junior

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Great Time To Be A Kid: Free Admission All Week @FamilyCircleCup

Posted by Admin on March 3, 2015
Posted in: Charleston, Family Circle Cup, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , .

Great Time to be a Kid: Free Admission All Week @FamilyCircleCup

Kids Free All Week!

Kids Free All Week!

DANIEL ISLAND, S.C. – The Family Circle Cup tennis tournament has made its 2015 mission to grow the game of tennis, starting with its junior fans. In partnership with SunTrust, kids 15 and under will receive free admission all week to the Family Circle Cup, April 4 – 12, 2015, in Charleston, SC on Daniel Island. In addition, every junior that takes advantage of the free ticket will be provided one free lesson from MWTennis during the year at the Family Circle Tennis Center.

“It’s important for our tournament to create a program to inspire juniors to get out and play the game of tennis, and to expand that relationship beyond the nine days of the tournament,” said Bob Moran, Family Circle Cup Tournament Director. “We want the Family Circle Cup and the Family Circle Tennis Center to become a vehicle for kids to fall in love with the sport all yearlong. SunTrust continues to be a fantastic partner to the Family Circle Cup and the Charleston community. This gesture shows how committed they are to making a difference.”

Family Circle Cup Site

“At SunTrust, we are proud of our partnership with the Family Circle Cup for eight years,” said Mark Lattanzio, SunTrust’s Charleston Region President. “This youth outreach initiative to expand tennis participation in the Lowcountry is important as a way to help encourage the health and well-being of the future generations of our community. Not only will the junior players have a chance to enjoy and learn about tennis at the tournament, but the financial support to them is impactful.”

Free junior tickets can be redeemed via http://www.FamilyCircleCup.com or at the Box Office. To sign-up for a free lesson with MWTennis, visit the academy’s booth on-site during the tournament.

—A. Alpino, Family Circle Cup

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2 @USTASOUTHERN SECTION TEAMS TO PLAY FOR @USTA JUNIOR TEAM TENNIS 14U NATIONAL TITLES SUNDAY

Posted by Admin on October 19, 2014
Posted in: Junior Team Tennis, Junior Tennis, USTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , .

2 @USTASOUTHERN SECTION TEAMS TO PLAY FOR @USTA JUNIOR TEAM TENNIS 14U NATIONAL TITLES SUNDAY
Finals set for 14U Advanced and Intermediate Divisions in Cayce, S.C.

USTA Texas (Austin) Advances to JTT Advanced Championship Match on Sunday

USTA Texas (Austin) Advances to JTT Advanced Championship Match on Sunday

CAYCE, S.C. (Oct. 18, 2014) — The USTA Southern Section Advanced team from Madison, Miss., will take on USTA Texas from Austin in the final of the Junior Team Tennis 14U Advanced National Championships on Sunday morning at 9 a.m. at the Cayce Tennis and Fitness Center.

Madison defeated the USTA Eastern Section NJTL team from Queens, N.Y., 54-30, to advance to the final. Austin downed Flight 4 winner Midwest from Columbus, Ohio, in the other semifinal matchup of Flight winners on Saturday, 55-27.

The Intermediate 14U National Championship will be contested at 9 a.m., also at the Cayce Tennis and Fitness Center.

The Southern team from Woodstock, Ga., downed Caribbean of San Juan, Puerto Rico, 52-28, and will face the Midwest winner from Ann Arbor, Mich., which just barely got past Flight 3 winner Eastern from Maywood, N.J., 49-44.

Every team will play on Championship Sunday, determining National rank for all participants.

All the 1st-8th place matches for both Advanced and Intermediate will take place at the Cayce Tennis and Fitness Center on Sunday. All 9th-16th matches for Advanced and Intermediate will take place at the Lexington County Tennis Complex and will be played at 9 a.m.

Sunday’s Championships Schedule

Starting at 9 a.m.

NOTE: 1st-8th place matches at Cayce Tennis and Fitness Center; 9th-16th match played at the Lexington County Tennis Complex

ADVANCED CHAMPIONSHIP: Flight 2 winner Southern (Madison, Miss.) vs. Flight 3 winner Texas (Austin, Texas)

ADVANCED 3rd-4th: Flight 1 winner Eastern (Queens, N.Y.) vs. Flight 4 winner: Midwest (Columbus, Ohio)

ADVANCED 5th-6th: Flight 2 2nd place Northern California* (Los Gatos, Calif.) vs. Flight 3 2nd place Southern California (Temple City, Calif.)

