on the courts and recently concluded her annual summer camp at Wheaton after having a heart attack in February. "You've got to stay healthy," added Miller, who is heading to the Germantown Cricket Club next week outside of Philadelphia for the USTA Grasscourt Championships, a Level 1 competition in the "55" doubles bracket. "It's going to be a pot-luck for me," said Miller, who is attending without a partner, drawing another unattached player in the elite field of women. "You don't want to sign up for Level 1 Tournaments unless you can play," said Miller of the top caliber of players entered in both singles and doubles. "Most of the top players in the U.S. will be there." Miller is one of very few women who actually play tournament tennis, most preferring to play recreationally. "The better players in New England often don't play USTA-New England matches either, they usually play nationally." Miller has been elevating her Wheaton College teams to near national rankings, for 30 years with the women's tennis program, for two decades with the Lyons' men's team. One of her products, 2008 graduate Payoum Payman of New York, deferred law school enrollment, to begin play on the professional level Challenger Circuit. Miller had 11 players on her women's team which went 14-6 and were No. 12 ranked in the New England-Northeast (New York, New Jersey) region. She had 15 players on her men's team, mostly sophomores, who went 11-7 during their spring season. "Most of the women's teams that we play (including Wheaton's NEWMAC foes) are top teams nationally," said Miller and the men's team has been consistently knocking heads with some of better teams, an upper echelon NEWMAC member. "Right now we're working on trying to get some kids, male and female, who are entering their senior years," said Miller, always on the lookout for local talent. She is tremendously pleased when a parent of a former camper pulls her aside, such at King Philip High's No. 1 singles player Alex Huth or Bishop Feehan High's No. 1 singles player, Siobhan Licudine, and says "thanks" for getting my son or daughter interested in the game of tennis. Double Faults Only three matches were started - and none were completed - Tuesday to the on-again, off-again rain and wet courts. Thus the 10 singles matches scheduled will be pushed to today, and Hall of Fame Executive Director Mark Stenning issued a decree allowing all Tuesday ticket holders entry to today's matches ... Faces in the crowd included Attleboro High tennis coach Russ Severs ... Russ Morin and his staff at Morin's Catering of South Attleboro are handling the food network this week ... Also honored by the USTA-New England was Rehoboth's timeless, ageless wonder, Irv Levine, the No. 1 ranked player in the men's-80 division, "I don't have much competition, but I was out playing today!"... Monica Seles and former player agent, then tour director Donald Dell will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Saturday ... Ten Americans were in the field, but only two - Sam Querry (No. 39) and Kevin Kim (No. 81) were ranked in the top 100 ... The latest ATP rankings have five USA-bred players in the top 100 with Andy Roddick at No. 6, James Blake at No. 17, Mardy Fish at No. 23, Rob Kendrick at No. 77 and John Isner at No. 96 ... 2003 champion Rob Ginepri, who lost a first round match at Wimbledon to Lleyton Hewitt and is No. 105, said that "it takes an awful lot to stay at that caliber" of the top 100 ... Added Taylor Dent, who is No. 235, said "guys who are at the top, it's their consistency of execution. When those guys play a bad game, it's not really a bad game" ... Two-time champion Fabrice Santoro will have to play five matches in five days, should he advance to finals again. Santoro beat No. 33 Nicolas Kiefer of Germany at Wimbledon... Teams from Mansfield and the Bearcroft Tennis Club with many other local players filtering the roster of the Slater Park and Abbott Run clubs began play in the USTA 18-and-under and 14-and-under Junior Leagues last week ... Registration is underway for the Attleboro Singles Tennis Tournament, to be held July 17-19 on the courts at Attleboro High School. Contact Paul Perry at 508-223-6266 or the Attleboro Recreation Dept.