Penickova, Kennedy Advance to Australian Juniors Third Round; Shelton, Navarro and Keys Reach AO Quarterfinals; Preston Wins ITF J100 in New Zealand; Four US Juniors Advance at Les Petits As

No. 4 seed Jack Kennedy and No. 6 seed Kristina Penickova earned victories Monday on day three of the Australian Open Junior Championships, reaching the round of 16 by decidedly different routes. Kennedy, who is featured in the ITF Junior website's recap of boys matches, got late breaks in both sets to earn a 7-5, 7-5 victory over Karim Bennani of Morocco. 

Penickova, who won her first round match in a third-set tiebreaker took that path again Monday, but needed a massive second set comeback over Yuhan Wang of China just to get into a third. Penickova, who served for the first set but lost four straight games, trailed 7-5, 5-0, yet somehow managed to win seven consecutive games without allowing Wang a singles match point.

Down 5-2 in the third set, Penickova won four straight games, serving at 6-5, 40-0, but she couldn't convert any of those three match points, with the sequence of an unforced error, a winner by Wang and a double fault getting Wang to deuce. Wang got another error and came up with another winner to claim her fifth consecutive point, sending it to the 10-point tiebreaker.

Neither player could get more than a two-point lead, but when Penickova made an unforced error serving at 7-all, Wang had the match on her racquet. She picked the worse possible time to lose control of her forehand however, committing three straight unforced errors from that side to allow Penickova to claim the win.

Thea Frodin, the only other US girl to reach the second round, took the first set from top seed and ITF Junior No. 1 Emerson Jones of Australia, but her serving was too erratic, with 14 aces and 21 double faults, to hold off the 6-7(3), 6-2, 6-3 comeback by Jones. It was officially announced by the ITF today that Jones and Norway's Nicolai Budkov Kjaer are the 2024 ITF World Junior Champions.

Monday's Australian Open second round junior results of Americans:

Emerson Jones[1](AUS) d. Thea Frodin 6-7(3), 6-2, 6-3
Kristinia Penickova[6] d. Yuhan Wang(CHN) 5-7, 7-5, 7-6(8)
Jack Kennedy[4] d. Karim Bennani(MAR) 7-5, 7-5
Ognjen Milic(SRB) d. Max Exsted[10] 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-2

Tuesday's Australian Open second round junior matches featuring Americans:
Jagger Leach[5] v Gabriele Crivellaro[Q](ITA)
Benjamin Willwerth v Nikola Djosic(SUI)
Dominick Mosejczuk v Kuan-Shou Chen(TPE)

A total of five Americans have advanced to the men's and women's singles quarterfinals in Melbourne, with Ben Shelton(Florida) joining Tommy Paul with a win Monday, and Emma Navarro(Virginia) and Madison Keys joining Coco Gauff in the final eight with their wins Monday.

Monday's fourth round Australian Open matches featuring Americans:

Madison Keys[19] d. Elena Rybankina[6](KAZ) 6-3, 1-6, 6-3

Emma Navarro[8] d. Daria Kasatkins[9](RUS) 6-4, 5-7, 7-5

Alex de Minaur[6](AUS) d. Alex Michelsen 6-0, 7-6(5), 6-3 

Ben Shelton[21] d. Gael Monfils(FRA) 7-6(3), 6-7(3), 7-6(2), 1-0 ret.

Lorenzo Sonego(ITA) d. Learner Tien[Q] 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1

Tuesday's quarterfinal Australian Open matches featuring Americans:

Coco Gauff[3] v Paula Badosa[11](ESP)

Tommy Paul[12] v Alexander Zverev[2](GER)

While US juniors were winning J300 titles,  two in doubles in Traralgon Australia, and a singles and a doubles title in San Jose Costa Rica, two other Americans picked up ITF Junior Circuit titles at the J100 in Christchurch New Zealand. Fourteen-year-old Janae Preston won her second and biggest ITF Junior Circuit title, adding to the J30 title she won last year. Seeded No. 15, Preston defeated 14-year-old compatriot Lani Chang, the No. 8 seed, 6-2, 6-4 in the semifinals, then took out No. 6 seed Lisa Anzai 6-2, 6-3 in the final. Preston did not drop a set in her five victories.

