luca corinteli

All posts tagged luca corinteli

Taylor Townsend Leads Strong US Junior Field at French Open

Posted by Admin on May 13, 2013
Posted in: French Open. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Taylor Townsend

TAYLOR TOWNSEND RETURNS TO JUNIOR COMPETITION AT FRENCH OPEN

Townsend to Play First Junior Event in 2013;
Stefan Kozlov Among Youngest in Boys’ Field

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., May 13, 2013 – Taylor Townsend (17, Chicago), the No. 1-ranked junior in the world at the end of 2012, will play in her first junior event of 2013 at the Roland Garros French Open Junior Championships June 2-8 in Paris.

Townsend finished last year as the No. 1-ranked junior in the world, becoming the first American girl in 30 years to hold that distinction. She remains No. 10 in the ITF world junior rankings despite thus far having played only professional tournaments in 2013. In her first WTA-level main draw match, Townsend beat then-No. 57 Lucie Hradecka in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., in March.

Townsend, who in 2012 won the Australian Open junior singles title and junior doubles titles at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open, headlines an American girls’ contingent accepted to play in the French Open Junior Championship that includes Victoria Duval (17, Delray Beach, Fla.), currently No. 285 in the WTA rankings. In 2012, Duval won the USTA Girls’ 18s national title to earn a wild card into the US Open main draw, where she played Kim Clijsters in the first round.

Christina Makarova (16, San Diego), currently No. 11 in the ITF world junior rankings, No. 29 Sachia Vickery (18, Hollywood, Fla.) and No. 39 Jamie Loeb (18, Ossining, N.Y.) are also in the girls’ main draw, while No. 56 Louisa Chirico (16, Harrison, N.Y.), was accepted for qualifying.

Townsend, Duval and Vickery each train at the USTA Training Center – Headquarters in Boca Raton, Fla., while Chirico trains at the USTA Training Center – East in Flushing, N.Y.

Thai-Son Kwiatkowski (18, Charlotte, N.C.), currently the top-ranked American junior boy at No. 16 in the world, leads the Americans accepted to play the boys’ main draw, followed by No. 19 Stefan Kozlov (15, Pembroke Pines, Fla.), No. 23 Noah Rubin (17, Rockville Centre, N.Y.), No. 38 Luca Corinteli (17, Alexandria, Va.) and No. 40 Spencer Papa (17, Edmond, Okla.). No. 49 Martin Redlicki (17, Hawthorn Woods, Ill.) was accepted for qualifying.

Stefan Kozlov Photo: Cynthia Lum/USTA

Stefan Kozlov
Photo: Cynthia Lum/USTA

Kozlov is the youngest player in the Top 20 of the world junior rankings and is the second youngest player in the French Open boys’ main draw. Rubin, who has been ranked as high as No. 6 in the world junior rankings, reached the quarterfinals of last year’s French Open Junior Championship, while Papa advanced to the third round last year.

Currently, Kozlov and Papa train at the USTA Training Center – Headquarters in Boca Raton, Fla. Kwiatkowski and Redlicki previously trained there, Kwiatkowski for three years, and Corinteli trains at the Junior tennis Champions Center in College Park, Md., a USTA Certified Regional Training Center.

—USTA

Advertisement

Luca Corinteli: Ready Like A Raven For Battle As A Wahoo

Posted by Admin on April 15, 2013
Posted in: Junior Tennis, Junior Tennis Champions Center, University of Virginia, USTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

Luca Corinteli: Ready Like A Raven For Battle As A Wahoo

Luca by DK 4899

I’d like to think that Luca Corinteli and I have a few things in common. We both spent our high-school years as Alexandrians, we both love the Superbowl XXXXVII Champion Baltimore Ravens and we both love hitting the hard courts in suburban Maryland. Difference is, he’s a Junior Tennis Champions Center prodigy and I’m a weekend hack. The first few similarities pretty much got me through this brief interview with a major DC/Baltimore Future ATP contender after he had lost a three-setter for the 18s title at the Easter Bowl.

On you taking Gage (Brymer) to the brink today in the Easter Bowl Final: Do you hope for any epic battles between UVA and UCLA?

Playing against Gage today was definitely difficult. I really felt like today’s match was in my hands and being up 6-3, 3-1 and letting it go is tough to swallow. I know all of the kids going to UCLA in the fall and all the talent they have now so the next couple of years will really be competitive and fun between these schools. Hopefully, I can get revenge next year at the NCAA’s when it matters a little bit more. Haha!

