Clarke Sweeps Titles at ITF J100 in Delray Beach; Jovic, Akli and Grant Advance to USTA Pro Circuit Finals; Ohio State and UCLA Men Reach Big Ten Conference Tournament Final

The first of three ITF tournaments on Florida's green clay concluded today at the J100 Delray Beach, with the No. 2 seeds taking the singles titles. Eighteen-year-old Sasha Colleu of France, who has signed with the University of Illinois for this fall, defeated 15-year-old Mason Vaughan, the No. 12 seed, 0-6, 6-2, 6-1 in today's singles final.

Fifteen-year-old Zaire Clarke defeated doubles partner Ava Rodriguez, the No. 1 seed, 6-3, 6-1 today in the girls singles final to cap a week of six straight-sets victories. 

Clarke and Rodriguez won the doubles title Friday, with the top seeds beating No. 2 seeds Jordyn Hazelitt and Yael Saffar 6-2, 6-3 in the final.

The boys doubles title went to No. 7 seeds Andre Alcantara and Justin Riley Anson, who defeated No. 2 seeds Pablo Robledo Hoyos and Lucas Martin Velasco of Colombia 6-1, 3-6, 10-3 in the final. 

Qualifying is underway for next week's J100 in Coral Gables, with a J200 in Plantation rounding out the green clay swing on the ITF Junior Circuit this spring.

Iva Jovic had her toughest test of the week by far today at the women's USTA Pro Circuit W100 in Charlottesville Virginia, but the 17-year-old top seed got through a three-hour and 24-minute test against No. 4 seed Laura Pigossi of Brazil 6-4, 6-7(8), 6-4. Jovic had two match points in the second set tiebreaker serving at 6-5 and 8-7, but Pigossi hung tugh to force a third set, which was just as close as the previous two. Jovic broke Pigossi at 3-all in the third set and held on, converting her fourth match point to reach Sunday's final.

Jovic will face unseeded Irina Bara of Romania, who beat No. 7 seed Astra Sharma(Vanderbilt) of Australia 6-4, 6-2. 

The doubles title in Charlottesville went to No. 3 seeds Iryna Shymanovich of Belarus and Maria Kozyreva(St. Mary's) of Russia, who beat No. 4 seeds Petra Hule(Florida State) of Australia and Kayla Cross(LSU) of Canada 7-5, 7-5 for their second straight title. Shymanovich and Kozyreva won the title last week at the W50 in Zephyrhills Florida.

Twenty-three-year-old Ayana Akli is through to her first Pro Circuit final, with the two-time All-American at South Carolina beating wild card Jada Robinson 6-1, 6-1 in today's semifinal at the W35 in Charlotte North Carolina. Akli, the No. 8 seed, will play unseeded Alicia Herrero Linana(Baylor) of Spain in Sunday's final. Herrero Linana, who will also be playing in her first Pro Circuit final, defeated unseeded Katerina Jokic(Georgia) 6-3, 7-6(7) in a two-and-a-half-hour semifinal match. 

The doubles title in Charlotte went to unseeded Ema Burgic(Baylor) and Haruna Arakawa of Japan, who defeated the second-seeded Mexican team of Maria Portillo Ramirez and Victoria Rodriguez 6-2, 7-5. 

Will Grant(Florida) will also be seeking his first Pro Circuit title Sunday, at the W15 in Vero Beach Florida. The No. 7 seed reached his fourth final at the W15 level with a 6-3, 6-2 win over qualifier Ryan Dickerson(Duke, Baylor). He will face unseeded Blu Baker of Great Britain, who defeated Tomas Luis of Portugal 6-3, 6-1 in the other semifinal. 

Junior wild cards Keaton Hance and Jack Kennedy lost in the doubles final this afternoon, to No. 3 seeds Peter Bertran(Georgia, USF) and Jesse Flores(UCF, Miami) 6-2, 7-5.

The ATP Savannah Challenger 75 final will feature unseeded Nicolas Mejia of Colombia and No. 4 seed Liam Draxl(Kentucky) of Canada. Mejia defeated top seed Eliot Spizzirri(Texas) 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, while Draxl beat unseeded Genaro Olivieri of Argentina 7-5, 6-4.

No. 4 seeds Federico Agustin Gomez(Louisville) of Argentina and Luis Martinez of Venezuela won the doubles title, beating wild cards Mac Kiger(North Carolina) and Patrick Maloney(Michigan) 3-6, 6-3, 10-5 in today's final.

The Big Ten men's final is set for Sunday in Columbus Ohio, with No. 1 Ohio State facing No. 2 UCLA for the conference tournament championship.  The Buckeyes reached their astounding 21st consecutive conference tournament final with a 4-1 win over No. 4 seed Washington.

UCLA breezed past No. 3 seed Michigan State 4-0, and will be out to avenge their 4-0 loss to Ohio State early this month in Columbus.