The second title in Christchurch was in boys doubles, with Aidan Lam Meng Bart, like Preston, earning his second and biggest title a year after winning his first at a J30. Bart and partner Kaigaoge Kang of China, the No. 4 seeds, defeated No. 7 seeds Dan Milburnand Liam Youn of New Zealand 6-3, 6-3 in the final. Bart and Kang did not need a third-set match tiebreaker in any of their five wins.

The first day of main draw competition at Les Petits As had eight of the 10 Americans in the girls and boys draws in action, with both the girls and the boys picking up two wins. Wild card Isabella Gonzalez Alvarez will play top seed Megan Knight of Great Britain, and the highest US boys seed, No. 8 Tristan Ascenzo, will face qualifier Erik Meolic of Slovenia in Tuesday's conclusion of the first round singles matches.

Daniel Gardality d. Talha Bulut(TUR) 6-1, 6-1

Smyan Thuta[16] d. Maxence Destappe(FRA) 7-5, 6-4

Evan Giurescu(FRA) d. Anthony Kirchner 4-6, 6-4, 6-4

Allison Wang[16] d. Ameliia Kononenko(RUS) 6-3, 6-4

Emery Combs[8] d. Laura Masarykova 6-4, 6-7(10), 6-4

Amy Shen(CAN) d. Daniela Del Mastro 6-3, 6-4

Violetta Skryp(UKR) d. Khadija Adeniran 6-7(8), 6-4, 6-1

Liv Zingg(GBR) d. Tanvi Pandey 6-1, 6-2

Updated draws and the order of play can be found at the Tennis Europe tournament page; links to live streams and live scoring is available at the tournament website.

Cozad Wins ITF J300 Coffee Bowl Title in Costa Rica; Three More US Boys Advance to Australian Open Junior Championships Second Round; Paul and Gauff Reach AO Quarterfinals; Les Petits As Begins Monday

Sixteen-year-old Ryan Cozad won his first ITF J300 title Saturday night in Costa Rica, defeating fellow unseeded American Yubel Ubri 6-2, 6-3 for his tenth consecutive victory.

The 2024 Kalamazoo 16s doubles champion, who had won the J100 in Costa Rica the week before the 60th Coffee Bowl, beat No. 1 seed Dantel Pagani of Argentina 7-5, 6-4 in the first round, and that proved to be his closest match of the week. The Atlanta resident then went on to beat four Americans, all in straight sets, while also reaching the boys doubles final.

Cozad and Gavin Goode lost in that doubles final, which was prior to the singles final, to the Danish team of Christian Gronfeldt-Sorensen and August Brostroem Poulsen 7-5, 1-6, 10-2. Cozad is the third American in the past four years to win the boys singles title.

Ava Rodriguez fell in the girls singles final to No. 4 seed Mariella Thamm of Germany 6-3, 6-3, with Thamm completing her sweep of the titles after she and Julieta Pareja claimed the doubles championship earlier in the day. Thamm and Pareja, seeded No. 2, defeated No. 3 seeds Alyssa James of Jamaica and Capucine Jauffret 6-1, 6-4 in the final.

The first round of Australian Open Junior Championships was completed Sunday, with all four US girls in action losing, while three of the four US boys playing Sunday advancing.  

The most dramatic win came from Dominick Mosejczuk, who collapsed on the baseline with what appeared to be a cramp serving at 5-6, 30-0 in his match with Nikita Bilozertsev of Ukraine. After a delay of several minutes, during which officials and trainers assessed Mosejczuk's condition, he resumed play, held to force the match tiebreaker and then won it, with a strategy of shorter points paying off.

Benjamin Willwerth won his first junior slam match, beating No. 15 seed Alan Wazny of Poland 6-3, 6-3.

The remaining 16 first round doubles matches are also on Monday's schedule, but no singles for those who played Sunday.

Sunday's first round results of American juniors at Australian Open:

Dominick Mosejczuk d. Nikita Bilozertsev(UKR) 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(8)
Benjamin Willwerth v Alan Wazny[15](POL) 6-3, 6-3
Amir Omarkhanov[2](KAZ) d. Matisse Farzam 7-6(3), 7-6(8)
Jagger Leach[5] d. Ivan Iutkin(RUS) 6-4, 6-3

Kanon Swashiro(JPN) d. Aspen Schuman 6-3, 6-2
Mia Pohankova(SVK) d. Annika Penickova 2-6, 7-6(3), 6-2
Daphnee Mpetshi Perricard(FRA) d. Shannon Lam 7-5, 6-2
Sonja Zhenikhova(GER) d. Claire An 6-3, 6-4

Monday's Australian Open second round junior matches featuring Americans:

Thea Frodin v Emerson Jones[1](AUS)

Kristinia Penickova[6] v Yuhan Wang(CHN)

Jack Kennedy[4] v Karim Bennani(MAR)

Max Exsted[10] v Ognjen Milic(SRB)

Coco Gauff and Tommy Paul are through to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, with five more Americans attempting to join them in fourth round matches Monday(tonight in the US).

