McDonald, Brymer, Chirico, Black, Peus Advance at ASICS Easter Bowl

 

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (April 11, 2013) – Future UCLA teammates and fellow Californians Mackenzie McDonald and Gage Brymer recorded convincing straight-set victories on Thursday in the Boys’ 18s division on Day 5 of the 46^th annual ASICS Easter Bowl being played at the Sunrise Country Club.

The No. 2-seeded McDonald of Piedmont, Calif., beat No. 15-seeded Dennis Uspensky of Atlantic Beach, N.Y., 6-3, 6-1, and the unseeded Brymer of Irvine, Calif., got past Henrik Wiersholm, the No. 14-seed from Kirkland, Wash., 6-2, 7-5, as both now move on to Friday’s quarterfinals.

The defending champion and former boys’ 14s champion McDonald is looking to become the first back-to-back boys’ 18s winner at the ASICS Easter since 1971-72.

“I feel like Palm Springs brings out the best in my game,” said McDonald, who played in warm 85-degree, but ideal conditions. “I feel like just going out there and playing. I want to stay in the present and not think about the past and just get through each point and each match.”

McDonald, 17, next meets Martin Redlicki, the No. 5-seed from Boca Raton, Fla., while Brymer will face Michael Mmoh, the No. 8-seed from Temple Hills, Md.

In the upset of the day, 13-year-old Ryan Peus of Carpinteria, Calif., beat 12-year-old and No. 1-seeded Claire Liu of Thousand Oaks, Calif., in the girls’ 14s quarterfinals, 6-2, 6-3. The two are training partners at the USTA Training Center – West in Carson, Calif.

Peus was elated after the match, advancing to her first 14s semifinal of a USTA Nationals. “It was a good win for me,” she said. “We’ve played like eight times and it always goes three sets. I was just a lot more aggressive and I felt like I had nothing to lose today. She was tight the entire match and the she had all the pressure on her.”

Peus wore her sweat-stained Roger Federer hat with three signatures on the bill of the cap belonging to R-Fed, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. “It’s my lucky hat,” she said, adding she got all the signatures at the nearby BNP Paribas Open just down the road in Indian Wells.

A 13- and 14-year-old both advanced to the semifinals of the girls’ 18s as unseeded Michaela Gordon, 13, of Los Altos Hills, Calif., beat Raquel Pedraza of Claremont, Calif., 6-3, 6-3, and No. 6-seeded Tornado Ali Black, 14, upset No. 2 Marika Akkerman in a nearly three-hour marathon, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.

Serving for the match at 5-4, Black was called for a time violation up 30-love but was able to close it out. “I got down 3-1 in the first set and was thinking, ‘she can’t keep this level up,’ ” said Black, who recently left training with the USTA and has began working with the L’Academie de Tennis Academy in Boynton Beach, Fla.

Louisa Chirico, 16, of Harrison, N.Y., and Mayo Hibi, 17, of Irvine, Calif., are the other semifinalists and both have WTA rankings with Chirico at No. 427 and Hibi at No. 368 in the world. Hibi had no problems with last year’s 18s finalist Brooke Austin, 6-0, 6-2.

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.

Thursday’s Scores

          Boys’ 18s Singles (Round of 16)

Michael Mmoh (8) Temple Hills, MD def. Justin Butsch (12) Miami Beach, FL 7-5, 6-0

Alexandru Gozun Sarasota, FL def. Francis Tiafoe (10) College Park, MD 6-2, 7-6(4)

Martin Redlicki (5) Boca Raton, FL def. Brandon Sutter El Dorado Hills, CA 6-1, 6-3

Gage Brymer Irvine, CA def. Henrik Wiersholm (14) Kirkland, WA 6-2, 7-5

Luca Corinteli (3) Alexandria, VA def. Stephen Watson Orlando, FL 6-3, 6-2

Mackenzie McDonald (2) Piedmont, CA def. Dennis Uspensky (15) Atlantic Beach, NY 6-3, 6-1

Ernesto Escobedo West Covina, CA def. Deiton Baughman Carson, CA 6-3, 2-6, 6-3

Noah Rubin (1) Rockville Centre, NY def. Logan Smith Carlsbad, CA 7-5, 7-5

Boys’ 18s Doubles (Round of 16)

JC Aragone / Mackenzie McDonald (4) def. Deiton Baughman / George Goldhoff Wo (inj)

Robbie Bellamy / Joseph Di Giulio def. Farzin Amiri / Nicholas Crystal (8) 6-2, 6-3