Are you looking forward to working under Coach Boland at UVA? What do you hope to learn and tell me about your looking forward to the team ethic.

I am most definitely excited to work under Coach Boland and Coach Pedroso in Charlottesville next year. I know that these two coaches are the best in college tennis and they know what it takes to get me to the next level which is a professional. As far as being on a team, I am super pumped to represent the University of Virginia and play along many of my close friends. It is something I have never done and I feel like I could be a great teammate for those guys.

Is it hard for an East Coast player at the Easter Bowl with an event that’s heavy on California talent and always an away game for East Coast players?

I don’t think playing on the West Coast is too much of a disadvantage for me, at least. I don’t want to speak for other East Coasters, but as a very frequent traveler I have played in over 12 countries so I have gotten used to being out of my comfort zone and it is something I embrace now.

Luca Corinteli (Photo: Dave Kenas)

Luca Corinteli (Photo: Dave Kenas)

Although you’ve trained in Boca, tell me about your time at JTCC and the DC talent you’ve met in training.

I was at the USTA in Boca for 3 years and last September I went back to the JTCC. All of the coaches there are great and really know what they are doing with the future stars and people are already on the tour like my very good friend, Denis Kudla. I work with coaches Vesa Ponkka and Frank Salazar and I love every second of it. The JTCC will keep producing players because of how well they run the Academy.

What’s your favorite memory of growing up in Alexandria or DC? (I went to TC Williams HS in Alexandria.)

My sister actually went to TC and I would have gone there as well if I did not play tennis seriously. I probably would have been a tight end for the Titans. I don’t know if there is one memory I can single out as my favorite as being an Alexandria resident, but I love taking walks in the summer around Old Town with friends and family just because it is so nice.

Also a Baltimorean here. How great was it to be the only tennis player who picked the Ravens when no one else did?

I am so proud to be a Ravens fan. I knew it would be a difficult thing to do but the coaching staff and Ray Lewis really got all the guys playing really hard and it is something I’ll never forget for my whole life. I know the beginning  of free agency looked bad for us but I like the moves we made and I think we will be contenders for a championship once again next year!

 

—Steve Fogleman, with Big Ups to Steve Pratt and Dave Kenas, the photographer who provided this week’s visual smorgasbord.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Colette Lewis, who helped me discover respect for all things Easter Bowl.

Gage Brymer Survives Luca Corinteli @asicseasterbowl 18s

Posted by Admin on April 14, 2013
Posted in: Easter Bowl, Junior Tennis, Junior Tennis Champions Center, USTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Gage Brymer Survives Luca Corinteli at 46th Annual ASICS Easter Bowl

Gage Brymer (Photo: Dave Kenas)

Gage Brymer (Photo: Dave Kenas)

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (April 14, 2013) – Just because he won four of his six ASICS Easter Bowl matches after dropping the first set and five total three-setters, doesn’t mean that Gage Brymer enjoys playing in them.

“No, I don’t really like them,” was Brymer’s response to a question posed by USTA First Vice President Katrina Adams, who was handling Tennis Channel on-court commentating duties following the unseeded Brymer’s 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, win over Luca Corinteli in the Boy’s 18s ITF singles final on the final day of the 46th annual event that took place for the first time at the Sunrise Country Club.

Adams called Brymer the “Marathon Man”, who later added in his post-match media interviews: “I wish I could get it done it two sets every match. It’s been quite a week, quite a grind.”

For the third straight year the boys’ 18s ITF singles was won by a UCLA Bruin recruit as Marcos Giron (2011), Mackenzie McDonald (2012) and now Brymer have captured the coveted title. It’s a junior title their coach Billy Martin, who many regard as one of the best junior players of all-time, never won.

Gage_Brymer_by_DK_5082--Action

“I don’t think it’s that I’m getting warmed up because I feel good when I go on the court and I’m hitting good,” Brymer said. “I think the other guy just really comes out pumped up and it takes a little bit of time to get into the match. It’s funny because this is the first tournament where it’s been the case. It’s not that I’m known for losing the first set. It’s just been this week. It’s not too disheartening now when I lose the first set because I know I can come back.

“I can’t put my finger on it. I guess it’s a good thing because I’ll never count myself out in the second set.”

Corinteli, the No. 3 seeded player from Alexandria, Va., who trains at the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park, Md., played a solid first set and used his big serve to take the early lead. “Maybe I thought in my head I really wouldn’t face any adversity and that it’s kind of going to go as smooth as it has the first set and a half,” he said. “But tennis is never like that and this has happened to me before. A couple of times you pass by it and think you’ve overcome it and then it happens again. You never really know what to expect in this sport because I was in cruise control and then a couple different points go his way and it’s a different match.”