Sunday's fourth round Australian Open results of Americans:

Coco Gauff[3] d. Belinda Bencic(SUI) 5-7, 6-2, 6-1

Tommy Paul[12] d. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina(ESP) 6-1, 6-1, 6-1

Monday's fourth round Australian Open matches featuring Americans:

Madison Keys[19] v Elena Rybankina[6](KAZ)

Emma Navarro[8] v Daria Kasatkins[9](RUS)

Alex Michelsen v Alex de Minaur[6](AUS)

Ben Shelton[21] v Gael Monfils(FRA)

Learner Tien[Q] v Lorenzo Sonego(ITA)

The Les Petits As 14-and-under international championships in Tarbes France begin Monday with six US girls and four US boys in the draws. Eight of the US representatives won their spots by reaching the semifinals of the playoffs held last fall in Florida:

Daniela Del Mastro, Emery Combs[8], Allison Wang[16], Tanvi Pandey, Anthony Kirchner, Tristan Ascenzo[8], Smyan Thuta[16] and Daniel Gardality. Isabella Gonzalez Alvarez received a wild card and Khadija Adeniran was a direct entry.

Megan Knight of Great Britain is the No. 1 girls seed, with Rafael Pagonis of Greece the No. 1 boys seed.

Links to live streaming and live scoring can be found on the tournament website.

The Tennis Europe tournament page has printable draws.

For the second week in a row, Clervie Ngounoue fell in the final of a W35 to Victoria Mboko of Canada, this time in Guadeloupe. The 18-year-old from Washington DC, seeded No. 2, lost to No. 4 seed Mboko 6-4, 6-0 in the final. Unlike last week however, Ngounoue didn't lose twice to Mboko, with this week the two partnering in doubles, not facing off in the final. Ngounoue and Mboko, the No. 2 seeds, beat unseeded Jenna Dean and Mexico's Amanda Carolina Nava Elkin 6-3, 6-1 in the final.

US Open Girls Champion Stojsavljevic Upset in Australian Open Juniors First Round, Kennedy Saves Match Points to Advance; Tien, Michelsen and Shelton Join Paul in AO Second Week; Ubri and Cozad Play for ITF J300 Coffee Bowl Title

US Open girls champion Mika Stojsavljevic didn't play the ITF J300 Traralgon tournament last week and the 16-year-old from Great Britain may regret that choice now, with the No. 2 seed dropping her first round match at the Australian Open Junior Championships to Anamaria Oana of Romania 2-6, 6-3, 6-2. Oana, ranked 79, only avoided qualifying by reaching the doubles final in Traralgon, and while that might have been a stroke of good fortune, she can't have been happy with her draw in her junior slam debut. But she now has her first victory in a slam and a day to savor it before she plays qualifier Shiho Tsujioka of Japan in the second round.

The top-seeded Americans in action Saturday were both pushed to third set tiebreakers, with No. 4 seed Jack Kennedy saving two match points in his 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(4) win over Australian wild card Daniel Jovanovski.

Serving at 4-5, 15-30 in the third set, Kennedy stumbled and fell behind the baseline, with Jovanovski's shot whizzing by him to leave the Kalamazoo 18s finalists down two match points. Jovanovski, who was starting to show signs of fatigue two hours into the match, hit a forehand long to squander his first match point, but he played a fine point on the second, with only Kennedy's outstanding defense keeping him in the point and the match. After returning several near-certain Jovanovski winners, Kennedy eventually coaxed the error from Jovanovski, who netted a backhand, his opportunity lost. Kennedy went on to dominate the tiebreaker, leading 4-0 and 8-4, with Jovanovski and the once animated Court 5 crowd looking and sounding much less engaged and optimistic than they had three games earlier.

Kennedy will face Karim Bennani of Morocco in the second round.