Michael Mmoh / Francis Tiafoe (3) def. Jake De Vries / Trevor Johnson 6-4, 7-5

Gregory Garcia / Tyler Lu def. Alexandru Gozun / Carter Lin 7-5, 6-4

Jordi Arconada / Spencer Papa (2) def. Aron Hiltzik / John Mee 7-6(1), 3-6, 10-7

Luca Corinteli / Martin Redlicki (1) def. Walker Duncan / Thomas Mayronne 7-6(3), 6-3

AJ Catanzariti / Dennis Uspensky (7) def. William Blumberg / Nathan Ponwith 6-3, 6-1

Justin Butsch / Tommy Mylnikov (5) def. Jake Stefanik / Stephen Watson 6-3, 3-6, 10-7

          Girls’ 18s Singles (Quarterfinals)

Louisa Chirico (14) Harrison, NY def. Monica Robinson Valley Center, CA 6-3, 6-1

Michaela Gordon Los Altos Hills, CA def. Raquel Pedraza Claremont, CA 6-3, 6-3

Tornado Ali Black (6) Miami, FL def. Marika Akkerman (2) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4

Mayo Hibi (13) Irvine, CA def. Brooke Austin Indianapolis, IN 6-0, 6-2

          Girls’ 18s Doubles (Quarterfinals)

Brooke Austin / Mayo Hibi def. Ayla Aksu / Hadley Berg (6) 6-4, 6-3

Spencer Liang / Peggy Porter def. Marika Akkerman / Rianna Valdes (2) 6-3, 6-2

Maegan Manasse / Jamie Loeb def. Monica Robinson / Mira Ruder-Hook 6-1, 6-1

Josie Kuhlman / Katerina Stewart def. Louisa Chirico / Dasha Ivanova (1) 6-2, 7-5

 

Boys’ 16s Singles (Round of 16)

Kalman Boyd (17) Rancho Santa Fe, CA def. Kial Kaiser (5) Saratoga, CA 6-0, 6-2

Sameer Kumar (1) Carmel, IN def. Spencer Richey Memphis, TN 7-5, 6-3

Chase Colton (4) Davie, FL def. Michael Lorenzini (17) Clarendon Hills, IL 6-2, 6-2

Kyle Seelig (2) Hatfield, PA def. Yancy Dennis (17) Reisterstown, MD 6-3, 6-2

Emil Reinberg (17) Atlanta, GA def. Stephen Madonia (17) Lakeland, FL 6-4, 6-3

Victor Pham (9) Saratoga, CA def. Catalin Mateas (8) Braintree, MA 6-2, 6-3

Jake DeVine (17) Boca Raton, FL def. Artemie Amari New York, NY 6-1, 2-6, 7-6(4)

Taylor Fritz (3) Rancho Santa Fe, CA def. Austin Rapp (17) Rancho Mirage, CA 6-2, 6-2

 

Boys’ 16s Doubles (Quarterfinals)

Henry Gordon / Austin Rapp (6) def. Daniel Gealer / Michael Lorenzini 6-2, 7-6(4)

Chase Colton / Alfredo Perez (12) def. Yancy Dennis / Brian Tsao 6-2, 6-2

Jake DeVine / Catalin Mateas (7) def. Taylor Fritz / Riley Smith (10) 4-6, 6-1, 10-6

Grayson Broadus / Jean Thirouin (5) def. Michael Chen / Julian Rozenstein (4) 6-2, 6-1

Girls’ 16s Singles (Round of 16)

Meredith Xepoleas (3) Huntington Beach, CA def. Jaclyn Switkes (17) Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 3-6, 6-2, 6-1

Emma Davis (17) Cohasset, MA def. Brienne Minor (6) Mundelein, IL 6-1, 4-6, 7-6(4)

Caroline Dolehide (7) Hinsdale, IL def. Madison Clarke (17) Phoenix, AZ 6-2, 6-0

Hanna Chang Fontana, CA def. Alaina Miller Saratoga, CA 6-3, 6-7, 6-2

Meghan Kelley (11) Falmouth, ME def. Rebecca Weissmann (17) Loveland, CO 6-4, 4-0 Ret (inj)

Emma Higuchi (4) Los Angeles, CA def. Katharine Fahey (14) Fair Haven, NJ 6-2, 6-2

Francesca Dilorenzo (1) New Albany, OH def. Jessie Aney Rochester, MN 6-2, 6-2

Catherine Bellis (8) Atherton, CA def. Kenadi Hance (17) Torrance, CA 4-6, 6-0, 6-0