ADVANCED 7th-8th: Flight 1 2nd place Northern California (Berkeley, Calif.) vs. Flight 4 2nd place Northern (Minneapolis)

ADVANCED 9th-10th: Flight 2 3rd place New England (Stamford, Conn.) vs. Flight 4 3rd place Southern California* (San Diego, Calif.)

ADVANCED 11th-12th: Flight 1 3rd place Midwest* (Wheaton, Ill.) vs. Flight 3 3rd place Southern* (Johns Creek, Ga.)

ADVANCED 13th-14th: Flight 2 4th place Mid-Atlantic (Washington, D.C.) vs. Flight 3 4th place Mid-Atlantic* (Richmond, Va.)

ADVANCED 15th-16th: Flight 1 4th place Middle States* (Hershey, Pa.) vs. Flight 4 4th place Eastern* (Brewster, N.Y.), 57-28

Starting at 9 a.m.

NOTE: 1st-8th place matches at Cayce Tennis and Fitness Center; 9th-16th match played at the Lexington County Tennis Complex

INTERMEDIATE CHAMPIONSHIP: Flight 1 winner Southern (Woodstock, Ga.) vs. Flight 4 winner Midwest (Ann Arbor, Mich.)

INTERMEDIATE 3rd-4th: Flight 2 winner Caribbean (Puerto Rico) vs. Flight 3 winner Eastern (Maywood, N.J.)

INTERMEDIATE 5th-6th: Flight 3 2nd place Southern California (Coronado, Calif.) vs. Middle States (Skillman, N.J.)

INTERMEDIATE 7th-8th: def. Flight 4 2nd place Pacific Northwest (Seattle) vs. Flight 2 2nd place Southwest (Albuquerque, N.M.)

INTERMEDIATE 9th-10th: Flight 1 3rd place Mid-Atlantic (Alexandria, Va.) vs. Flight 3 3rd place New England (Madison, Conn.)

INTERMEDIATE 11th-12th: Flight 2 3rd place Missouri Valley (St. Louis, Mo.) vs. def. Flight 4 3rd place Northern California (San Francisco)

INTERMEDIATE 13th-14th: Flight 2 4th place Northern (Fridley, Minn.) vs. Flight 3 4th place Hawaii-Pacific (Lahaina, Hawaii)

INTERMEDIATE 15th-16th: Flight 1 4th place New England* (Longmeadow, Mass.) vs. Flight 4 4th place Texas (Kerrville, Texas)

14U – Advanced Single-Elimination Results:

Flight 2 winner Southern (Madison, Miss.) def. Flight 1 winner Eastern (Queens, N.Y.), 54-30

Flight 3 winner Texas (Austin, Texas) def. Flight 4 winner: Midwest (Columbus, Ohio), 55-27

Flight 2 2nd place Northern California* (Los Gatos, Calif.) def. Flight 1 2nd place Northern California (Berkeley, Calif.), 54-41

Flight 3 2nd place Southern California (Temple City, Calif.) def. Flight 4 2nd place Northern (Minneapolis), 46-44

Flight 2 3rd place New England (Stamford, Conn.) def. Flight 1 3rd place Midwest* (Wheaton, Ill.), 46-36

Flight 4 3rd place Southern California* (San Diego, Calif.) def. Flight 3 3rd place Southern* (Johns Creek, Ga.), 59-27

Flight 2 4th place Mid-Atlantic (Washington, D.C.) def. Flight 1 4th place Middle States* (Hershey, Pa.), 56-22

Flight 3 4th place Mid-Atlantic* (Richmond, Va.) def. Flight 4 4th place Eastern* (Brewster, N.Y.), 57-28

14U – Advanced Round Robin Results:

Flight 1: Eastern (Queens, N.Y.) advanced with 172 total games won over Northern California (Berkeley, Calif.) 154; Midwest* (Wheaton, Ill.) 118 and Middle States* (Hershey, Pa.) 49.

Flight 2: Southern (Madison, Miss.) advanced with 162 total games won over Northern California* (Los Gatos, Calif.) 155; New England (Stamford, Conn.) 117 and Mid-Atlantic (Washington, D.C.) 68.

Flight 3: Texas (Austin, Texas) advanced with 179 total games won over Southern California (Temple City, Calif.) 130; Southern* (Johns Creek, Ga.) and Mid-Atlantic* (Richmond, Va.) 68.