No. 6 seed Kristina Penickova was down 6-3, 4-2 to Kamonwan Yodpetch of Thailand, but won the last four games of the second set. With Yodpetch serving at 5-2 in the third set, Penickova had a match point, but Yodpetch held and Penickova couldn't finish out the win serving at 5-3. Penickova had to save a break point at 5-all, while Yodpetch held at love serving at 5-6, but it was Penickova who stepped up in the last game, taking 8-1 and 9-3 leads before closing out the two-hour victory.

She will play Yuhan Wang of China in the second round.

Saturday's results of Americans in first round Australian Open Juniors:

Jack Kennedy[4] d. Daniel Jovanovski[WC](AUS) 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(4)
Maxwell Exsted[10] d. Cooper Kose[WC](AUS) 6-3, 6-4
Jan Kumstat[1](CZE) d. Maximus Dussault 6-2, 6-2
Andrea De Marchi[12](ITA) d. Noah Johnston 7-5, 6-4

Thea Frodin d. Nauhany Vitoria Leme Da Silva(BRA) 6-3, 7-6(1)

Kristina Penickova[6] d. Kamonwan Yodpetch(THA) 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(5)

Petra Konjikusic(SRB) d. Maya Iyengar 3-6, 7-6(2), 7-6(7)

Sunday's Australian Open first round junior matches featuring Americans:

Dominick Mosejczuk d. Nikita Bilozertsev(UKR) 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(8)

Benjamin Willwerth v Alan Wazny[15](POL)

Amir Omarkhanov[2](KAZ) d. Matisse Farzam 7-6(3), 7-6(8) 

Jagger Leach[5] v Ivan Iutkin(RUS)

Kanon Swashiro(JPN) d. Aspen Schuman 6-3, 6-2

Mia Pohankova(SVK) d. Annika Penickova 2-6, 7-6(3), 6-2 

Daphnee Mpetshi Perricard(FRA) d. Shannon Lam 7-5, 6-2 

Sonja Zhenikhova(GER) d. Claire An 6-3, 6-4

Doubles begin Sunday with eight first round matches in both draws. Traralgon J300 champions Jagger Leach and Great Britain's Oliver Bonding the top seeds and Traralgon finalists Maxwell Exsted and Czech Republic's Jan Kumstat the No. 2 seeds.

Kristina and Annika Penickova, the Traralgon girls doubles champions, are the No. 6 seeds. Stojsavljevic and Japan's Wakana Sonobe are the top seeds in the girls doubles draw.

Three young Americans joined Tommy Paul in the Australian Open's last 16 with wins Saturday in Melbourne: 19-year-old Learner Tien(USC), 20-year-old Alex Michelsen and 22-year-old Ben Shelton(Florida). 

With his 7-6(10), 6-3, 6-3 win over Corentin Moutet of France, Tien becomes the youngest man to reach the round of 16 at the Australian Open since Rafael Nadal did it in 2005. Michelsen's 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-2 win over No. 19 Karen Khachanov of Russia gave him two Top 20 victories in the first week, and he also joined some elite names in the "youngest to" category for American men. While Tien and Michelsen are through to a slam second week for the first time, Shelton is trying to return to the AO quarterfinals, which he reached in 2023 as he was beginning his first full year on the ATP Tour. No. 21 seed Shelton defeated No. 16 seed Lorenzo Musetti of Italy for the first time in three meetings 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(5).

Saturday's third round Australian Open results of Americans:

Emma Navarro[8] d. Ons Jabeur(TUN) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4

Madison Keys[19] d. Danielle Collins[10] 6-4, 6-4

Gael Monfils(FRA) d. Taylor Fritz[4] 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(1), 6-4

Jannik Sinner[1](ITA) d. Marcos Giron 6-3, 6-4, 6-2

Alex Michelsen d. Karen Khachanov[19](RUS) 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-2

Ben Shelton[21] d. Lorenzo Musetti[16](ITA) 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(5)

Learner Tien[Q] d. Corentin Moutet(FRA) 7-6(10), 6-3, 6-3

Sunday's fourth round Australian Open matches featuring Americans:

Coco Gauff[3] v Belinda Bencic(SUI)

Tommy Paul[12] v Alejandro Davidovich Fokina(ESP)

The finals of the ITF J300 Coffee Bowl in Costa Rica are tonight, with unseeded Ava Rodriguez playing No. 4 seed Mariella Thamm of Germany for the girls singles title and unseeded Ryan Cozad and Yubel Ubri in an all-US battle for the boys title.

