Quarterfinals Set at Grass Courts

©Colette Lewis 2005--
Philadelphia PA--

Unseeded Clint Bowles and Carlos Salmon advanced to a quarterfinal meeting after convincing wins Wednesday at the Philadelphia Cricket Club, site of the ITF International Grass Court Championship.

Bowles eliminated Jarmere Jenkins 6-3, 6-2, while Salmon sidelined eighth seed Dimitri Loucareas 6-0, 6-2. Salmon's first serve, a formidable weapon on hard courts, is even more impressive on the grass, and as the wind and absence of rain firmed the playing surface, he used it to great advantage. Loucareas, who won a three set battle of big servers in the first round, started badly and was unable to find any rhythm in a match where three strokes was a long rally.

Fourth seed Albe Richlieu was extended to three sets for the second consecutive match, but once again survived, defeating Ruan Roleofse 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. He will face sixth seed Wil Spencer in the quarterfinals; Spencer cruised past Adam El Mihdawy Wednesday afternoon 6-0, 6-3.

In girls singles action, qualifier Michaela Kissell continued her charge through the draw, dispatching Lyndsay Kinstler 6-1, 7-5. She will meet sixth seed Stefanie Nunic, who overcame Mallory Burdette 2-6, 6-2, 6-2. Fifth seed Jelena Durisic subdued a stubborn Melaine Oudin 7-5, 6-4 and, in the only meeting of two seeded players in the girls quarterfinals, will take on Madison Brengle, the third seed.

Brengle breezed through the first set of her match with Jessi Robinson, taking it 6-1, but Robinson regrouped, breaking Brengle at 5-6 to even it at a set each. Both girls found it difficult to hold serve in the final set, not surprising really, as the server rarely ventured to the net, preferring to take her chances from the baseline. When Brengle stepped to the line serving at 6-5, it seemed quite likely that a tiebreaker would decide it, even when Brengle jumped out to a 40-0 lead, there was a tenuous feel to her lead. The determined Robinson managed to save four match points in the game but Brengle forced an error to eke out the win.

In doubles action, an unseeded team is assured in the boys finals as both Salmon-Spencer and Bowles and Mike Sroczynski won on Wednesday and face each other in the semifinals. Form held in the bottom half, as second seeds Richelieu and Matthew Sands and third seeds Brad Cox and Rupesh Roy earned their way into the semifinals.

Only the fourth seeds are missing from the semifinals in the girls division as Brengle and partner Carolyn McVeigh upset Manijee Ashrafi and Yolande Leacock. Brengle and McVeigh will face second seeds Durisic and Nunic, while top seeds Sanaz Marand and Ashley Weinhold take on sisters Lindsay and Mallory Burdette, the third seeds.