My Feature on Michigan Recruit Cerdan; Qualifiers Mmoh, Collins and Kenin Down Seeds at Miami Open; Finals Set at ITF Grade 4 in Newport Beach; Easter Bowl ITF Qualifying Begins Saturday

While I was in Mobile for the USTA National Spring Team Championships, I spoke to Andrea Cerdan about her verbal commitment to the University of Michigan in 2019.  The junior at Paramus Catholic High School in New Jersey only began playing national events as a freshman in high school, and doesn't play the ITF junior circuit, so I hadn't seen much of her until recently.  As a blue chip, Cerdan had many options, including the Ivy League, but three factors were instrumental in her decision to attend Michigan. My article on what led up to that choice is available today at the Tennis Recruiting Network.

Three American qualifiers earned wins over seeds today at the Miami Open.  Sonya Kenin, the 2015 USTA 18s National Champion and US Open finalist, defeated No. 19 seed and BNP Parbias Open finalist Daria Kasatkina of Russia 3-6, 6-2, 6-2. Kenin, 19, broke into the WTA Top 100 for the first time after qualifying and winning a round in Indian Wells. This is Kenin's best win by ranking, although she will get an opportunity to top it when she plays No. 9 seed Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic in the third round.

Danielle Collins continued her outstanding play this year, beating No. 16 seed CoCo Vandeweghe 6-3, 1-6, 6-1 to claim her second Top 20 win of the month. Collins beat Madison Keys earlier in the month at the BNP Paribas Open.  She will face unseeded Donna Vekic of Croatia in the third round.

Michael Mmoh got his first ATP Top 20 win today, beating No. 12 seed Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain 7-6(4), 2-6, 6-4, coming back from a break down in the final set.  Mmoh will play No. 19 seed Hyeon Chung of Korea in the third round.

Jared Donaldson also took out a seed today, beating No. 25 seed Feliciano Lopez of Spain 6-4, 6-2. He will play unseeded Joao Sousa of Portugal in the third round.

John Isner, the No. 14 seed, advanced in three sets over Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic.

The singles finals are set for the ITF Grade 4 in Newport Beach. Wild cards Siem Woldeab and Zachery Lim for the boys title and Julia Haynes will play Elvina Kalieva[15] for the girls title.  Woldeab beat Michael Sun 6-4, 6-2 and Lim advanced when Matthew Tsolakyan retired trailing 7-5, 3-0.  Haynes defeated Julia Deming  6-4, 6-4 and Kalieva downed Maxi Duncan[13] 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. 

The doubles semifinals and finals were played today, with top seeds Bradley Frye and Max Wild taking the boys title and unseeded Jaedan Brown and Ellie Coleman claiming the girls title. Frye and Wild beat No. 3 seed Max Giddens and and Julian Steinhausen 7-6(4), 1-6, 10-5; Brown and Coleman defeated unseeded Annika Bassey and Katherine Nguyen 6-2, 7-6(1).

Qualifying for the Easter Bowl ITF gets underway on Saturday at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.  Draws and the order of play are available at the ITF Junior tournament page.  The 12s and 14s also begin main draw play on Saturday at various sites in the Palm Desert area.