Cozad defeated qualifier Michael Antonius 6-2, 6-4 and Ubri beat No. 8 seed Jack Satterfield 7-5, 6-1 in last night's semifinals. Cozad, who swept the title last week at the J100 warmup in Costa Rica, is also in today's doubles final, with Gavin Goode.

I assume due to impending rain, the quarterfinals and semifinals of the women's USTA Pro Circuit W35 in Palm Coast Florida were played on Friday, with the finals in both singles and doubles contested today.

Elli Mandlik, the No. 8 seed, defeated No. 6 seed Whitney Osuigwe 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-3 in the all-USA singles final.

Unseeded Ayana Akli(South Carolina) and Abigail Rencheli(NC State) beat the No. 1 and No. 3 seeds in doubles on their way to the final, but lost to No. 2 seeds Jasmijn Gimbrere and Lisa Zaar(Pepperdine) of Sweden 6-4, 3-6, 10-8 in the final.

My Conversation with Former USTA Player Development Head Martin Blackman; Rodriguez Reaches ITF J300 Coffee Bowl Final; Seven Americans Play Australian Open Junior First Round Matches Saturday; Gauff, Paul Reach AO Fourth Round

Earlier this month I spoke with Martin Blackman, who served as General Manager of Player Development for the USTA from 2015 through the end of last year. When the USTA announced a reorganization in October, the release also revealed that Blackman was leaving. The much broader position that will include Player Development has not yet been filled, but I wanted to highlight the structure and the philosophy that Blackman and Jose Higueras, among many others at Player Development, established and refined over the past ten years. I didn't have much interaction with Blackman in his first stint USTA back in 2009 and 2010, but I did several interviews with him in the first few years after he took over for Patrick McEnroe in 2015 and have followed his role as GM of Player Development closely in the years since.

I feel that after all these years, I'm fairly well-versed in what Player Development does, but I urge you to read his answer to the first two questions I asked in my interview for Tennis Recruiting Network, because I learned a lot more about how the Team USA concept developed, why it looks like it does, and how the foundation is there for the new structure if the current USTA board and management can refrain from blowing it up.

I'm glad Blackman is staying connected to tennis, but I wish that he was still directly influencing American tennis in an official capacity. He has set the bar high, and the USTA has a lot of work ahead to clear it.

The girls final at the ITF J300 Coffee Bowl in Costa Rica and it will not include either of the top two seeds.  Sixteen-year-old Ava Rodriguez, who had never reached a J300 quarterfinal until this week, is now into the final, after defeating top seed Katie Rolls 6-4, 6-1. Rodriguez, who has committed to Georgia for 2026, will face No. 4 seed Mariella Thamm of Germany, who beat No. 2 seed Capucine Jauffret 6-2, 2-6, 6-2.

The boys final will be determined after tonight's all-USA semifinals, with qualifier Michael Antonius facing Ryan Cozad and Yubel Ubri taking on No. 8 seed Jack Satterfield. Ubri defeated No. 6 seed Lachlan Gaskell 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 in the night quarterfinal match.

Seven of the 15 Americans competing in the Australian Open Junior Championships are in action Saturday (tonight in the United States).  The ITF has two previews of the tournament, here and here.

Live scoring is available at the Australian Open website, with live streaming of all matches at ESPN+.

US Juniors in first round Australian Open Saturday;

Jack Kennedy[4] d.  Daniel Jovanovski[WC](AUS) 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(4)

Maxwell Exsted[10] d. Cooper Kose[WC](AUS) 6-3, 6-4

Maximus Dussault v Jan Kumstat[1](CZE)

Noah Johnston v Andrea De Marchi[12](ITA)

Thea Frodin d. Nauhany Vitoria Leme Da Silva(BRA) 6-3, 7-6(1)

Kristina Penickova[6] v Kamonwan Yodpetch(THA)

Petra Konjikusic(SRB) d. Maya Iyengar 3-6, 7-6(2), 7-6(7)  

Tommy Paul and Coco Gauff advanced to the fourth round with wins Friday; eight more Americans will attempt to join them in third round action Saturday.

