My Article on SoCal Pro Series; Friedman, Jauffret and Karki Qualify for Roland Garros Juniors; Four Americans Reach RG Fourth Round; Zheng Advances to Little Rock Challenger Semis; CEO Lew Sherr Leaves USTA for Mets

My article exploring the inception of the SoCal Pro Series and how it might serve as a template for more USTA Pro Circuit events in the future is up today at Tennis Recruiting Network. I was able to talk with founder Chris Boyer, alum Learner Tien and new USTA General Manager of USA Tennis Tracy Davies about the Pro Series, giving me the opportunity to learn more about how it has assisted players from Southern California in beginning the long climb up the WTA and ATP rankings. 

Now in the first week of its fourth year, the SoCal Pro Series should serve as a template for an increase in similar regional clusters throughout the country, with Davies revealing the goals for implementing that in the next three years.

The singles semifinals are set in San Diego this week, with the women's final four featuring one American: Claire Hill, a UNC rising sophomore, who won the quarterfinal battle of teen qualifiers with Olivia Center, a UCLA rising sophomore, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4. Hill will play Katie Swan of Great Britain Saturday; the other semifinal will feature Cal rising junior Mao Mushika of Japan, the No. 7 seed, and top seed Dejana Radonovic of Serbia. Radonovic defeated Duke rising freshman Claire An 6-0, 6-2.

In the men's semifinals, University of San Diego's Savriyan Danilov of Russia is through to face qualifier Jaden Weekes of Canada, a rising senior at the University of Kentucky. Harvard rising junior Rohan Murali, who trains at Barnes and received a wild card this week, will face No. 2 seed Keegan Smith(UCLA).

Three US juniors advanced to the main draw of the Roland Garros Junior Championships, which begin Sunday in Paris.

Leena Friedman, a Yale rising freshman, will make her junior slam debut after beating top seed Anastasija Cvetkovic of Serbia 3-6, 6-3, 6-1; 17-year-old Capucine Jauffret, who qualified for the US Open last fall, also came from behind, defeating No. 2 seed Yushan Shao of China 2-6, 6-4, 7-5.

Ronit Karki, who was the first player out of the main draw at the freeze deadline (the acceptance lists are back up on the ITF Junior website), made it in through qualifying, with the 17-year-old, seeded No. 4, defeating Haydar Cem Gokipinar of Turkey 6-2, 6-3. 

When they begin play Sunday, the American juniors will have at least four compatriots to follow in the fourth round of men's and women's singles at Roland Garros, with Tommy Paul[12], Ben Shelton[13], Frances Tiafoe[15] and Amanda Anisimova[16] all advancing today.  At least one more American is guaranteed to advance, with 2025 Australian Open champion Madison Keys facing 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin in Saturday's third round. 

Friday's third round results of Americans:

Frances Tiafoe[15] d. Sebastian Korda[23] 7-6(6), 6-3, 6-4

Tommy Paul[12] d. Karen Khachanov[24](RUS) 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(7), 3-6, 6-3

Ben Shelton[13] d. Matteo Gigante[Q](ITA) 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 

Elina Svitolina[13](UKR) d. Bernarda Pera 7-6(5), 7-6(5)

Amanada Anisimova[16] d. Clara Tauson[22](DEN) 7-6(4), 6-4

Saturday's third round matches featuring Americans:

Jessica Pegula[3] v Marketa Vondrousova(CZE)

Coco Gauff[2] v Marie Bouzkova(CZE)

Madison Keys[7] v Sofia Kenin[31]

Hailey Baptiste v Jessica Bouzas Maneiro(ESP)

Ethan Quinn[Q] v Tallon Griekspoor(NED)

Also on Saturday's schedule is the TCU Horned Frog battle between Great Britain's Cameron Norrie(2014-2017) and Jake Fearnley(2019-2024). For more on that match, see this article from the TCU athletics website.

NCAA 2024 fall champion Michael Zheng, a rising senior at Columbia, has reached the semifinals of the ATP Challenger 75 in Little Rock Arkansas, joining three former collegians in the final four. 

The 21-year-old Zheng, who received a wild card, beat former Georgia Tech All-American Andres Martin 6-4, 6-2 and will face former Kentucky All-American Liam Draxl of Canada, the No. 2 seed, next.

In the top half, qualifier Patrick Kypson(Texas A&M) extended his Challenger winning streak to 10 matches(including qualifying) with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Rio Noguchi of Japan. Kypson, who won the Bogota Challenger 50 two weeks ago, will face unseeded Andres Andrade(Florida) of Ecuador Saturday. 

In a surprise release today, the USTA announced that Lew Sherr, the USTA's Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director, would be leaving the organization, effective June 30, with USTA president and chairman of the board Brian Vahaly and COO and Chief Legal Officer Andrea Hirsch named as interim replacements.

Sherr, who had been the USTA's Chief Revenue Officer in his 12 years there prior to being named to his current position, which is the top non-volunteer position in the organization, in 2022. Sherr had succeeded Michael Dowse, whose tenure was just over two years. 

I had gotten used to stability in that position during the long tenure of Gordon Smith, who led the USTA from 2007 to 2019, but he was an outlier. Lee Hamiton, who preceded Smith, was in the position for three years and Rick Ferman, who Hamilton succeeded was there for seven years.

Although the USTA did not mention it in their release, Sherr is leaving the USTA for the position of president of business operations for the New York Mets major league baseball team, according to this Associated Press article.