Four Unseeded Girls Make Spring Nationals Quarterfinals; Guzick Upsets Brewer in Boys Action Wednesday

Four Unseeded Girls Make Spring Nationals Quarterfinals; Guzick Upsets Brewer in Boys Action Wednesday ~~~
©Colette Lewis 2006
Mobile--

Perfect tennis weather--blue skies, a light breeze and temperatures in the upper 60s--was the backdrop for the USTA Spring Nationals Round of 16 Wednesday at the Mobile Tennis Center.

Four unseeded girls--Claire Rietsch, Julia Boserup, Mallory Cecil and Kristen Rafel recorded straight set wins, as did three of the four top seeds. Reka Zsilinszka (2) defeated Noelle Hickey (9) 6-2, 6-0, while third seed Melissa Saiontz was finally tested but eventually prevailed over unseeded Julia Huschke 6-1, 7-6 (5). Magdalena Bresson (5) rolled past unseeded Georgiana Smyser 6-0, 6-2. Fourth seed Lauren Lui came back to take a 5-7, 6-0, 6-4 decision over Olivia Janowicz in the only three set match in the girls division Wednesday.

Boserup, a fourteen-year-old from Los Angeles, easily defeated Laurianne Henry, a ninth seed, 6-1, 6-2 in the only upset of the day. Rietsch, also from Southern California, knocked out Claire Bartlett, also unseeded, 7-5, 6-1. Bartlett had upset top seed Kristy McVitty on Tuesday. Mallory Cecil had to bring out her best tennis to eliminate the diminutive C.C. Sardinha 7-5, 6-4 in another battle of unseeded players. And in the third contest featuring two unseeded girls, Kristen Rafael, who had stunned fifth seed Kristy Frilling in the first round, continued her stellar play, beating Sanaz Marand 6-3, 6-3.

In contrast, only one boys quarterfinalist is unseeded, Viju George, a 6-4, 6-3 winner over unseeded Aaron Carpenter on Wednesday. George will face Houston Barrick, a five seed. Barrick squeaked by Roy Kalmanovich, a nine seed, 7-6 (4), 6-4.

2005 16s Easter Bowl champion Will Guzick, a nine seed, upset fourth seed Matt Brewer, a freshman at University of Memphis, 6-4, 6-4. Guzick broke Brewer in the first game of the match and made it stand up for the set, and in the second set broke Brewer at 4-4 to put himself in position to serve it out.

"He's very solid," said Guzick. "I think our styles match up well. He likes to play from the baseline, but he isn't quite as consistent as I am and when he goes for his shots, I can get some of them back. But the key was breaking him, because his serve is deceptively good, the way he places it and the spins he puts on it."

Guzick will next face Rook Schellenberg, a five seed, who eliminated Michael Dierberger, a nine seed, 6-4, 6-4. In another five/nine confrontation, Adam Schwartz upset doubles partner Jared Pinsky 7-6 (6), 6-4 in a battle of lefthanders that was every bit as close as the score would suggest.

Schwartz takes on second seed Davey Sandgren, who was delighted to quickly eliminate Stephen Havens, a nine seed, 6-3, 6-2 after Tuesday's marathon win over Jonathan Wolff.

The only three-set match of the day on the boys side saw nine seed George Navas earn his quarterfinal spot with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 win over unseeded Nicholas Meister.

Navas meets Xavier Smith, a five seed, who took out nine seed German Boryachinsky 6-3, 7-5.

In doubles play on Wednesday, the top seeded girls team of McVitty and Zsilinszka were upended by Jennifer Meredith and Connor Vogel in the second round. The girls doubles are still one round behind due to rain on Monday afternoon.

The boys quarterfinals were played on Wednesday, and three unseeded teams advanced, led by Calvin Bennett and Matt Allare, who have blizted through their first three matches. They will face another unseeded team with eye-catching results this week, Geoffrey Embry and Guzick, who have not lost a set. The third unseeded team, Barrick and Eric Quigley have lost the first set in each of their last two matches, but regrouped for victories and will face Tennesseans Tyler Davis and Sandgren, a nine seed, in the other semifinal.

For full draws see usta.com, and for additional coverage of the USTA Spring Nationals, visit collegeandjuniortennis.com.