Friday's third round Australian Open results of Americans:

Coco Gauff[3] d. Leylah Fernandez[30](CAN) 6-4, 6-2

Olga Danilovic(SRB) d. Jessica Pegula[7] 7-6(3), 6-1 

Tommy Paul[12] d. Roberto Carballes Baena(ESP) 7-6(0), 6-2, 6-0

Saturday's third round Australian Open matches featuring Americans:

Emma Navarro[8] v Ons Jabeur(TUN)

Madison Keys[19] v Danielle Collins[10]

Taylor Fritz[4] v Gael Monfils(FRA)

Marcos Giron v Jannik Sinner[1](ITA)

Alex Michelsen v Karen Khachanov[19](RUS)

Ben Shelton[21] v Lorenzo Musetti[16](ITA)

Learner Tien[Q] v Corentin Moutet(FRA)

Tien Defeats Medvedev in Fifth Set Tiebreaker to Join Ten Other Americans in Australian Open Round Three; AO Junior Championships Begin Saturday with Jones, Kumstat Top Seeds; Seven Americans Reach ITF J300 Coffee Bowl Semifinals

Joao Fonseca of Brazil was the talk of the Australian Open after the 18-year-old Next Gen champion defeated No. 9 seed Andrey Rublev in straight sets in the first round. Fonseca lost his second round match Thursday to Lorenzo Sonego of Italy, but Next Gen finalist Learner Tien(USC) kept the buzz on the teenagers in this first week with a 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-7(8), 1-6, 7-6(7) win over three-time Australian Open finalist and No. 5 seed Daniil Medvedev of Russia. 

It looked as if the 19-year-old Californian, a two-time Kalamazoo 18s champion, might have missed his opportunity when he didn't convert a match point in the third set tiebreaker, with the wear and tear of three qualifying matches and a nearly four-hour first round win over Camilo Ugo Carabelli of Argentina likely to have an impact as the clock ticked past midnight. The fourth set seemed to confirm that supposition, but the fifth set upended the narrative, with Tien going up a break for a 3-1 lead, only to give it right back. When Medvedev broke Tien at 5-all, he appeared poised to end the valiant battle Tien had put up, but Tien broke back to force the deciding tiebreaker. After he missed an easy forehand wide to fall behind 7-6, Medvedev was in great position, but Tien hit two forehand winners, got an unforced error from a Medvedev for 9-7 and then slid a first serve up the T that Medvedev returned long to secure the improbable, nearly five-hour upset just shy of 3 a.m. Melbourne time.

David Kane has more on the match at tennis.com.

Thursday's second Australian Open results of Americans:

Emma Navarro[8] d. Xiyu Wang(CHN) 6-3, 3-6, 6-4

Madison Keys[19] d. Elena-Gabriela Ruse[Q](ROU) 7-6(1), 2-6, 7-5

Emma Raducanu(GBR) d. Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 7-5 

Elena Rybakina[6](KAZ) d. Iva Jovic[WC] 6-0, 6-3

Danielle Collins[10] d. Destanee Aiava[Q](AUS) 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-2

Elina Svitolina[28](UKR) d. Caroline Dolehide 6-1, 6-4

Alex de Minaur[8](AUS) d. Tristan Boyer[Q] 6-2, 6-4, 6-3

Taylor Fritz[4] d. Christian Garin[Q](CHI) 6-2 ,6-1, 6-0

Learner Tien[Q] v Daniil Medvedev[5](RUS) 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-7(8), 1-6, 7-6(7)

Ben Shelton[21] d. Pablo Carreno Busta(ESP) 6-3, 6-3, 6-7(4) 6-4

Fabian Marozsan(HUN) d. Frances Tiafoe[17] 6-7(3). 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 

Alex Michelsen d. James McCabe[WC](AUS) 7-5, 6-3, 7-6(4)

Corentin Moutet(FRA) d. Mitchell Kreuger[Q] 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(3), 6-4 

Marcos Giron d. Tomas Martin Etcheverry(ARG) 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4

Friday's third round Australian Open matches featuring Americans:
Coco Gauff[3] v Leylah Fernandez[30](CAN)
Jessica Pegula[7] v Olga Danilovic(SRB)

Tommy Paul[12] v Roberto Carballes Baena(ESP)

The draws for the Australian Open Junior Championships, which begin Saturday(Friday night in the US), have been released with the same 15 Americans that compete in the J300 in Traralgon in the main draw. Jacob Lee, the only American in qualifying, lost his final round qualifying match to Tom Sickenberger of Germany 6-1, 6-1.