Flight 4: Midwest (Columbus, Ohio) advanced with 167 total games won over Northern (Minneapolis) 152; Southern California* (San Diego, Calif.) 116 and Eastern* (Brewster, N.Y.) 68.

14U – Intermediate Single-Elimination Results:

Flight 1 winner Southern (Woodstock, Ga.) def. Flight 2 winner Caribbean (Puerto Rico), 52-28

Flight 4 winner Midwest (Ann Arbor, Mich.) def. Flight 3 winner Eastern (Maywood, N.J.), 49-44

Flight 1 2nd place Middle States (Skillman, N.J.) def. Flight 2 2nd place Southwest (Albuquerque, N.M.), 53-39

Flight 3 2nd place Southern California (Coronado, Calif.) def. Flight 4 2nd place Pacific Northwest (Seattle), 54-28

Flight 1 3rd place Mid-Atlantic (Alexandria, Va.) def. Flight 2 3rd place Missouri Valley (St. Louis, Mo.), 56-34

Flight 3 3rd place New England (Madison, Conn.) def. Flight 4 3rd place Northern California (San Francisco), 50-42

Flight 2 4th place Northern (Fridley, Minn.) def. Flight 1 4th place New England* (Longmeadow, Mass.), 45-40

Flight 3 4th place Hawaii-Pacific (Lahaina, Hawaii) def. Flight 4 4th place Texas (Kerrville, Texas), 47-46

14U – Intermediate Round Robin Results:

Flight 1: Southern (Woodstock, Ga.) advanced with 155 total games won over three other teams: Middle States (Skillman, N.J.) 146; Mid-Atlantic (Alexandria, Va.) 116 and New England* (Longmeadow, Mass.) 56.

Flight 2: Caribbean (Puerto Rico) advanced with 177 total games won over: Southwest (Albuquerque, N.M.) 134; Missouri Valley (St. Louis, Mo.) 111 and Northern (Fridley, Minn.) 62

Flight 3: Eastern (Maywood, N.J.) advanced with 161 total games won over: Southern California (Coronado, Calif.) 145; New England (Madison, Conn.) 123 and Hawaii-Pacific (Lahaina, Hawaii) 90

Flight 4: Midwest (Ann Arbor, Mich.) advanced with 163 total games over: Pacific Northwest (Seattle), 147, Northern California (San Francisco) 108; and Texas (Kerrville, Texas) 78

* denotes wildcard

—S. Pratt

NATION’S TOP TEAMS TO COMPETE AT 2014 USTA JR. TEAM TENNIS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS IN CAYCE, S.C.

Posted by Admin on October 14, 2014
Posted in: Junior Team Tennis, Junior Tennis, USTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , .

NATION’S TOP TEAMS TO COMPETE AT 2014 USTA JR. TEAM TENNIS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS IN CAYCE, S.C.

14U Intermediate Mid-Atlantic, Alexandria VA

14U Intermediate Mid-Atlantic, Alexandria VA

14U Intermediate Southern, Woodstock GA

14U Intermediate Southern, Woodstock GA

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., – The United States Tennis Association (USTA) today announced the 2014 USTA Jr. Team Tennis National Championships will be played on Oct. 17-19 for the 14 and Under division and Oct. 24-26 for the 18 and Under division. The tournament, which will be held at the Cayce Tennis and Fitness Center in Cayce, S.C., will feature the top 64 teams from across the U.S., totaling more than 500 participants.

The National Championships feature teams that have advanced from the Section level to compete for the title. Each year the USTA crowns a national champion in two age divisions (14U and 18U) in both Intermediate and Advanced play divisions.

“The National Championships are the culmination of the Jr. Team Tennis season and bring together the best teams from the 17 sections,” said Craig Jones, Director, USTA Junior. Play. “Not only is the level of competition incredible, but the kids are treated like royalty throughout the event with free meals, player parties and that famous “Southern Hospitality.”

This is the third year that the Cayce Tennis Center will host to the USTA Jr. Team Tennis National Championships. In addition, a second tennis facility, the Lexington County Tennis Complex, also will be utilized to serve the hundreds of players competing each weekend.

“We are thrilled to have so many young people and their families coming to our international award-winning tennis and fitness facility in the City of Cayce again this year,” said Cayce Mayor Elise Partin. “Many of our Cayce residents and residents across the Midlands enjoy this facility, and we couldn’t be more pleased to share it with other families across the nation for these upcoming USTA events.”

Established in 1991, USTA Jr. Team Tennis provides youth with all of the health and social benefits of tennis in a co-ed, fun and competitive team environment, and allows participants to compete with and against individuals of similar skill and age levels.