Brymer also won the ASICS Easter Bowl in 2011 in the boys’ 16s. “I don’t like getting second place,” he said. “I feel like once I get to the final I’m there to win it. A couple of weeks ago at the Claremont ITF I got second and that was my first second in a while. I really can’t remember the last time I got second place. I just hate it. I can’t stand going all that way and losing.”

Brymer said he got a little nervous up 5-0 and then 5-1 in the final set. “It’s definitely an incredibly tough place to be up 5-0, 5-1, 5-2. Some people say, you’re up by so much and you’ve got nothing to lose and you’ve got nothing to be worried about, but I don’t think that’s the case at all. It’s much harder to get up 5-0 and close it out then to get up 5-0.

Brymer doesn’t have much time to rest before he returns to play for his high school team, University High in Irvine, on Tuesday. Then it’s off to play the 113th Ojai Valley Championships Boys’ CIF Interscholastic division April 25-28. This year, Brymer is trying to be the first player since Bobby Riggs to win three straight high school titles at The Ojai since Bobby Riggs did it from 1934-36 playing for Franklin High School in Los Angeles.

Two 14-year-olds battled for the Girls’ 16s singles title as last year’s ASICS Easter Bowl finalist CiCi Bellis, the No. 8-seeded player from Atherton, Calif., defeated No. 7 Caroline Dolehide of Hinsdale, Ill., 6-4, 6-1.

“I thought about it a little bit before the match,” Bellis said of her finals loss last year. “It was pretty disappointing. I didn’t want to think about that before the match.”

Dolehide got down two breaks early in the match, but was able to come back and had game point at 4-all before Bellis was able close out the first set, 6-4.

“I missed a little bit too much to stay in the match,” Dolehide said. “I didn’t feel tired but I felt like I had to pick it up to stay with her. All her balls were going pretty deep.”

Dolehide said she wasn’t nervous playing in the final, just “excited.”

Dolehide later teamed with partner Brienne Minor to win the gold ball in doubles to go along with her singles silver as the pair beat Emma Higuchi and Rebecca Weissmann, 1-6, 6-4, 6-2

In the Boys’ 16s final, top-seeded Sameer Kumar of Carmel, Ind., won his second straight USTA Supernational with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Kalman Boyd of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.

“I just couldn’t hang with him,” Boyd said. “He was so fresh and mentally tough and I just got too tired after every point. I was just dead and trying to recover. I never played on Stadium and I never played in front of a crowd all week. So I think that was a factor. I’m already looking forward to my next tournament.”

Kumar said he and his coach actually hit on Stadium court late Saturday night just to get a feel for it. “We wanted to see how the conditions were,” said Kumar, who won the 16s Winternationals to start the year. “Today was tough, but obviously the scoreline doesn’t seem so. I played very well today.”

Not even paired together until the day before the tournament, Jordi Arconada and Spencer Papa beat JC Aragone and Mackenzie McDonald, 6-1, 7-5 to win the Boys’ 18s doubles.

Weekend ASICS Easter Bowl sightings: USTA First Vice President Katrina Adams, USTA Director of Coaching Jose Higueras and former Wimbledon quarterfinalist Kathy May Fritz.

The 18s singles draws can be found here: http://tennislink.usta.com/Tournaments/TournamentHome/Tournament.aspx?T=122977
For 16s and 14s go to TennisLink here:
http://tennislink.usta.com/Tournaments/TournamentHome/Tournament.aspx?T=122896

To keep up with all the ASICS Easter Bowl news, visit the website at http://www.easterbowl.com and check out the tournament on Facebook (www.facebook.com/EasterBowl) and Twitter (@easterbowl). For more information on ASICS, check out: http://www.ASICSAmerica.com and follow on Twitter @ASICSAmerica.