The Americans competing are Kristina Penickova[6], Thea Frodin, Maya Iyengar, Claire An, Aspen Schuman, Shannon Lam, Annika Penickova, Jack Kennedy[4], Jagger Leach[5], Maxwell Exsted[10], Dominick Mosejczuk, Matisse Farzam, Noah Johnston, Benjamin Willwerth. Maximus Dussault.

The boys seeds are below, with no change from the Traralgon seeds except for No. 16.

1. Jan Kumstsat(CZE)

2. Amir Omarkhanov(KAZ)

3. Andres Santamarta Roig(ESP)

4. Jack Kennedy(USA)

5. Jagger Leach(USA)

6. Oliver Bonding(GBR)

7. Oskari Paldanius(FIN)

8. Henry Bernet(SUI)

9. Timofei Derepasko(RUS)

10. Maxwell Exsted(USA)

11. Flynn Thomas(SUI)

12. Andrea De Marchi(ITA

13. Moise Kouame(FRA)

14. William Rejchtman Vinciguerra(SWE)

15. Alan Wazny(POL)

16. Alexander Vasilev(BUL)

The girls seeds are quite different, with three of the top four seeds not playing Traralgon: top seed Emerson Jones of Australia, No. 2 seed and US Open girls champion Mika Stojsavljevic of Great Britain, and US Open girls finalist Wakana Sonobe of Japan. Two other girls seeds also did not play Traralgon: No. 9 Mingge Xu of Great Britain and No. 12 seed Alena Kovackova of the Czech Republic. Those five additions bumped Americans Thea Frodin and Maya Iyengar, who were seeds in Traralgon, out of seeding territory.

Girls seeds:

1. Emerson Jones(AUS)

2. Mika Stojsavljevic(GBR)

3. Jeline Vandromme(BEL)

4. Wakana Sonobe(JPN)

5. Teodora Kostovic(SRB)

6. Kristina Penickova(USA)

7. Tereza Krejcova(CZE)

8. Elizara Yaneva(BUL)

9. Mingge Xu(GBR)

10. Rositsa Dencheva(BUL)

11. Jana Kovackova(CZE)

12. Alena Kovackova(CZE)

13. Vendula Valdmannova(CZE)

14. Hannah Klugman(GBR)

15. Mika Buchnik(ISR)

16. Julia Stusek(GER)

Henry Bernet of Switzerland and Jeline Vandromme of Belgium won the Traralgon singles titles.

The ITF J300 in Costa Rica will have an American boy as the singles champion for the third time in the last four years, with all Friday's semifinalists from the United States.  

Last week's J100 champion Ryan Cozad continued his run, beating No. 5 seed Calvin Baierl 6-3, 6-3 in the quarterfinals, his eighth straight win this month in Costa Rica. He will face 15-year-old qualifier Michael Antonius in the first J300 semifinal for both. Antonius defeated No. 7 seed Yannik Alvarez of Puerto Rico 7-6, 6-4.  No. 8 seed Jack Satterfield, who beat wild card Keaton Hance 4-6, 6-2, 7-5, will play the winner of tonight's match between No. 6 seed Lachlan Gaskell and Yubel Ubri.

Three of the four girls in the semifinals are from the United States, with top seed Katie Rolls advancing via a 6-1, 6-2 win over Ligaya Murray and No. 2 seed Capucine Jauffret defeating Carrie-Anne Hoo 4-6, 7-5, 6-3. Rolls will face unseeded Ava Rodriguez, who beat qualifier Lucy Oyebog Atang 6-3, 6-3; Jauffret takes on the only non-American semifinalist in No. 4 seed Mariella Thamm of Germany. Thamm defeated No. 5 seed Julieta Pareja, her doubles partner, 6-4, 2-6, 6-1.

The draws on the ITF Junior Circuit website have not been updated, but the draws on the Coffee Bowl tournament site are current.

Fourteen of 16 Quarterfinalists at ITF J300 Coffee Bowl from US; Vandromme and Bernet Claim Traralgon J300 Titles, Americans Win Doubles; Australian Open Second Round Singles Concludes with 14 Americans in Action Thursday

Although there are two night matches Wednesday at the Coffee Bowl, the ITF J300 in Costa Rica, the number of all-US quarterfinals Thursday is six, with just two non-Americans advancing in today's second round action.

