Seven Americans Reach Wimbledon Final Round Qualifying; Brady Reaches Southsea $100K Semis; Top Seeds Ousted by Qualifiers in Second Round of ITF Grade 4 International Grass Courts

I'm currently in Indianapolis for the USTA Midwest Closed 16s and 18s championships, and I will have a report on the Thursday's singles finals for the Tennis Recruiting Network this weekend, but I'll be trying to follow tomorrow's final round of qualifying at Wimbledon, with seven Americans looking to earn their way into the main draw.

After good weather this week, the men were off today, with Michael Mmoh, Bradley Klahn and Christian Harrison getting a day of rest while the women's second round was played. Four US women advanced to the final round of qualifying with wins today: Jamie Loeb, Nicole Gibbs, Claire Liu and Caroline Dolehide.

Dolehide, who qualified for the French Open but has never played at Wimbledon as a pro, defeated Jessica Pieri of Italy 6-2, 6-3. Wild card Liu, who won the Wimbledon girls title last year, defeated Lizette Cabrera of Australia 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 to reach the final round. Loeb, who lost in the second round of qualifying last year, beat Priscilla Hon of Australia 6-4, 6-4 to move one step closer to her pro debut at Wimbledon, after reaching the quarterfinals as a junior back in 2013.  Two-time NCAA champion Gibbs is the most experienced of the four US women remaining, having played in the main draw in 2015 and 2016, although she is still looking for her first Wimbledon singles win.

Claire Liu with 2017 Wimbledon Girls Trophy

Gibbs and Liu will meet to decide one of those precious main draw spots, and the two met in a thriller last year in the first round of the WTA tournament at Stanford, with Gibbs winning 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(5).

Wednesday's second round women's qualifying results involving Americans:
Claire Liu[WC] def. Lizette Cabrera(AUS) 6-4, 4-6, 6-1
Antonia Lottner(GER) def. Irina Falconi[24] 6-0, 1-6, 6-3
Jamie Loeb def. Priscilla Hon(AUS) 6-4, 6-4
Caroline Dolehide[6] def. Jessica Pieri(ITA) 6-2, 6-3
Nicole Gibbs[5] def. Martina Trevisan(ITA) 6-2, 6-3
Marta Kostyuk[23](UKR) def. Kristie Ahn 6-7(1), 6-3, 9-7

Thursday's final round qualifying matches involving Americans:

Jamie Loeb v Mona Barthel[8](GER)
Caroline Dolehide[6] v Vera Zvonareva(RUS)
Nicole Gibbs[5] v Claire Liu[WC]
Christian Harrison v Brayden Schnur(CAN)
Michael Mmoh[19] v J.P. Smith(AUS)
Bradley Klahn v Simone Bolelli(ITA)

The order of play for Thursday is here.

Former UCLA star Jennifer Brady already in the main draw at Wimbledon, and she is warming up at an unusual 16-player ITF event in Southsea England. Brady, who was unseeded, beat Magda Linette of Poland 6-4, 6-3 today to advance to the semifinals of the $100,000 tournament, where she'll play British wild card Katie Boulter. 

While most of the grass court tennis is in Europe this time of year, the ITF Grade 4 International National Grass Court Championships are taking place in Philadelphia this week, a week later than usual.  Both top seeds went out in today's second round, with qualifier Oren Vasser, a William and Mary recruit, beating Eliot Spizzirri 6-4, 7-5 and qualifier Muskan Mahajan defeating Charlotte Owensby 6-4, 3-6, 6-0.  No. 2 seeds Kailey Evans and Romania's Sebastian Gima are still alive with the quarterfinals are scheduled for Thursday.