Sunday’s Scores
Boys’ 18s Singles (Final)
Gage Brymer, Irvine, CA def. Luca Corinteli (3), Alexandria, VA 3-6, 6-4, 6-1

Boys’ 18s Doubles (Final)
Jordi Arconada / Spencer Papa (2) def. JC Aragone / M. Mackenzie. McDonald (4) 6-1, 7-5

Boys’ 16s Singles (Final)
Kalman Boyd (17), Rancho Santa Fe, CA def. Sameer Kumar (1), Carmel, IN 6-0, 6-0

Boys’ 16 Singles (Playoff)
Taylor Fritz (3) Rancho Santa Fe, CA def. Emil Reinberg (17) Atlanta, GA 6-3, 6-4

Girls’ 16s Singles (Final)
Catherine Bellis (8), Atherton, CA def. Caroline Dolehide (7), Hinsdale, IL 6-4, 6-1

Girls’ 16 Singles (Playoff)
Emma Higuchi (4) Los Angeles, CA def. Hanna Chang Fontana, CA 6-4; 6-4

Girls’ 16 Doubles (Final)
Caroline Dolehide / Brienne Minor (1) def. Emma Higuchi / Rebecca Weissmann (3) 1-6, 6-4, 6-2

Girls’ 16 Doubles (Playoff)
Jessie Aney / Alexis Nelson (6) def. Jada Hart / Stephanie Hazell 4-6, 6-2, 6-4

 

—S. Pratt

Hibi Aces @ASICSEasterBowl, Boys 18s Final a Battle of East and West for @Luca_Corinteli, Gage Brymer

Posted by Admin on April 14, 2013
Posted in: Easter Bowl, Junior Tennis, Junior Tennis Champions Center. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Hibi Aces @ASICSEasterBowl, Boys 18s Final a Battle of East and West for @Luca_Corinteli, Gage Brymer

Mayo Hibi (Photo: Dave Kenas)

Mayo Hibi (Photo: Dave Kenas)

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (April 13, 2013) – Mayo Hibi completed the ITF Carson-ASICS Easter Bowl double on Saturday, concluding a dominating two weeks of tennis with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Tornado Ali Black.

“I surprised myself that I was able to pull off the Easter Bowl after winning Carson,” said Hibi, who joins Krista Hardebeck (2010) and Melanie Oudin (2008) as recent players who have managed the feat. “I was pretty tired coming into the tournament and wasn’t sure how my body was going to hold up.”

Irvine’s Hibi, who lost in the doubles semifinals on Friday, dropped just 14 games total in her six singles match wins during the tournament.

Hibi said her game has really improved since she started working with former WTA player Debbie Graham, who won on hand to witness the victory.

“I think I’ve improved in a lot of areas,” Hibi said. “I still have a lot of things to work on, but I have really improved.”

She admitted to being “really, really nervous” at the start of the match and that the reality of being in the final got to her. “It’s not like a normal match. You don’t have you bag because the ball runners are carrying them, it was hot and the 14s match went really long. At first I didn’t feel like I was into the match and got down in the first set.”

But Hibi was able to come back, using her consistent slice backhand to keep Black off balance for most of the match.

“I thought I could have come into the match more prepared,” Black said. “I was really exhausted from my last two matches. I’m just happy I was able to do better this year after last year (losing in the first round).”

Hibi will next play USTA Pro Circuit events on the clay in North Carolina and Florida. She also has some celebrating to do. “I haven’t celebrated my birthday yet,” she said of turning 17 last week in Carson. “I think my mom will bake me a cake and we’ll have some ice cream.”

Jaeda Daniel, the No. 3 seed from Port Charlotte, Fla., will also be celebrating with some ice cream following her comeback win in the girls’ 14s final for her first USTA gold ball as she outlasted Ashley Lahey, the No. 11 seed from Hawthorne, Calif., 3-6, 6-4, 6-1.

“That was definitely the toughest match of the tournament for me,” Daniel said, adding that she would go out to dinner with her mom on Saturday night and then to Cold Stone for ice cream.

 

Connor Hance of Torrance, Calif., overcame a match point in the boys’ 14s final to defeat top-seeded John McNally of Cincinnati, 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4. It was the second singles gold ball for Hance, who previously won the Clay Court National 12s.

“I’ve been up match point before like that and lost,” Hance said. “You are just like so happy thinking you’re going to win and then then you get really tight. That happened to me at the Eddie Herr.”

Serving for the match at 6-5 in the second set, McNally double faulted on match point to make it deuce and then Hance reeled off two more points to force the tiebreak.

“In the tiebreak I was just saying get your first serve in,” Hance said. “I didn’t get them all in but I think getting most of them was the difference in the match.”

McNally was distraught after the match, but handled himself well despite the disappointment and said tennis is a lot about ups and downs and how you deal with it. “You really can’t really live like that,” he said of pondering missed opportunities. “Crap happens. That’s what my papa tells me. You’re going to have matches where you come back from match points and matches that you lose up a match point. That’s just tennis. I do look back on that match point. I’m not going to lie. On match point I just got a little bit tight.”