With more than 99,000 players competing nationwide, USTA Jr. Team Tennis brings players together to enjoy camaraderie and teamwork, providing a fun environment for kids to learn that succeeding is really more about how they play the game—win or lose.

Visit the USTA Jr. Team Tennis website at ustajtt.com for complete results, stories and photos.

14U Advanced Midwest, Wheaton IL

14U Advanced Midwest, Wheaton IL

—S. Pratt

Kalinskaya, Opelka Win @ITF_Tennis International Hardcourts Tournament @TheJTCC

Posted by Admin on August 24, 2014
Posted in: ITF, Junior Tennis, Junior Tennis Champions Center, Maryland, Washington. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Anna Kalinskaya had an easy peasy day yesterday in taking two titles at the ITF International Hardcourts in College Park, Maryland. First up was a two set 6-2, 2-1 win in retirement against Romanian Elena Ruse. The tournament’s top seed, she followed up the singles win with a 6-3, 7-5 doubles title with teammate Evgeniya Levashova, besting the American team of Gabrielle Andrews and Mia Horvit.

Anna Kalinskaya (C) TennisEastCoast.com

Anna Kalinskaya (C) TennisEastCoast.com

After the match, Kalinskaya told me that the timing of the title was fortuitous. “It’s great, because I feel more confident now for the US Open.” She admitted it was a nice treat to have more energy for the doubles match to follow than she normally would.

Her opponent, Elena Ruse, who retired, was still in very good spirits and clutched a Wimbledon towel, a spoil of war from her semifinal run through the junior tournament this summer. Ruse, whose middle name is Gabriela, prefers to be known as Gabby.

“My leg was bad”, she explained. “In the second round, I felt something in my leg, put on some tape and everything was good. Today, I felt so bad. I hope I will be much better for US Open”.

And what about that Wimbledon towel?

“It was my second Grand Slam and I played amazing. I love grass courts and I hope I will be there next year”.

Does she hope to have a special US Open towel to remind her of a great run through New York? “Of course”, she said.

Reilly Opelka

Reilly Opelka

Reilly Opelka, an unseeded American, posted an impressive 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (4) comeback win over Tim Van Rijthoven to capture the boys title. Both players did a nice job of holding serve throughout. Opelka’s serve really bailed him out in the final two stanzas. I missed the end of the match, but I was impressed with the resolve of both players. Opelka reminds me a little of Sam Querrey or John Isner.

Let me give you some reminders about junior tournaments:

1) They hang towels anywhere they can: There’s no one to hand your towel to, so you hang it yourself: from a fence post, for example. But if you’re playing indoors, there is no fence. Then, you find something else. A door knob or a fire alarm will do.

2) The delays of chasing down running balls: They aren’t a bunch of time-wasters in the Juniors like they are in the pros. In fact, they often quick-pitch and sometimes opponents have to tell the player on the other side of the net to slow down. No commercial breaks and speedy changeovers means the matches move quickly. The balls are the one impediment to the smooth progress of the game. No ball kids means everyone is a ball-kid: fans, line judges, and even the Chair will occasionally hop down to kick a nearby ball in a server’s direction. Imagine that in a pro match.

Also, players who want to slow down the pace of a match can do just that depending on how passively they gather up the balls before service. A player about to return serve can also slow down the game depending on how quickly or not they return the ball from their side of the net. It’s a moment to catch your breath, if nothing else.

3) Keep your own score: Just like when you’re playing your buddy on the concrete courts behind the middle school. Like a broken clock, the flip scoreboard is only accurate once every two games when the players flip it on the changeover. We all take electronic scoreboards for granted until they’re gone. Or, you could always ask Colette Lewis of ZooTennis.com. She keeps a reporter’s note book up-to-date with score and stats.

3) The Fans: They’re aren’t too many of them at a match, and they are probably related to the player on court, so watch what you say. Yesterday was unusual in terms of light turnout. The stars of the host Junior Tennis Champions Center had been eliminated in the semis, and the torrential downpour moved the finals inside. And by inside, I mean you had to walk through four buildings to find the courts. I walked through two buildings full of tennis lessons in progress, each time saying thinking, ‘No, this can’t be it’. Finally, I walked into the last tennis barn on the property, saw Colette Lewis, and knew I had arrived!

It was a pleasure to watch Colette at work yesterday. There’s no one like her in the world of tennis, and everything I learned about junior tennis, I learned from her. She also has a very diligent assistant, when he’s not busy with other duties.

