Five Americans Claim ITF Junior Circuit Singles Titles; Fritz and Opelka to Make Davis Cup Debuts; ITA Cup Crowns D-II, D-III, NAIA and JUCO Champions

There was no ITF Junior Circuit tournament in the United States this week (the Grade 4 in Atlanta this week begins a three-week stretch of US events), but five Americans claimed singles titles elsewhere.

At the Grade 4 in Vancouver Canada, 16-year-old Jenna DeFalco won her fifth singles title on the circuit, with the top seed defeating No. 3 seed Danielle Tuhten of Canada 3-6, 6-2, 6-0 in the final. Blue chip junior Nate Bonetto won the boys title as a qualifier, his first ITF singles title. The Oregon resident, who has played only four ITF tournaments total, all in western Canada, defeated doubles partner Colton Smith 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 in the final. Smith had beaten Bonetto in the quarterfinals at last week's Grade 5, while they won the doubles title. Bonetto did not lose a set in his seven matches leading up to the final.

At the Grade 5 in Aruba, 13-year-old Brooklyn Olson won her first title on the ITF Junior Circuit, with the No. 3 seed defeating top seed Ana Paula Jimenez Coello of Ecuador 6-3, 6-2 in the final. Ty Switzer won the boys doubles title, partnering with John Chin of Jamaica. The top seeds beat No. 3 seeds Leon Berg of Germany and Quintan Van Wijk of Curacao 6-4, 6-0 in the final.

Sixteen-year-old Ellis Short swept the titles at the Grade 5 in Bermuda. Short, the No. 2 seed, claimed his first ITF singles title when No. 3 seed Jakub Ostajewski gave him a walkover victory in the final. Short partnered with Richard Mallory of Bermuda to take the doubles title, with the No. 2 seeds beating No. 4 seeds Scott Redmond of Great Britain and Tariq Simons of Bermuda 6-0, 6-1 in the final.

And at the Grade 5 in Portugal, 15-year-old Violeta Martinez won her first ITF junior title, with the No. 4 seed defeating No. 3 seed Xenia Lipiec of Poland 6-3, 6-3 in the championship match.

At the Grade 2 in Uruguay, Dali Blanch and Madison Sieg picked up doubles titles. Blanch and Bruno Oliveira of Brazil, seeded second, beat No. 3 seeds Sean Cuenin and Mehdi Sadaoui of France 6-2, 6-7(3), 10-2 in the final. Sieg, playing with Guillermina Grant of Uruguay and seeded No. 2, beat No. 4 seeds Oceane Babel and Anaelle LeClercq of France 6-4, 5-7, 10-8 in the final.

Opelka and Fritz won the National 18s doubles title in Kalamazoo in 2015

The United States announced its team for next month's Davis Cup, which will be played under the new format, with 18 teams all on one site, with round robin groups of three. The US team consists of Sam Querrey, Jack Sock, Frances Tiafoe, Taylor Fritz and Reilly Opelka, with Fritz and Opelka making their Davis Cup debut. Also debuting is new Davis Cup captain Mardy Fish, who took over this January for Jim Courier. The US is in a tough round robin group with Canada and Italy.  For more on the format and the accomplishments of the American players, see this article from usta.com.

The ITA Cup, the major fall competition for Division II, Division III, NAIA and Junior College divisions, concluded yesterday, with the singles results below.  All eight singles champions (only two were No. 1 seeds, the NAIA men's and Juco women's) will receive entry into next month's Oracle ITA Fall Championships in Newport Beach California. Just one doubles team receives entry, which is decided by all the division winners playing for that one spot.

Division II Singles
Men: Alejandro Ibanez Gallego (Barry) def. Alvaro Regalado (Columbus State) 6-0, 3-6, 6-1
Women: Berta Bonardi (West Florida) def. Nikol Alekseeva (Indianapolis) 6-3, 6-3

Division III Singles
Men: Boris Sorkin (Tufts) def. Stanley Morris (Middlebury) 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-1
Women: Justine Leong (CMS) vs. Catherine Allen (CMS) (To be played in California)

NAIA Singles
Men: Jose Dugo (Georgia Gwinnett) def. Martin Barbier (Cumberlands) 6-2, 6-2
Women: Elyse Lavender (Brenau) def. Maria Genovese (Georgia Gwinnett) 6-1, 6-7(1), 6-4

Junior College Singles
Men: Oscar Gabriel Ortiz (Seward County) def. Sander Jans (Seward County) 6-4, 6-0
Women: Tatiana Simova (ASA Miami) def. Lucie Devier (Tyler JC) 6-3, 6-2

ITA Cup Doubles
Men: Dario Huber/Renato Lima(Indianapolis) def. Tao Castillo/Gustavo de Oliveira (ASA Miami) 2-6, 6-2, 10-5
Women: Angela Charles-Alfred/Lailaa Bashir (XULA) def. Helena Jansen/Emelie Schwarte (Tyler JC); 7-6(3), 6-3