Tonight's two night matches, which are played outdoors in contrast to the day matches held indoors this year, feature Jack Satterfield[8] and qualifier Gray Kelley and No. 2 seed Jack Secord and wild card Keaton Hance. Hance and Secord were members of November's USA Junior Davis Cup team that won the title; both played No. 2, behind Jack Kennedy, with Hance at that spot throughout the knockout round. 

Ryan Cozad defeated top seed Dante Pagani of Argentina 7-5, 6-4 last night and took out Andrew Johnson 6-4, 6-1 today. Cozad won the J100 in Costa Rica last week.

The boys quarterfinals:

Ryan Cozad v Calvin Baierl[5]

Michael Antonius[Q] v Yannik Alvarez[7](PUR)

Lachlan Gaskell[6] v Yubel Ubri

Satterfield/Kelley v Hance/Secord

The girls quarterfinals:

Katie Rolls[1] v Ligaya Murray

Lucy Oyebog Atang[Q] v Ava Rodriguez

Julieta Pareja[5] v Mariella Thamm[4](GER)

Carrie-Anne Hoo v Capucine Jauffret[2]

The ITF J300 in Traralgon Australia finished Wednesday, with top seed Jeline Vandromme of Belgium and No. 8 seed Henry Bernet of Switzerland taking the singles titles. Vandromme defeated unseeded Ksenia Efremova of France 6-3, 6-1 in the final, while Bernet defeated unseeded Egor Pleshivtsev of Russia 6-2, 6-3.

Kristina and Annika Penickova won their eighth ITF Junior Circuit doubles title, with the No. 3 seeds beating Teodora Kostovic of Serbia and Anamaria Federica Oana of Romania 6-3, 6-2 in the final. 

Top seeds Jagger Leach and Great Britain's Oliver Bonding won the boys doubles title, beating No. 2 seeds Max Exsted and the Czech Republic's Jan Kumstat 6-3, 5-7, 10-4 in the final.

Jacob Lee, the only American in the Australian Open Junior Championships qualifying, won his first round match Wednesday, beating No. 13 seed Kohshi Ishibashi of Japan 7-6(5), 6-3. He will face No. 4 seed Tom Sickenberger of Germany for a place in the main draw Thursday (tonight in the US).  

Again, much respect for Tennis Australia electing to play a full third set in these qualifying matches, which Roland Garros also does. Sadly, that is not the case at Wimbledon or the US Open, where a match tiebreaker often decides who qualifies for the main draw.

Three of the five Americans in Australian Open second round action Wednesday advanced in men's and women's singles, but No. 22 seed Sebastian Korda lost to former University of Illinois All-American Aleks Vukic of Australia. Korda is the first seeded American to lose in the Australian Open this year. Fourteen Americans are on Thursday's schedule:

Wednesday's second round Australian Open results of Americans:

Jessica Pegula[7] d. Elise Mertens(BEL) 6-4 6-2

Coco Gauff[3] v Jodi Burrage(GBR) 6-3, 7-5

Aleks Vukic(AUS) d. Sebastian Korda[22] 6-4, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5

Tomas Machac[26](CZE) d. Reilly Opelka 3-6, 7-6(1), 6-7(5), 7-6(4), 6-4 

Tommy Paul[12] d. Kei Nishikori(JPN) 6-7(3), 6-0, 6-3, 6-1

Thursday's second Australian Open matches featuring Americans:

Emma Navarro[8] v Xiyu Wang(CHN)

Madison Keys[19] v Elena-Gabriela Ruse[Q](ROU)

Amanda Anisimova v Emma Raducanu(GBR)

Iva Jovic[WC] v Elena Rybakina[6](KAZ)

Danielle Collins[10] v Destanee Aiava[Q](AUS)

Caroline Dolehide v Elina Svitolina[28](UKR)

Tristan Boyer[Q] v Alex de Minaur[8](AUS)

Taylor Fritz[4] v Christian Garin[Q](CHI)

Learner Tien[Q] v Daniil Medvedev[5](RUS)

Ben Shelton[21] v Pablo Carreno Busta(ESP)

Frances Tiafoe[17] v Fabian Marozsan(HUN)

Alex Michelsen v James McCabe[WC](AUS)

Mitchell Krueger[Q] v Corentin Moutet(FRA)

Marcos Giron v Tomas Martin Etcheverry(ARG)