For me, this Saturday used to be about Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day in New York. After watching title-match tennis a short drive from home, this seemed like a much better way to spend the Saturday before the US Open instead.

—Stephan Fogleman, Tennis East Coast

2014 NJTL @USTA_Foundation Arthur Ashe Essay Contest Winners Head to @USOpen

Posted by Admin on August 18, 2014
Posted in: Tennis Lessons and Instruction, US Open, USTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , .

2014 NJTL @USTA_Foundation Arthur Ashe Essay Contest Winners Head to @USOpen

Contest Exclusive to Students 18 and Younger Who Participate
In National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) Network Chapters Nationwide

Winners to Receive New York City Travel Package

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. – USTA Foundation, the national charitable organization of the United States Tennis Association (USTA), announced the 10 winners of the 16th annual NJTL Arthur Ashe Essay Contest. The 10 winners, ranging in ages from 10 to 18, were selected out of close to 2,600 entries submitted last month. Each winner has received a New York City travel package from Aug. 22 to Aug. 24.

USTA

To enter the contest, children were asked to write an essay of 350 words or less, responding to a specific question about Arthur Ashe and his great accomplishments. This year’s question asked: “Arthur Ashe used his time and skills to impact others – how have you used your time and skills learned through tennis and educational programming to impact the lives of those around you?” A USTA sub-committee selected the winning essays based on knowledge of Arthur Ashe, message clarity and writing style.

Each winner won round-trip airfare to New York City for themselves and a parent/legal guardian; a two-night stay at the Grand Hyatt 42nd Street; tickets to New York’s critically acclaimed theatrical show “THE RIDE”; a Circle Line Liberty Cruise sightseeing tour; and VIP status in the President’s Box during the 2014 Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day presented by Hess on Aug. 23 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The weekend will wrap up with an awards luncheon on Aug. 24, hosted by former New York City Mayor and USTA board member David Dinkins, where the winners will receive an honorary plaque.

The 10 winners of the 2014 Arthur Ashe Essay Contest were selected in the following categories:

Category:

Boys/Girls 10 and Under
Srinath Mahankali, 10, Bayside Hills, N.Y. – New York Junior Tennis and Learning (NYJTL)
Makda Dawit, 10, Oakland, Calif. – Youth Tennis Advantage

Boys/Girls 11-12
Torianh Blakes, 11, Norwalk, Conn. – Norwalk Grassroots Tennis
Marion Rye, 12, Minneapolis, Minn. – InnerCity Tennis

Boys/Girls 13-14
Daud Gantt-Bey, 13, Washington, D.C. – Leadership Council for Healthy Communities
Ana-Lei Kalawe, 13, Charleston, S.C. – Lowcountry Youth Tennis Association

Boys/Girls 15-16
Roby White, 16, Capital Heights, Md. – Prince George’s Tennis and Education Foundation
Lea Bergman, 15, Laramie, Wy., – University of Wyoming

Boys/Girls 17-18
Andreas Nolan, 17, New York – Harlem Junior Tennis and Education Program
Jasmine Rivers, 17, Eight Mile, Ala. – New Lyons Park Tennis Association

“The USTA Foundation is proud of this year’s Arthur Ashe Essay contest winners,” said Dan Faber, Executive Director, USTA Foundation. “This is a particularly exciting year for the foundation, as we have joined with the NJTL network. It’s a unique opportunity for us to continue supporting students who are truly deserving of this recognition. Their response to this year’s question is truly profound, and reflects the ideals and inspiration behind Arthur Ashe’s leadership and legacy. Congratulations!”

In January 2014, the USTA Foundation, formally USTA Serves, combined with USTA NJTL, a national network of 630 community-based tennis and education programs serving more than 330,000 youth, to become a fully operational foundation. This marks the 20th anniversary of the USTA Foundation and the 45th anniversary of NJTL, which was founded by Arthur Ashe, Charlie Pasarell and Sheridan Snyder.

—S. Pratt

“Big Foe” Francis Tiafoe (@FTiafoe) Impresses Crowd in Main Draw Pro Debut @CitiOpen

Posted by Admin on July 28, 2014
Posted in: ATP, Citi Open. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Tiafoe (Tennis Channel)

Francis Tiafoe has every reason to be proud after a close loss to Evgeny Donskoy at the Citi Open in Washington, DC tonight. Though he lost 4 & 4, his big serve looked great. He fired up the crowd and they fired him up right back. In addition to his parents and family, his debut match was witnessed by players, friends and the extended family known as Every Serious Tennis Fan in Washington.

