International Spring Championships Review; Kayla Day Sole American Winner at ITF Junior Masters in China

Before Asics Easter Bowl 16s finals and ITF quarterfinals get underway today in damp(!) Indian Wells, here's my look back at the ITF Grade 1 International Spring Championships for the Tennis Recruiting Network. While both the 16s champions, Jessi Muljat and Axel Nefve, lost earlier this week at the Easter Bowl, the 18s champions are still alive in their competitive arenas this week.

Boys champion Liam Caruana is into the quarterfinals here at the Easter Bowl, while girls champion Kayla Day is competing at the ITF Junior Masters in China.  Competition began Friday, with four Americans in action: Day, Usue Arconada, Sonya Kenin and William Blumberg.  Day and Kenin drew each other in the draw, which may have seemed unfortunate for Day, because she had lost to Kenin twice in quarterfinals of $25,0000 USTA Pro Circuit events in January and February, but the 16-year-old from Santa Barbara turned the tables on Kenin, winning 6-3, 6-2 to advance to the semifinals.

Results from the first day are below, with live streaming and live scoring available at the ITF Junior website.

Men’s Singles Draw 

(1) Casper Ruud (NOR) d. William Blumberg (USA) 61 46 64

Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB) d. Orlando Luz (BRA) 64 76(4)

Marcelo Barrios Vera (CHI) d. Ly Hoang Nam (VIE) 64 63

(2) Hong Seong Chan (KOR) d. Alvaro Lopez San Martin (ESP) 61 64

Women’s Singles Draw

(1) Katie Swan (GBR) d. Miriam Kolodziejova (CZE) 76(4) 62

Charlotte Robillard-Millette (CAN) d. Tereza Mihalikova (SVK) 75 64

Kayla Day (USA) d. Sofia Kenin (USA) 63 62

(2) Anna Blinkova (RUS) d. Usue Arconada (USA) 63 63