Unseeded Mixson Wins Florida Sectional
© Colette Lewis 2005 All Rights Reserved
Mixson had easily defeated Korbut in the first round on his way to the Miami Dade Junior Designated title in October, his initial foray into the older age division, so his finals win was not a surprise. Though hardly an unknown quantity, as he won the Florida State 16s title in June, Mixson had not accumulated enough points in the 18s division to assure seeding in either 18s event.
But certainly any player looking at his draw knew Mixson to be a dangerous opponent and followers of ITF events knew that his game held up under international scrutiny as well. At the Grade 1 Eddie Herr in November, Mixson was a quarterfinalist in the 16s division and followed with another quarterfinal appearance at the International Winters. Although he lost in the first round of the Orange Bowl to the third seed, Roberto Maytin, Mixson and partner Clint Bowles reached the semifinals in doubles in all three of the Florida ITF events.
But despite all this recent success, Mixson was inexplicably turned down when he requested a wild card into the USTA's recent National Winter Championships in Scottsdale for the 18s division. Though disappointed, Mixson's mother Denise said her son took it well, and, for a change, spent the holidays at home relaxing instead of playing tournaments in Arizona. This unexpected vacation from tennis no doubt left him fresh and eager to return to the courts to prove once again that you don't need to be seeded to take home the trophy.
On the girls side of the ledger, the form followed seeding, with Monica Arguello. seeded first, and second seed Chelsea Preeg meeting in the finals. Fifteen-year-old Preeg, prevailed however, with a 6-4, 6-3 over Arguello, 16.
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