Tiafoe's Parents

Tiafoe’s Parents

The 16-year-old got his first break of serve on Donskoy early in the second set, and the Junior Tennis Champions Center prodigy was never out of a set or the match until the final point of each. The Baltimore-born Tiafoe has trained at the College Park, Maryland training facility since he was a child and attended Citi Open every year since he was 9. Tiafoe saved 9 break points and other than a few double faults, it didn’t appear that the big stage made him nervous. In fact, he seemed to feed on the energy from the partisan crowd.

Donskoy said of his opponent, “I know this guy has a great future”.

After the match, he said “I just hope I can come back here” (to the Citi Open). I’m pretty sure that can be arranged, Francis. In fact, I’m very sure. Thanks for making everyone around here proud, Big Foe.

—S. Fogleman

No Sharing the Spotlight @CitiOpen Today For Jordi Arconada

Posted by Admin on July 26, 2014
Posted in: ATP, Citi Open, Junior Tennis Champions Center, Washington. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , .

No Sharing the Spotlight @CitiOpen Today For Jordi Arconada
Stephan Fogleman, Tennis East Coast

Jordi Arconada

The Washington Nationals sit in first place atop the National League East. The Washington Kastles go for their fourth consecutive title tomorrow night. Things are so good, DC Sports Fans might forget another show of athletic competition is going on around them this weekend. The Citi Open features 30 qualifying matches today and tomorrow, and admission won’t even set you back $20.

Among the likes of Gio Gonzalez, Stephen Strasburg, Bryce Harper and the retiring Bobby Reynolds, you can add one more name to DC Summer Sports Legend:

Jordi Arconada.

Strangely, Jordi Arconada becomes the biggest local name this weekend at Citi Open. Arconada came up short against his good friend and classmate, Francis Tiafoe, at the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park, Maryland last month as part of the Citi Open Wild Card Challenge Final.

Today was supposed to be the day the much-heralded Tiafoe made his ATP debut as a qualifier. That’s what DC fans thought he’d earned by winning the Wild Card Challenge, until the BB&T Atlanta Open threw him a qualifying wild card (and threw a curveball to Citi Open/JTCC fans) last week. He promptly won his first match there, depriving DC fans of being able to say they were there to see it happen.

DC had to do one better, and I’m glad they did. They granted Tiafoe a main draw slot, setting up his historic first on Monday. The qualifying wild card Tiafoe had earned in defeating Arconada went to Arconada, as it should.

Another JTCC prodigy and Jordi’s sister, Usue Arconada, won her first WTA match here last year at Citi Open and was expected to play today. But she’s gone to tear it up in Austin.

That leaves Jordi Arconada as the Big Deal today. Often overshadowed by his sister, Usue, and BFF Francis, it is Jordi who will be lavished with support by area fans this weekend.

Sure, there’s the boisterous and sizable contingent of Virginia Cava-Cheerleaders who will bring the love for UVA’s Justin and Ryan Shane at their first ATP tour-level event appearance, but most eyes will be on Arconada.

For one, he’s 17. Every fan wants to say he saw a future star way back when. He’s also playing Michael Llodra, a 34-year-old Frenchman with 5 ATP titles, and get this….a 10-year old daughter.

Everyone loves the battle of the vet versus the kid. This is that battle.

And for once, a brother of a rising tennis star and best friend of another, he doesn’t have to share the spotlight.

CITI OPEN – WASHINGTON DC, USA
USD 1,654,295.00 (ATP)
USD 250,000.00 (WTA)
28 JULY – 3 AUGUST 2014

ORDER OF PLAY – SATURDAY, JULY 26, 2014
STADIUM COURT start 10:00 am
ATP – Qualifying – S Groth (AUS) vs [WC] S Kozlov (USA)

Not Before 11:30 am
ATP – Qualifying – R Ginepri (USA) vs S Diez (CAN)
ATP – Qualifying – A Kuznetsov (USA) vs [WC] R Shane (USA)
WTA – Qualifying – A Mueller (USA) vs T Townsend (USA)

GRANDSTAND 1 start 10:00 am
ATP – Qualifying – Y Bhambri (IND) vs S Bangoura (USA)
ATP – Qualifying – [WC] J Shane (USA) vs Z Zhang (CHN)

Not Before 1:00 pm
ATP – Qualifying – S Singh (IND) vs E Gomez (ECU)
WTA – Qualifying – [WC] T Black (USA) vs L Chirico (USA)

