Malacek Sweeps Titles at Costa Rica's ITF J60; US Men Go 6-0 on First Day of Australian Open Qualifying, Stoiana Saves Match Points in Women's AO Qualifying

Last week's ITF J60 in Costa Rica, the first of three events in that country that will conclude with the J300 Coffee Bowl, produced three titles for Americans, including a sweep for Orange Bowl 16s finalist Daniel Malacek. 

The tournament used the ITF's new format, with results in round eight round robin groups determining the quarterfinalists. American boys won six of those groups, and Malacek, the 16-year-old left-hander from Washington state, went on to defeat Orange Bowl 16s semifinalist Gadin Arun 7-6(6), 6-0 in the final. There are no seeds on the draws, so you have to determine them by their positions in the draws (noted on page 32 in the ITF Junior Rules and Regulations), with Malacek and Arun the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds respectively.

The standard draw format is used for the knock-out only doubles, with the conventional seeding system. Malacek and partner Ryan Bedwick, the No. 3 seeds, defeated top seeds Arun and Robert McAdoo 4-6, 6-2, 10-5 in the final. 

In the girls singles, Emery Combs was one of six US girls to reach the quarterfinals, but the top seed lost in the semifinals to No. 3 seed Teaghan Jou An Keys 6-4, 6-4. Keys then lost to 16-year-old Canadian Charlize Celebrini, the younger sister of NHL San Jose Sharks star Macklin Celebrini, 6-2, 7-6(2).

Combs got her revenge in doubles, with the 14-year-old partnering with Sasha Miroshnichenko for the title. The No. 3 seeds defeated No. 2 seeds Keys and Aleksandra Jerkunica 6-2, 6-4. Combs, the Orange Bowl 16s doubles champion, is 20-0 in doubles competition since a loss at the ITF J300 in Texas back in October.

A second J60 in Costa Rica, also featuring a round robin component, is underway this week, with Malacek and Celebrini among those competing.

The American men had a perfect first day of qualifying Monday at the Australian Open, with all six of them posting victories. The remaining five men are in action Tuesday (tonight in the USA), after Michael Mmoh withdrew due to an injury suffered in Hong Kong last week.

The US women went 3-3 on the first day, with former Texas A&M star Mary Stoiana getting the most dramatic of the three wins. The 22-year-old from Connecticut saved five match points and won the final five games of the match to defeat Nuria Brancaccio of Italy 7-5, 4-6, 7-5. Stoiana's only other slam win was as a wild card in the first round of qualifying of the US Open in 2024.

Monday's Australian Open first round qualifying results of Americans:

Brandon Holt[5] d. Lukas Neumayer(AUT) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
Colton Smith[32] d. Luka Pavlovic(FRA) 7-6(4), 6-1
Nishesh Basavareddy d. Alexis Galarneau(CAN) 6-4, 6-2
Tristan Boyer d. Alex Barrena(ARG) 6-2, 6-7(4), 6-2
Murphy Cassone d. Yu Hsiou Hsu(TPE) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
Martin Damm d. Gauthier Onclin(BEL) 6-3, 3-6, 6-4

Mary Stoiana d. Nuria Brancaccio(ITA) 7-5, 4-6, 7-5

Sloane Stephens d. Barbora Palicova(CZE) 6-1, 7-5

Despina Papamichail(GRE) d. Sachia Vickery 6-3, 7-5

Viktoriya Tomova[18](BUL) d. Bernarda Pera 1-6, 6-4, 6-0 

Maja Chwalinska(POL) d. Madison Brengle 7-6(3), 6-3

Taylor Townsend[11] d. Nao Hibino(JPN) 6-7(3), 6-0, 7-5

Tuesday's Australian Open first round qualifying matches featuring Americans:

Michael Zheng v Cruz Hewitt[WC](AUS)

Mackenzie McDonald[6] v Dmitry Popko(KAZ)
Nicolas Moreno de Alboran v Vilius Gaubas[17](LTU)

Zachary Svajda[29] v Hady Habib(LBN)
Mitchell Krueger v Yibing Wu(CHN)

Elvina Kalieva v Sijia Wei(CHN)

Varvara Lepchenko[32] v Ye-Xin Ma(CHN)

Louisa Chirico v Yue Yuan[25](CHN)

Claire Liu v Tara Wuerth(CRO)

Carol Lee v Hanne Vandewinkel[15](BEL)

Whitney Osuigwe v Anastasija Sevastova(LAT)

At this week's ATP 250 in Auckland, qualifier Eliot Spizzirri(Texas) picked up his best win by ranking in his career. The 24-year-old from Connecticut, a two-time ITA Player of the Year, defeated ATP No. 68 Adrian Mannarino of France 6-4, 6-3 in the first round.