Drama Takes Center Stage Friday at International Spring Championships

©Colette Lewis 2006
Carson CA--
It was a tossup which girls quarterfinal match was most thrilling-- Reka Zsilinszka saving six match points in a 4-6, 7-6 (6), 7-5 win over Ashley Weinhold or Michelle Larcher de Brito coming back from being down a set and 5-0, to take a 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2 victory over Kristy McVitty.

Zsilinszka began her day with what would normally be a remarkable feat, winning the last five games of the second set to eliminate Julia Boserup 6-3, 6-4 in the round of 16, but she topped that in the afternoon. Tenth seeded Weinhold took Zsilinszka out of her game by playing a more attacking style and finishing at the net, and the two match points that Zsilinszka saved serving at 4-5 seemed inconsequential when Weinhold took a 6-2 lead in the second set tiebreak. Six points later, however, Zsilinszka had evened the match.

"I was proud of myself," Zsilinszka said. "I've never done that ever. Once I think I saved one match point, but never six match points." Zsilinszka admitted she was not expecting the turnaround. "I was sure I was going to lose. I had no doubt in my mind. It was good for me, but it must have been really disappointing for her."

Larcher de Brito saved only two match points in her miraculous comeback, but it was a stunning result nonetheless. The thirteen-year-old qualifier, playing in her first ITF event, had needed over two and a half hours to subdue fifth seed Lena Litvak in the round of 16, her third consecutive three set win. Her high-decibel high-gear groundstroking game is exhausting for opponents and spectators alike, and it was expected that she would finally reach her limit against McVitty, who can counterpunch with equal ferocity. But even down 5-0, de Brito didn't entertain any thoughts of losing.

"I can't give up, regardless of the score," said Larcher de Brito, who trains at the Bollettieri Academy in Bradenton. "I fight until it's time to shake hands and say 'nice' match'".

And although she showed no signs of fatigue during the two-hour and fifty-five minute marathon that stretched into early evening, afterwards she admitted the five and a half hours of tennis had taken its toll.

"I'm extremely tired. I need to go to bed early for my match tomorrow."

Her opponent in the semifinal will be well-rested fourth seed Ksenia Milevskaya of Belarus, who has cruised through the draw and won both of her matches today in straight sets.

Third seed Chelsey Gullickson fashioned a comeback of her own in her 1-6, 6-3, 6-1 victory over her friend sixth seed Madison Brengle.



"I was really nervous in the first set, playing another American," said Gullickson, 15. "Madison and I are really close and it's always hard to play one of my really close friends."

Gullickson couldn't get her rhythm at the start of the match and her lethal backhand was misfiring, but she gave Brengle most of the credit for that.

"She came out really strong, really agressive in the first set," said Gullickson. "She was making all her shots. I was trying to overpower her in the first set, but in the second set I started mixing it up, hitting it high to her forehand and putting more spin on the ball, and it seemed to work."

Gullickson began to hit winners with regularity, setting up the shot she wanted and making no mistake when she got it, and the smaller Brengle eventually was worn down by the pressure and pace.

On the boys side, there were few surprises and the top three seeds have all advanced to the semifinals, joined by fifth seed Clint Bowles.

Russian Pavel Chekhov, the top seed and a finalist in Carson last year, had two straight set wins. Jamie Hunt, the third seed, defeated two unseeded players, while Kellen Damico, the second seed advanced to a semifinal meeting with Hunt when his good friend and doubles partner Nate Schnugg was forced to retire in their match due to cramping. The trainers were called to the court for both players during the match, but Schnugg, who had played a three-set match in the morning, was unable to finish leaving Damico the winner by a 6-2, 6-7(1), 5-2 retired score. Damico and Schnugg were also forced to withdraw from doubles competition due to Schnugg's injury.

For complete draws and results from Friday's action, visit usta.com.