Boys 18s Take the Courts in Kalamazoo Friday; Krueger and Vinsant Top Seeds in Doubles; Townsend Withdraws from Girls Nationals; Keys, Pegula, Burdette Reach Vancouver Challenger Quarterfinals

 Dr. Don Flesche, the "Voice of the Tournament," checks the sound system Thursday

Last minute preparations for Friday's 8 a.m. start could be seen all around Kalamazoo College's Stowe Stadium as the 16s and 18s participants in the USTA Boys National Championship registered at the Markin Center. The Pro Shop, the Stringing tent and the Tower were busy, and the courts hosted players and coaches squeezing in some final minutes of practice before Friday's 8 a.m. start for the unseeded boys in the 18s division. The complete list of singles match times can be found at ustaboys.com (match times are under above the Top Photos area). Please note there are separate pdf files for Stowe matches and Western Michigan matches. Two rounds of 18s doubles are scheduled for Friday afternoon, with the opening ceremonies and exhibition to start at 7 p.m.  Todd Martin and Brian MacPhie are the players, with comedian Michael Kosta serving as Master of Ceremonies.

The 18s doubles seeds were announced this evening, and as is the tradition, the top seeded team will take part in the exhibition. 

1. Mitchell Krueger and Shane Vinsant
2. Harrison Adams and Andrew Korinek
3. Mackenzie McDonald and Trey Strobel
4. Dennis Novikov and Michael Redlicki
5. Jordan Daigle and Austin Siegel
6. Christopher Cox and Gordon Watson
7. Yale Goldberg and Ronnie Schneider
8. Brendan McClain and Thomas Pura
9. Sean Karl and Maxx Lipman
10. Nicholas Naumann and Thai Kwiatkowski
11. Stefan Kozlov and Spencer Papa
12. Nolan Paige and Aaron Revzin
13. Luca Corinteli and Alexios Halebian
14. Jared Hiltzik and Alexander Jesse
15. Henry Craig and Josh Hagar
16. Robbie Bellamy and Gregory Garcia

The big news today from the USTA 16 & 18 Girls Nationals in San Diego is the withdrawal of No. 2 seed Taylor Townsend, as reported by tournament media director Marcia Frost. For Frost's tournament preview, see Tennis Recruiting Network. My Kalamazoo preview will be published there on Friday morning.

At the $100,000 Vancouver Challenger, wild card Mallory Burdette advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-0, 6-3 win over Olga Savchuk of Ukraine and will next play No. 2 seed Olivia Rogowska of Australia. No. 8 seed Madison Keys defeated qualifier Krista Hardebeck 6-1, 6-2 to keep her hopes of a US Open main draw wild card alive, and Jessica Pegula advanced to the quarterfinals when former Cal Bear Bojana Bobusic of Australia gave her a walkover in the second round, Chi Chi Scholl and Julia Boserup, who beat Nicole Gibbs 6-1, 6-1, are the other Americans to advance to the quarterfinals.

The last US man in the draw, wild card Bradley Klahn, lost today. The Stanford grad fell to No. 6 seed Sergei Bubka 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.