GRANDSTAND 2 start 10:00 am
ATP – Qualifying – Y Sugita (JPN) vs T Garanganga (ZIM)
ATP – Qualifying – J Donaldson (USA) vs G Lama (CHI)
WTA – Qualifying – M Larcher de Brito (POR) vs S Dubois (CAN)
WTA – Qualifying – T Smitkova (CZE) vs P Rampre (SLO)

COURT 1 start 10:00 am
ATP – Qualifying – A Benneteau (FRA) vs I Marchenko (UKR)
ATP – Qualifying – [WC] J Arconada (ARG) vs M Llodra (FRA)
WTA – Qualifying – S Marand (USA) vs H Kuwata (JPN)
WTA – Qualifying – T Paszek (AUT) vs E Webley-Smith (GBR)

COURT 2 start 10:00 am
ATP – Qualifying – M Copil (ROU) vs S Myneni (IND)
ATP – Qualifying – R Ram (USA) vs M Shabaz (USA)
WTA – Qualifying – O Rogowska (AUS) vs J Coin (FRA)
WTA – Qualifying – A Rodionova (AUS) vs G Dabrowski (CAN)

Grade 1 @ITF_Tennis Tournament Returns @TheJTCC

Posted by Admin on July 15, 2014
Posted in: ITF, Junior Tennis, Junior Tennis Champions Center, Maryland. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

INTERNATIONAL TENNIS FEDERATION JUNIOR TOURNAMENT TO RETURN TO JUNIOR TENNIS CHAMPIONS CENTER IN AUGUST
Prince George’s County Announced as Official Title Sponsor

Marika Akkerman, 2012 ITF Prince George's County, Maryland

Marika Akkerman, 2012 ITF Prince George’s County, Maryland

(College Park, MD) July 15, 2014 — Today the Junior Tennis Champions Center (JTCC) announced that Prince George’s County will become the official title sponsor of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Grade 1 Junior Tournament, which returns to College Park, Md. for the third consecutive year. The Prince George’s County International Junior Tennis Championships will take place at the College Park Tennis Club.

“Hosting a premier international junior sporting event for the third straight year is consistent with the Junior Tennis Champions Center’s pursuit of excellence” said JTCC Chief Executive Officer, Ray Benton. “We are thrilled to be able to showcase our stellar facility and again serve as the North American host venue.”

The tournament will take place two weeks prior to the junior US Open tournament, and will attract the finest male and female junior players from around the world. Some of the players who will be competing in this event are top world ranked juniors: Francis Tiafoe, Usue Arconada and Raveena Kingsley. The Prince George’s County International Junior Tennis Championships is slated to begin with the local wildcard qualifying tournament from Aug. 11 to Aug. 13, which will lead into the Qualifying tournament from Aug. 16 to Aug 17. The main draw will kick off on Aug. 18 and conclude on Aug. 24.

“Prince George’s County is quickly becoming known throughout the world as Tennis County USA, thanks to the amazing work of the Junior Tennis Champions Center,” said Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker, III. “We are proud to support one of the United States Tennis Association’s premier tennis tournament and we welcome this year’s cadre of players from around the world to College Park. This tournament is another example of why Prince George’s County is the place to be!”

Additional sponsors of the Prince George’s County International Junior Tennis Championships include the United States Tennis Association (USTA), International Tennis Federation (ITF), Laurel Springs School and Holiday Inn of College Park.

—B. Brand, JTCC

AO Finalist @StefanKozlov Makes America Proud

Posted by Admin on January 25, 2014
Posted in: Australian Open, Junior Tennis, USTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , .

STEFAN KOZLOV FINISHES AS AUSTRALIAN OPEN JUNIOR RUNNER-UP

Stefan Kozlov

Stefan Kozlov

Fifteen-Year Old from Pembroke Pines, Fla.,
Becomes First American Boy to Reach Junior Grand Slam Final since 2011

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., January 24, 2014 – Top-seeded and No. 1-ranked Alexander Zverev of Germany overcame 15-year old American Stefan Kozlov, of Pembroke Pines, Fla., 6-3, 6-0, to win the Australian Open boys’ singles title today in Melbourne.

The No. 2 seed, Kozlov advanced to his first Grand Slam junior singles final and became the first American boy to reach the singles final at a junior Grand Slam since Bjorn Fratangelo won the French Open boys’ title in 2011. Donald Young (2005) and Andy Roddick (2000) are the only Americans to win the Australian Open boys’ singles championship. Taylor Townsend won the girls’ singles title in 2012.

