Unseeded Players Make Big Impact at Spring Nationals

Unseeded Players Make Big Impact at Spring Nationals--
© Colette Lewis 2005--


Reka Zsilinszka and Clint Bowles have made their way to the finals of the Spring Nationals in Mobile without the benefit of a seed. Each will face an older, more experienced player in Wednesday's final, Zsilinszka meeting third seed Lindsay Burdette, and Bowles taking on top seed Marek Czerwinski. Zsilinszka is unconcerned by the prospect.

"I always do well when I'm unseeded," said the 15-year-old from North Carolina after defeating 24th seed Melissa Mang 7-5, 6-2. "In the 16s, I'm always one or two, and there's more pressure then."

Bowles quickly dispatched 14th seed Wesley Miller 6-3, 6-1 and was pleased with his performance.

"I can't think of anything I did wrong and he was having trouble with his serve," said the 16-year-old from Tampa, who won the 14 Clay Courts title in 2003.

His opponent in the finals had a much tougher semifinal, as Czerwinski took the court against his longtime doubles partner, third seed Maciek Sykut. "It's always tough," said Czerwinski after his 6-3, 7-6(6) win. Sykut had opportunities, breaking Czerwinski to serve for the set at 6-5, but he failed to convert any of his three set points in that game and two more in the tiebreaker.

Lindsay Burdette attributed her 6-3, 7-6 (4) semifinal win over hard-hitting sixth seed Eleanor Peters to experience and consistency.

"Usually, I'm the one dictating points, but she really hits out on the ball," she said. "I had to defend really well and I felt I was able to neutralize her very good returns."

Burdette, who turned 17 last month, earned her fourth gold ball when she and partner Melissa Saiontz won the girls doubles title, outlasting Peters and Laura Reichert 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 late Tuesday evening.

The boys doubles title went to the third seeded team of Santiago Montoya and Adam Slagter who squeezed past the top seeded team of Czerwinski and Sykut 2-6, 7-5, 7-6(2). Montoya and Slagter had two match points in the ninth game and two more in the 11th, but Czerwinski and Sykut hung on to force the tiebreaker. Once Slagter got another chance at a match point, he served a blistering ace for an emphatic conclusion to an often brilliantly played championship match.