McNally said he looks forward to playing Hance again. “It’s like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal,” he said. “You see them and Djokovic have great matches just like we do. Of course I look forward to playing all the top kids at this high level. It’s the juniors so I don’t really have anything to lose. I’m really looking forward to playing Connor again and getting some revenge.”

Hance said he was excited to be listed among the USTA Spring National winners for the rest of his life. “I’m pretty excited. My names is like going to be in the program. Forever.”

Top-seeded Sameer Kumar came back in his boys’ 16s semifinals to defeat Taylor Fritz, breaking Fritz who was serving for the match in the third set at 5-4. He faces Kalman Boyd on Sunday in the final championship match of the day.

“I’m excited to be in the final,” Kumar said. “I won the Winternationals earlier in the year and that gave me a lot of confidence.”

In the boys’ 18s final, Irvine’s Gage Brymer will face University of Virginia recruit Luca Corinteli. A UCLA recruit, Brymer is unseeded and has won four of his five matches in three setters.

Saturday ASICS Easter Bowl sightings: former USTA President Franklin Johnson, Tennis Channel commentator and former ATP player Vince Spadea, former ATP player Chico Hagey and former WTA player Debbie Graham.

The 18s singles draws can be found here: http://tennislink.usta.com/Tournaments/TournamentHome/Tournament.aspx?T=122977
For 16s and 14s go to TennisLink here:
http://tennislink.usta.com/Tournaments/TournamentHome/Tournament.aspx?T=122896

To keep up with all the ASICS Easter Bowl news, visit the website at http://www.easterbowl.com and check out the tournament on Facebook (www.facebook.com/EasterBowl) and Twitter (@easterbowl). For more information on ASICS, check out: http://www.ASICSAmerica.com and follow on Twitter @ASICSAmerica.

Previewing Sunday’s main-draw singles matches.

10 AM – Girls’ 16 Singles Final
Catherine Bellis vs. Caroline Dolehide

• Catherine is from Atherton in Northern California and is the No. 8 seeded at the ASICS Easter Bowl.
• She beat the top-seeded player in the 16s on Friday and the No. 4 seed yesterday in the semifinals.
• Catherine was a finalist in the 14s division at the ASICS Easter Bowl last year.

• Caroline is 14 years old and the No. 7 seed and from Hinsdale, Illinois.
• She is coming off a great Carson event where she made the semifinals in the 16s.
• Her sister Courtney currently plays for the UCLA Bruins.

12:00 PM – Boys’ 18 Singles Final
Gage Brymer vs. Luca Corinteli

• Gage is from Irvine and is unseeded here this week and has won four of his five matches in three sets.
• Gage won the 16s Division at the ASICS Easter Bowl in 2011.
• He will play for UCLA in the fall.

• Luca trains with the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park, Maryland.
• Luca is the No. 3 seeded player and playing in his first ASICS Easter Bowl final.
• He will play next year for the University of Virginia.

2 PM – Boys’ 16s Singles Final
Sameer Kumar vs. Kalman Boyd

• Sameer is the top-seeded player in the Boys’ 16s and is from Carmel, Indiana.
• He won the Winternationals back in January.
• Sameer is from the same hometown as ATP pro Rajeev Ram’s and the two share the same coach.

• Kalam is unseeded and from Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., and currently training at Advantage Tennis Academy in Irvine.
• On Friday, Kalman beat the No. 2 seed dropping just one game.

Saturday’s Scores
Boys’ 18s Singles (Semifinals)
Gage Brymer, Irvine, CA def. Martin Redlicki (5), Boca Raton, FL 3-6, 6-2, 6-3
Luca Corinteli (3), Alexandria, VA def. Noah Rubin (1), Rockville Centre, NY 7-6(6), 6-1

Boys’ 18s Doubles (Semifinals)
JC Aragone / Mackenzie McDonald (4) def. Luca Corinteli / Martin Redlicki (1) 4-6, 6-1, 10-5
Jordi Arconada / Spencer Papa (2) def. Robbie Bellamy / Joseph Di Giulio 6-4, 6-2

Girls’ 18s Singles (Final)
Mayo Hibi (13), Irvine, CA def. Tornado Ali Black (6), Miami, FL 6-3, 6-2

Girls’ 18s Doubles (Final)
Spencer Liang / Peggy Porter def. Josie Kuhlman / Katerina Stewart 6-4, 6-4

Boys’ 16s Singles (Semifinals)
Kalman Boyd (17), Rancho Santa Fe, CA def. Emil Reinberg (17), Atlanta, GA 7-6(6), 6-4
Sameer Kumar (1), Carmel, IN def. Taylor Fritz (3), Rancho Santa Fe, CA, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5

