Quinn Saves Five Match Points to Claim First Men's Pro Circuit Title; Damm Wins $25K in Dominican Republic; Jones, Chidekh, Sophie Chang Capture USTA Pro Circuit Titles; Ten Americans Competing in Wimbledon Men's Qualifying Monday

The outlook for Ethan Quinn's first professional title was dim this afternoon at the $15,000 SoCal tournament in San Diego when the 18-year-old Californian fell behind 6-2 in the second set tiebreaker to August Holmgren in the men's singles final. Denmark's Holmgren, the 2022 NCAA singles finalist from the University of San Diego, had won the first set 6-3, breaking Quinn twice, and Quinn had been unable to convert his three break point chances with Holmgren serving at 5-6. 

But the 18-year-old, who redshirted at the University of Georgia after entering school this January, reeled off four straight points to stay alive, two of them with Holmgren serving, then saved another match point serving down 6-7, before forcing a third set.

The third set was tight throughout, with Quinn saving the only three break points he faced in the set in the third game, while Holmgren did not face any, and was taken to deuce just once.  But in the tiebreaker, it was Quinn's serve and forehand that were the difference and he built a 6-3 lead. Holmgren saved one match point, but Quinn closed out his first title in three hours and 19 minutes and by a 3-6, 7-6(7), 7-6(4) score.

Quinn had reached the final of a $15,000 USTA Pro Circuit tournament in Vero Beach at the end of April, on clay; he was obviously comfortable in today's final on the Barnes Tennis Center court where he had his breakout results last year, winning the J1 and making the Easter Bowl final.

Martin Damm won his first $25,000 ITF World Tennis Tour men's tournament today in the Dominican Republic, with the 18-year-old from Florida, seeded No. 6, defeating top seed Dan Added of France 6-3, 6-3. Damm, who, like Quinn, is eligible to compete in Kalamazoo this summer, had eight aces and faced only one break point in today's final. 

Hurricane Tyra Black won the women's singles title at the $25,000 tournament in the Dominican Republic. The 21-year-old from Florida, seeded No. 5, defeated No. 13 seed Jana Kolodynska of Belarus 6-3, 6-3 in today's final. Black has now won five ITF World Tennis Tour women's singles titles in 2021 and 2022, with this the first one above the $15K level.

The women's singles title in San Diego went to Makenna Jones, the former North Carolina star. Jones defeated fellow qualifier Megan McCray 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 for her first singles title on the Pro Circuit. Jones, the 2021 NCAA doubles champion, had won her first doubles title last week at the $15K at the University of San Diego.

Clement Chidekh, who announced after this season that he would not be returning for his final year of eligibility at the University of Washington, won his second ITF World Tennis Tour men's title at the $25,000 tournament in Wichita Kansas. Chidekh, a 21-year-old from France, defeated Canadian Liam Draxl(Kentucky) 6-2, 6-2 in today's final. 

At the women's $25,000 tournament in Sumter South Carolina, Sophie Chang, the No. 2 seed, defeated top seed Hanna Chang 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(5) in a three-hour and seven-minute battle. Sophie now has two $25K singles titles this year.

Qualifying for Wimbledon begins Monday, with the men taking to the courts at Roehampton beginning at 6 a.m. EDT. Ten American men are in qualifying:  Mitchell Krueger[27], Stefan Kozlov[3], Bradley Klahn(Stanford), Nicolas Moreno de Alboran(UC-Santa Barbara), Michael Mmoh, Thai Kwiatkowski(Virginia), Christopher Eubanks(Georgia Tech), Jack Sock[14], Christian Harrison and Ernesto Escobedo.

The women's qualifying will begin on Tuesday. Draws are available here.

Sock had an opportunity to nab the last Wimbledon main draw wild card in today's final at the ATP Challenger 125 in Ilkley, but Sock, the No. 5 seed, lost to qualifier Zizou Bergs of Belgium 7-6(7), 2-6, 7-6(6) and Bergs received the wild card.