Damm, Baptiste Reach $25K Finals; Spizzirri and Zink Win Austin $15K Title; Qualifying Underway at Merida ITF Grade A

Sixteen-year-old Martin Damm and 18-year-old Hailey Baptiste have advanced to the finals of $25,000 USTA Pro Circuit events in Florida and Arizona, while US Open boys doubles champions Eliot Spizzirri and Tyler Zink claimed the title at the $15,000 tournament in Austin Texas.

Wild card Damm, who had no ATP points coming into the Naples Florida tournament, will have at least 12 when he finishes after beating top seed and ATP 244 Juan Pablo Ficovich of Argentina 7-5, 6-3 in today's semifinals. Damm converted 3 of his 4 break points, while the 22-year-old Ficovich was 1 for 7 on break points, with Damm saving five in the fifth game of the second set, coming from 0-40 down to take a 4-1 lead.  Damm will face 20-year-old Tomas Etcheverry of Argentina, the No. 8 seed, who beat No. 3 seed Javier Barranco Cosano of Spain 6-7(2), 6-3, 6-1. Etcheverry already has claimed one title this week, taking the doubles championship with Camilo Ugo Carabelli of Argentina. The unseeded pair beat unseeded Benjamin Dhoe of Belgium and Maxime Mora of France 6-4, 6-0 in today's final.

Baptiste had to win two matches today to advance to Sunday's singles final at the $25,000 tournament in Tucson, a result of days of rain earlier in the week. The No. 6 seed defeated unseeded Sophia Whittle(Gonzaga) 7-5, 6-3 in the quarterfinals and unseeded Katie Volynets 6-1, 7-6(3) in the semifinals. Baptiste will play for her third $25K title of the year against No. 7 seed Marcela Zacarias of Mexico, who had to play only her semifinal match today after her quarterfinal opponent provided a walkover. Baptiste and Zacarias have played twice on the ITF World Tennis Tour, with Baptiste winning both those matches earlier this year in three tough sets.

Spizzirri, who has committed to Texas and will join the Longhorns in January, picked up his first Pro Circuit title, while Georgia freshman Zink earned his second, with his first coming back in June with teammate Trent Bryde. The No. 4 seeds defeated top seeds Justin Butsch(LSU) and Ian Dempster(NC State/Wake Forest) 4-6, 6-3, 10-7 in today's final.

Texas freshman Siem Woldeab lost to TCU freshman Jacob Fearnley, a qualifier, 6-2, 7-6(4) in today's singles semifinals. Fearnley, of Great Britain, will play top seed Collin Altamirano(Virginia) in Sunday's final. Altamirano beat No. 5 seed Ruan Roelofse(Illinois) of South Africa 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.

The top two seeds will meet in the final of the men's $15,000 tournament in East Lansing, with No. 1 Michael Geerts(Arizona State) of Belgium facing No. 2 seed Daniel Altmaier of Germany.  Geerts barely survived the challenge of Ohio State freshman Cannon Kingsley 6-7(7), 6-4, 7-6(5). Both players had aces in the double digits, and there were no breaks at all in the final set. Altmaier defeated former Oklahoma State star Lucas Gerch of Germany, the No. 4 seed, 6-1, 7-6(4).  No. 3 seeds Jacob Dunbar(Richmond) and David Fox(Denver) of Great Britain won the doubles title, beating Gabriel Diallo(Kentucky) of Canada and Millen Hurrion(Gardner Webb/Kentucky) of Great Britain 6-4, 7-6(3).

The singles final at the Grade 1 in Cancun are scheduled for Sunday, while qualifying for the Grade A in Merida started today. The qualifying draws are technically 64, but only 27 girls signed up, including six Americans. The boys qualifying draw had 34 entrants, including seven Americans. The boys qualifying matches today were for the most part not competitive, with the Krug twins both winning their matches 6-0, 6-0 and three other matches also decided by that score. Sunday's order of play is available at the tournament's website.