Austin, Delcore Win Kentucky ITF Titles; Britton Reaches Futures Final; Other Junior, Pro Circuit News
The Kentucky ITF tournament, now a Grade 4, finished today with a pair of Americans claiming their first ITF junior titles. Fourteen-year-old Brooke Austin, the No. 11 seed, beat unseeded Hannah King 6-2, 6-2 in the girls final, and 16-year-old Anthony Delcore, the No. 16 seed, defeated unseeded Sean Karl 6-2, 7-5. Austin and Delcore also reached the doubles finals, with Austin and Josie Kulhman falling to No. 4 seeds Meghan Blevins and Catherine Harrison 6-2, 6-4, and Delcore and Austin Smith, the fifth seeds, losing to unseeded Thai Kwiatkowski and Nicholas Naumann 6-2, 6-2. For the complete draws, see the ITF junior website.
2009 NCAA champion Devin Britton has struggled putting together wins since he turned pro last summer, but he has reached his first Futures final with a win today in the Claremont, Calif. Futures. The unseeded Britton, who has not lost a set in his four wins this week, will play qualifier Gary Sacks, the former USC Trojan, in Sunday's final. It could be a good match, with their last encounter, in the Brownsville Futures tournament in February, going to Britton by a score of 6-7(6), 7-5, 7-6(5). For more on Britton's semifinal win over Karunuday Singh, click here.
In the Tulsa Challenger, two former college players will meet for the title of the $50,000 event. Lester Cook, who played at Texas A & M, will meet former Vanderbilt star Bobby Reynolds in Sunday's final. Cook, the No. 7 seed defeated unseeded Andrew Anderson of South Africa 6-2, 3-0 ret., while the unseeded Reynolds blanked No. 6 seed Tim Smyczek 6-0, 6-0 in today's semifinals.
The final in the women's $25,000 challenger in Redding features former ITA Small College champion Jelena Pandzic of Croatia against top seed Jamie Hampton of the U.S. Pandzic, who is unseeded, took out U.S. Open girls champion Daria Gavrilova of Russia in the quarterfinals.
For complete results, see the Pro Circuit page at usta.com.
Christina McHale reached her first WTA semifinal with a win over Alexa Glatch yesterday, but was unable to make the Quebec City final, dropping a 6-2, 6-2 decision to qualifier Tamira Paszek of Austria today. Paszek will face American Bethanie Mattek-Sands in Sunday's final. For complete draws, see the WTA website.
And although there has not been an official release yet by the USTA, I heard while in New York that the Junior Fed Cup team that will compete in world championships in Mexico later this month is comprised of Krista Hardebeck, Grace Min and Kyle McPhillips. The boys Junior Davis Cup team will not be participating this year, after losing to Canada in North American qualifying.
3 comments:
FYI, Collette: N.C.A.A. Penalizes Princeton for a Major Rule Violation:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/09/sports/tennis/09princeton.html?utm_campaign=Feed: nyt/rss/Sports (NYT > Sports)&utm_medium=feed&_r=1&adxnnl=1&utm_source=feedburner&adxnnlx=1284897930-cU73qEblNJjkA1uaun/0Sg
Why would the USTA/Tournament Directors of this latest future being played in Claremont waste a WC on Jeff Tarango? The guy has done some amazing things in the sport but his career is over. I find it hard to believe there was not someone younger and more deserving of a main draw spot than him who actually travels year round trying to make it.
Tarango has been coaching several young U.S. players for the last few years & often travels to tournaments w. them. Sometimes the tournament directors throw him a wild card to bring some additional interest to the tournament.
Tarango got to the semifinals of the Southern California sectional qualifying tournament for the U.S. Open National playoffs & competes on the Outback Champions Tour (& in various exhibitions) so he's still competitive at this level. (He was just elected to the USTA board of directors.)
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