 

Girls’ 16s Doubles (Round of 16)

Jessica Livianu / Alexandra Sabe def. Paige Cline / Gaby Pollner (5) 7-5, 6-1

Kenadi Hance / Risa Nakagawa (8) def. Madison Clarke / Michelle Lui 6-1, 6-1

Ena Shibahara / Savannah Slaysman (7) def. Annemarie Emme / Alexandra Sanford 7-5, 6-2

Caroline Dolehide / Brienne Minor (1) def. Ilana Oleynik / Drew Spinosa 6-0, 6-3

Emma Higuchi / Rebecca Weissmann (3) def. Kennedy Shaffer / Jaclyn Switkes (13) 6-4, 6-4

Jessie Aney / Alexis Nelson (6) def. Elizabeth Tsvetkov / Sabrina Xiong (16) 6-2, 6-3

Katharine Fahey / Jacqueline Urbinati (2) def. Lauren Goodman / Danielle Wolf (10) 6-2, 6-7(4), 10-8

Jada Hart / Stephanie Hazell def. Nadia Gizdova / Christina Rosca (12) 6-3, 6-3

 

Boys’ 14s Singles (Quarterfinals)

Zeke Clark (3) Tulsa, OK def. Jacob Brumm (6) Rancho Santa Fe, CA 6-3, 6-1

Nathan Perrone (5) Mount Laurel, NJ def. Robert Baylon, Buena Park, CA, 7-5, 6-1

John McNally (1) Cincinnati, OH def. Max Pham Newport Coast, CA 7-5, 6-3

Connor Hance (2) Torrance, CA def. Justin Lee (8) Cos Cob, CT 6-2, 6-2

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

Michael Zhao Princeton Jct, NJ def. Sam Riffice Roseville, CA 6-3, 6-2

Jake Van Emburgh Verona, WI def. Alafia Ayeni San Diego, CA 6-3, 6-4

Patrick Kypson Greenville, NC def. Alex Gee Bellaire, TX 6-1, 6-3

Conrad Russell Palo Alto, CA def. Noah Makarome Wesley Chapel, FL 6-2, 7-6(2)

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

Michael Zhao Princeton Jct, NJ def. Jake Van Emburgh Verona, WI 7-5, 6-3

Conrad Russell Palo Alto, CA def. Patrick Kypson Greenville, NC 6-0, 6-2

Boys’ 14s Doubles (Quarterfinals)

Connor Hance / Sam Riffice (14) def. Hady Habib / John McNally (2) 7-6(3), 0-6, 10-3

Bryce Pereira / Michael Zhao (5) def. Richard Ciamarra / Peter Conklin (9) 6-3, 6-2

Jonathan Dollahite / Dylan Levitt (16) def. Trent Bryde / Aleks Huryn 7-6(12), 6-1

Jake Van Emburgh / JJ Wolf (6) def. Brandon Lam / Max Pham 6-7(7), 6-2, 10-7

 

Girls’ 14s Singles (Quarterfinals)

Jaeda Daniel (3) Port Charlotte, FL def. Kylie McKenzie (6) Anthem, AZ 6-4, 6-4

Ashley Lahey (11) Hawthorne, CA def. Ellie Douglas (10) McKinney, TX 7-5, 6-2

Alexa Graham (17) Garden City, NY def. Janice Shin (17) Houston, TX 6-2, 6-0

Ryan Peus (9) Carpinteria, CA def. Claire Liu (1) Thousand Oaks, CA 6-2, 6-3

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

Samantha Martinelli Denver, CO def. Abigail Chiu Austin, TX 6-1, 6-3

Loren Haukova Elmsford, NY def. Christie Wan Rowland Heights, CA 6-3, 6-1

Abigail Desiatnikov Gates Mills, OH def. Sofia Sewing Doral, FL 6-3, 6-4

Riley McQuaid Tustin, CA def. Rachel Lim Briarcliff Manor, NY 6-3, 6-2

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

Riley McQuaid Tustin, CA def. Samantha Martinelli Denver, CO 6-3, 6-0

Abigail Desiatnikov Gates Mills, OH def. Loren Haukova Elmsford, NY 6-3, 6-0

Girls’ 14s Doubles (Semifinals)

Hada Chang / Abigail Chiu (1) def. Darya Possokhova / Katya Tabachnik (8) 6-2, 7-5

Kelly Chen / Annette Goulak (2) def. Samantha Martinelli / Delaney Nothaft (3) 6-4, 6-2

 

—S. Pratt