Boys’ 16s Doubles (Final)
Jake DeVine / Catalin Mateas (7) def. Grayson Broadus / Jean Thirouin (5) 4-6, 6-0, 6-1

Boys’ 16 Doubles (Playoff)
Chase Colton / Alfredo Perez (12) def. Henry Gordon / Austin Rapp (6) 7-5, 5-7, 6-2

Girls’ 16s Singles (Semifinals)
Caroline Dolehide (7), Hinsdale, IL def. Hanna Chang, Fontana, CA 6-4, 5-7, 6-1
Catherine Bellis (8), Atherton, CA def. Emma Higuchi (4), Los Angeles, CA 6-2, 7-5

Girls’ 16 Doubles (Semifinal Round)
Caroline Dolehide / Brienne Minor (1) def. Jada Hart / Stephanie Hazell 6-0, 6-1
Emma Higuchi / Rebecca Weissmann (3) def. Jessie Aney / Alexis Nelson (3) 6-1, 2-6, 7-6 (4)

Boys’ 14s Singles (Final)
Connor Hance (2), Torrance, CA def. John McNally (1), Cincinnati, OH 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-4

Boys’ 14s Doubles (Final)
Bryce Pereira / Michael Zhao (5) def. Jake Van Emburgh / JJ Wolf (6) 4-6, 6-4, 6-0

Boys’ 14 Doubles (Playoff)
Connor Hance / Sam Riffice (14) def. Jonathan Dollahite / Dylan Levitt (16) 6-4, 4-6, 6-2

Girls’ 14s Singles (Final)
Jaeda Daniel (3), Port Charlotte, FL def. Ashley Lahey (11), Hawthorne, CA 3-6, 6-4, 6-1

—S. Pratt

Hibi, Black to Battle @ASICSEasterBowl; Corinteli, Rubin, Redlicki, Brymer Advance

Posted by Admin on April 13, 2013
Posted in: Easter Bowl, Junior Tennis. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Hibi, Black to Battle in Girls’ 18s

Final At ASICS Easter Bowl

Tornado Ali Black (Photo: Dave Kenas)

Tornado Ali Black (Photo: Dave Kenas)

 

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (April 12, 2013) – Mayo Hibi has had quite an impressive run in her return to junior tennis over the past two weeks.

 

The Irvine 17-year-old is just one win away from taking the impressive back-to-back ITF double of winning Carson and the ASICS Easter Bowl as she takes on 14-year-old Tornado Ali Black in the Girls’ 18s final on Saturday at the 46th annual event taking place at the Sunrise Country Club.

 

Hibi, who has played just ITF Pro Circuit Futures events this year, has had just one day off over the past 12 days. Only Melanie Oudin (2008) and Krista Hardebeck (2010) have been able to pull off the Carson-Easter Bowl double.

 

“Yeah, I’m pretty tired,” said Hibi, who had another convincing win on Friday over 13-year-old Michaela Gordon of Los Altos Hills, Calif., 6-2, 6-0. Later in the day she fell in the doubles semifinals with Brooke Austin.

 

Hibi and Black have played just once before last summer in the quarterfinals of an ITF $10,000 Futures event at Hilton Head, S.C., with Hibi dropping just one game. Hibi said Black didn’t play her best match and expects a tough final on Saturday.

 

“I’m sure she’s going to be ready to go,” Hibi said.

 

Black fell down 3-1 in the first set for the second consecutive match, but was able to battle back against a tough player in Louisa Chirico in a match that was just short of three hours as the No. 6-seed recorded a tense 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5) win.

 

Unseeded Gage Brymer of Irvine continued his impressive run advancing to the semifinals in the Boys’ 18s division. He next meets Martin Redlicki, the No. 5-seed from Boca Raton, Fla. Redlicki upset defending champion and No. 2 seeded Mackenzie McDonald of Piedmont, Calif., in three sets, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2. In the other half of the draw, No. 3 Luca Corinteli takes on top-seeded Noah Rubin.

 

In the boys’ 14s final on Saturday, the seedings held almost perfect as No. 1 John McNally of Cincinnati beat No. 5 Nathan Perrone of Mount Laurel, N.J., and No. 2 Connor Hance toppled No. 3 Zeke Clark of Tulsa, Okla., also in straight sets setting up a finals matchup on Saturday between the top two seeds.

 

McNally is aware he would be in some impressive company if he could pull out the win in the final Saturday. “I haven’t look back at the past winners in the 14s,” he said. “I just know how prestigious a tournament this is.”

