First Day of Junior Orange Bowl Complete Washout; ITA's Highlights of Collegiate Tennis in 2023; ATP Challenger Rewind Features College Stars; Fils Named ATP Newcomer of the Year

Rain was persistent enough throughout the day today in Miami to wash out the entire schedule in what was to be the first day of main draw matches at the Junior Orange Bowl. The qualifying matches have yet to be completed in all four divisions, although the girls 14s have just four matches to finish. The photo above of the Har-Tru courts Salvadore Park, which the girls 14s site this year, is from late this afternoon.

The forecast does not improve until Monday, so I'm not sure how much I'll have to report in the next three days either. We've had rain before in Coral Gables for the Junior Orange Bowl in my 18 years of covering it, but have never had a forecast this dire, for this many days, as this year's.

The draws, with times for Friday, are available here.

Although I usually don't have time to follow many of year-end wrap-ups because I'm covering the Junior Orange Bowl, this year I have been able to read a few. 

The Intercollegiate Tennis Association is conducting a fan voting bracket, which is down to the Final Four: 

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐫 🌟

Fans have voted, and here are the top four moments of the 2023 college tennis season! Tomorrow, voting will open for the final round where a winner will be chosen from these four moments!#WeAreCollegeTennis | #2023Moments pic.twitter.com/3BqF18S6h0

— ITA (@ITA_Tennis) December 14, 2023

 The ITA also has published a look back at the considerable pro success of former collegians in 2023, with a list of all 68 who are Top 100 in ATP and WTA singles, doubles or both. (Ben Shelton, Mackenzie McDonald, Rinky Hijikata, Danielle Collins and Peyton Stearns are Top 100 in both singles and doubles). There were nine slam titles for collegians in 2023, all in doubles, with Roland Garros champion Austin Krajicek(Texas A&M) finishing the year at No. 1 in the ATP rankings.

The ATP's By The Numbers: 2023 ATP Challenger Tour, focuses on that level of men's professional tennis, and again there was notable success by former collegians, with a record 16 titles won in 2023, led by Aleks Kovacevic(Illinois) with four and Nuno Borges(Misssippi State) with three. Evan King(Michigan) and Reese Stalder(TCU) won the most team doubles titles on the Challenger circuit, with seven.

The ATP named its Newcomer of the Year today: 19-year-old Arthur Fils of France. Fils won the Orange Bowl in 2020, the only year I did not cover the tournament on-site, due to a false positive Covid test that I was required to provide to travel to the tournament. I did talk to Fils during that week by phone, and I have seen him play on streams, but I don't have a feel for his game that comes from seeing it in person, as I do other Orange Bowl champions. Fils played just four junior events after the Orange Bowl, in 2021, and had gotten up to 251 by the start of this year. He is now at 36 in the ATP rankings, and has an ATP title this year; Fils was runner-up at last week's ATP Next Gen championships to Hamad Medjedovic of Serbia.