Kozlov, who trains with both his father, Andrei, and USTA National Coach Nicolas Todero out of the USTA Training Center – Headquarters in Boca Raton, Fla., projects to ascend to No. 2 in the world junior rankings for all players ages 18 and under. Three American boys, who were born within a month of one another in 1998, are currently ranked in the Top 10 – Kozlov, 2013 Metropolia Orange Bowl champion Francis Tiafoe (No. 7) and Michael Mmoh (No. 8), who teamed with Kozlov to reach the doubles quarterfinals and advanced to the second round in singles in Melbourne.

“This is an exciting and well-deserved achievement for Stefan,” said Patrick McEnroe, General Manager of USTA Player Development. “We are incredibly proud and are happy for him, his family and the team in Boca.”

Kozlov, who turns 16 on February 1, had beaten the 16-year old Zverev, the reigning ITF World Junior Champion, in their previous three meetings, each in the last six months. In December, Kozlov defeated the 6-foot-5 German in the semifinals of the Orange Bowl, setting up the historic final between 15-year old Americans, won by Tiafoe, of College Park, Md.

In the Australian Open girls’ singles draw, 16-year old Olivia Hauger, of Tulsa, Okla., reached the quarterfinals, upending No. 1 seed Varvara Flink, of Russia, in the second round.

—P. Mitsch, USTA

North Carolina, California Winners @USTA 14U Junior Team Tennis at National Championships

Posted by Admin on October 21, 2013
Posted in: Junior Tennis, USTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , .

North Carolina, California Winners @USTA 14U Junior Team Tennis at National Championships

2013 USTA Junior Team Tennis National Championships

Wilmington, N.C. and Southern California team from San Diego, Calif. claim intermediate and advanced titles

CAYCE, S.C (Oct. 21, 2013) — Two teams were crowned Sunday at the 2013 USTA Jr. Team Tennis 14U National Championships, held at the Cayce Tennis and Fitness Center in Cayce, S.C., Oct. 18 – 20. A team from Wilmington, N.C., representing the USTA Southern Section, captured the Intermediate Division title while a team from San Diego, Calif., representing USTA Southern California, earned the Advanced title.

The 2013 USTA Jr. Team Tennis 14U National Championships brought together the top 32 teams at the Advance and Intermediate level from various USTA Sections throughout the country.

“This week featured a fun group of really enthusiastic kids,” said Adrienne Di Menna, USTA Jr. Team Tennis National Manager. “We crowned two brand-new national champions, yet the biggest win was seeing how the teams interacted with one another and established friendships. With technology and social media being what it is today, we think it’s awesome that we have players from different sections staying in touch long after they’ve left South Carolina. I think they all realize that we’re part of one big national team, trying to grow this sport.”

The Wilmington team, defeated a team from San Diego, Calif., 56 games to 44 in the Championship match. Earlier in the tournament, they defeated a team from Oklahoma City, Ok. 50-34 in the semifinals.

2013 USTA Junior Team Tennis National Championships

The team is coached by Lauren Isenhour and Jon Ingham and features: Keegan Bigoness, Lila Das, Lexi Lampkin, PJ Middleton, Taylor Walicki, Patrick Senior, Holland Baynard, Kara Ferner, Eddie Janosko, Robert Schuett and Westley Gaines.

“This is huge for them, this has been a goal that they’ve had for over a year now, talking about it every week at practice,” said Isenhour, of her squad that just missed Nationals last season. “Our team has worked so hard for this moment right here, so we’re really proud of them.”

The San Diego team, defeated a team from Providence, R.I., 50 games to 37 in the Championship match. Earlier in the tournament, they defeated a team from Ocean Springs, Ms., 56-34 in the semifinals.

The team is coached by Solomon Liu and features: Jennifer Kerr, Julia Ronney, Andrew Hu, Robert Liu, Kiev Moores, Nicholas Appel, Timothy Sah, Ryan Seggerman, Nicole Mossme and Olia Javidi.

“There’ll be a huge party when we get back home that’s going to be off the hook,” said Coach Liu. He and his team of 10 from San Diego were experiencing their first Jr. Team Tennis National Championship. “It was a fantastic experience. There’s no guarantees going forward, so to do this in the first year is special. Some of our kids are aging out [in the 14 & Under division], but we’ll try to come back in a few years and win it all in the 18s.”

—S. Houseknecht