 

Aaron Krickstein, Justin Gimelstob and Donald Young are past 14s ASICS Easter Bowl winners.

 

McNally and Hance have never played each other, but did square off in a doubles match on Thursday won by Hance and his partner.

 

“I learned he had a gigantic forehand,” Hance said. “I have a plan, I think.”

 

Hance and Clark had some extremely long rallies. “The average rally was like 20 shots,” Hance said. “I was just trying to keep it deep. He doesn’t give you a lot of balls to put away. He’s a great player and I had to do a lot to keep him off balance and to throw him off. It’s hard to pass him because he’s so fast. I was just grinding with him.

 

“There were lots of breaks in the second set. It was just break, break, break. It’s hard to serve when you’re having 40-ball rallies because you lose your legs.”

 

Ashley Lahey continued what she called her “breakthrough” tournament, advancing to the final for the first time in a Supernational event. Her and her mother moved to the South Bay from Colorado a year ago to be closer to the USTA Training Center – West where she trains with best friend Ryan Peus, who she beat on Friday, 6-2, 6-2.

 

“I practice with Ryan every day,” the No. 11 seeded Lahey said. “We are best friends. We are inseparable. It’s tough to play your best friend but eventually you get over that barrier. Hopefully I can play one more good match.”

 

Her finals opponent is No. 3 Jaeda Daniel of Port Charlotte, Fla. She beat Alexa Graham of Garden City, N.Y. 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-1.

 

“It feels great to be in the final,” said Daniel, who trains part of the year near her hometown of Philadelphia. “It’s been a long tournament.”

 

Sightings on Thursday and Friday: Former ATP pros Tim Mayotte, Eliot Teltscher and former NCAA women’s singles champion Beth Herr Bellamy.

 

The 18s singles draws can be found here:  http://tennislink.usta.com/Tournaments/TournamentHome/Tournament.aspx?T=122977

For 16s and 14s go to TennisLink here:

http://tennislink.usta.com/Tournaments/TournamentHome/Tournament.aspx?T=122896

 

To keep up with all the ASICS Easter Bowl news, visit the website at www.easterbowl.com and check out the tournament on Facebook (www.facebook.com/EasterBowl) and Twitter (@easterbowl). For more information on ASICS, check out: www.ASICSAmerica.com and follow on Twitter @ASICSAmerica.

 

Friday’s Scores

Boys’ 18s Singles (Quarterfinals)

Gage Brymer, Irvine, CA def. Michael Mmoh (8), Temple Hills, MD 5-7, 6-4, 6-3

Martin Redlicki (5), Boca Raton, FL def. Mackenzie McDonald (2), Piedmont, CA 6-2, 3-6, 6-2

Luca Corinteli (3), Alexandria, VA def. Ernesto Escobedo, West Covina, CA 6-1, 6-4

Noah Rubin (1), Rockville Centre, NY def. Alexandru Gozun, Sarasota, FL 6-4, 6-0

 

Boys’ 18s Doubles (Quarterfinals)

JC Aragone / Mackenzie McDonald (4) def. AJ Catanzariti / Dennis Uspensky (7) 6-4, 6-0

Luca Corinteli / Martin Redlicki (1) def. Justin Butsch / Tommy Mylnikov (5) 6-3, 6-3

Robbie Bellamy / Joseph Di Giulio def. Michael Mmoh / Francis Tiafoe (3) 6-2, 6-4

Jordi Arconada / Spencer Papa (2) def. Gregory Garcia / Tyler Lu 7-5, 6-4

 

Girls’ 18s Singles (Semifinals)

Tornado Ali Black (6), Miami, FL def. Louisa Chirico (14), Harrison, NY 7-6(5), 7-6(5)

Mayo Hibi (13), Irvine, CA def. Michaela Gordon, Los Altos Hills, CA 6-2, 6-0

 

Girls’ 18s Doubles (Semifinals)

Josie Kuhlman / Katerina Stewart def. Brooke Austin / Mayo Hibi (6) 6-2, 6-2

Spencer Liang / Peggy Porter def. Maegan Manasse / Jamie Loeb 3-6, 6-4, 10-6

 

Boys’ 16s Singles (Quarterfinals)

Kalman Boyd (17), Rancho Santa Fe, CA def. Kyle Seelig (2), Hatfield, PA 6-0, 6-1

Sameer Kumar (1), Carmel, IN def. Jake DeVine (17), Boca Raton, FL 7-5, 6-4

Taylor Fritz (3), Rancho Santa Fe, CA def. Victor Pham (9), Saratoga, CA 6-1, 6-0

