Top seed Czerwinski Survives Third Round Scare

--Top seed Czerwinski Survives Third Round Scare--
©Colette Lewis 2005--

Prematch buzz in the third round of USTA Boys 18s Spring Championships centered on the clash between top seed Marek Czerwinski and unseeded Adam Slagter. Slagter, a 6'5" Texan, had impressed with an easy win over 24th seeded David Kwon in the previous round, and with a big lefty serve and volleying skills galore, it was no surprise when the first set of the two hour match ended in a tiebreaker. When Czerwinski finally emerged with a 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-4 win, he was relieved and happy.

“I stayed cool, even though I was disappointed to lose that tiebreaker,“ said the eighteen-year-old from Michigan. "I knew finally what I had to do after the first set to get his big serve back."

Czerwinski, who trains in Florida, and will be heading to Vanderbilt in the fall, also volleys often and well. Spectators witnessed several points featuring both players at the net, crisp volleys whizzing back and forth, with the final shot a perfectly placed winner. But Slagter blinked first, giving up an early break in the third set, and Czerwinski faced only one break point from then on.

"I've had a solid 12 or 14 months of tournaments, and I feel good", he said. "I feel like I'm ready to take the tournament."

Czerwinski faces 11th seed George Navas of Florida in the round of 16 on Sunday.

Justin Kronague (2) and Maciek Sykut (3) recorded straight-set victories, and Blake Boswell (4) advanced by winning his second consecutive three-set match.

The top three seeds in on the girls side-- Magdalena Bresson (1), Kristen McVitty (2) and Lindsay Burdette (3) won in straight sets, but Melissa Saiontz (4) was upset by unseeded Sophie Grabinski 6-3, 6-0.