Emil Reinberg (17), Atlanta, GA def. Chase Colton (4), Davie, FL 4-6, 6-1, 6-2

 

Boys’ 16s Doubles (Semifinals)

Jake DeVine / Catalin Mateas (7) def. Henry Gordon / Austin Rapp (6) 6-2, 3-6, 6-3

Chase Colton / Alfredo Perez (12) def. Grayson Broadus / Jean Thirouin (5) 6-3, 3-6, 7-5

 

Girls’ 16s Singles (Quarterfinals)

Hanna Chang, Fontana, CA def. Meredith Xepoleas (3), Huntington Beach, CA 6-4, 6-3

Catherine Bellis (8), Atherton, CA def. Francesca Dilorenzo (1), New Albany, OH 7-5, 6-2

Emma Higuchi (4), Los Angeles, CA def. Emma Davis (17), Cohasset, MA 3-6, 6-4, 6-3

Caroline Dolehide (7), Hinsdale, IL def. Meghan Kelley (11), Falmouth, ME 6-3, 7-5

 

Girls’ 16s Doubles (Quarterfinals)

Jada Hart / Stephanie Hazell def. Jessica Livianu / Alexandra Sabe 6-4, 6-2

Caroline Dolehide / Brienne Minor (1) def. Ena Shibahara / Savannah Slaysman (7) 4-6, 6-4, 10-8

Emma Higuchi / Rebecca Weissmann (3) def. Kenadi Hance / Risa Nakagawa (8) 7-5, 7-6(4)

Jessie Aney / Alexis Nelson (6) def. Katharine Fahey / Jacqueline Urbinati (2) 6-3, 6-1

 

Boys’ 14s Singles (Semifinals)

John McNally (1), Cincinnati, OH def. Nathan Perrone (5), Mount Laurel, NJ 7-5, 6-3

Connor Hance (2), Torrance, CA def. Zeke Clark (3), Tulsa, OK 6-4, 6-4

 

Boys’ 14s Doubles (Semifinals)

Bryce Pereira / Michael Zhao (5) def. Jonathan Dollahite / Dylan Levitt (16) 6-2, 6-3

Jake Van Emburgh / JJ Wolf (6) def. Connor Hance / Sam Riffice (14) 7-6(1), 6-4

 

Boys’ 14 Singles (Gold Draw Quarterfinal Losers, Semifinal Round)

Max Pham, Newport Coast, CA def. Robert Baylon, Buena Park, CA 6-1, 6-0

Justin Lee, Cos Cob, CT def. Jacob Brumm, Rancho Santa Fe, CA Wo (ill)

 

Boys’ 14 Singles (Gold Draw Quarterfinal Losers, Final Round)

Max Pham, Newport Coast, CA def. Justin Lee, Cos Cob, CT 6-2, 6-2

 

Boys’ 14 Singles (Silver Draw 4th Round Losers, Final Round)

Conrad Russell, Palo Alto, CA def. Michael Zhao, Princeton Jct, NJ 6-2, 6-2

 

Girls’ 14s Singles (Semifinals)

Ashley Lahey (11), Hawthorne, CA def. Ryan Peus (9), Caprinteria, CA 6-2, 6-2

Jaeda Daniel (3), Port Charlotte, FL def. Alexa Graham (17), Garden City, NY 7-6(4), 2-6, 6-1

 

Girls’ 14s Doubles (Finals)

Hada Chang / Abigail Chiu (1) def. Kelly Chen / Annette Goulak (2) 6-2, 6-2

 

Girls’ 14 Singles (Gold Draw Quarterfinal Losers; Final Round)

Kylie McKenzie, Anthem, AZ def. Claire Liu, Thousand Oaks, CA 6-4; 7-6(7)

 

Girls’ 14 Singles (Gold Draw Quarterfinal Losers, Semifinal Round)

Claire Liu, Thousand Oaks, CA def. Ellie Douglas, McKinney, TX Wo (inj)

Kylie McKenzie, Anthem, AZ def. Janice Shin, Houston, TX 6-3, 6-3

 

Girls’ 14 Singles (Silver Draw 4th Round Losers, Final Round)

Riley McQuaid Tustin, CA def. Abigail Desiatnikov, Gates Mills, OH 7-6(4), 1-6, 14-12

 

Girls’ 14 Doubles (Playoff)

Darya Possokhova / Katya Tabachnik (8) def. Samantha Martinelli / Delaney Nothaft (3) 6-4, 6-4

 

—S. Pratt