June Aces: Eight US Juniors in Wimbledon Qualifying; Pareja Reaches ITF J300 Roehampton Semis, Kovackova Ousts Top Seed Tagger; Americans Struggle in Second Round at Wimbledon; NCAA Cites Major Infractions at Oklahoma State

My monthly Tennis Recruiting Network column featuring the top performances by juniors and collegians is up today, and, as I've said often lately, it's been impossible to highlight everyone. On Sunday I mentioned some of the juniors and collegians that had success last month that I didn't have room for in the TRN article.

Qualifying for the Wimbledon Junior Championships begins Thursday at Roehampton, with eight Americans playing for spots in the main draw, which begins Saturday. Ronit Karki, who was in the main draw at Roehampton, is the top seed in qualifying, with Ryan Cozad, who was ahead of Karki on the acceptance list, not in the qualifying draw, so presumably he received direct entry.  Three boys who were in Roehampton qualifying are also in Wimbledon qualifying: Gavin Goode[4], Matisse Farzam[14] and Lachlan Gaskell. Roshan Santhosh, who did not play qualifying at Roehampton, is in qualifying for Wimbledon.

The three girls in qualifying are Ishika Ashar[11], Capucine Jauffret[8] and Leena Friedman[7]. Friedman was in the main draw at Roehampton, but is in qualifying this week.

While the Wimbledon junior qualifying starts Thursday, the ITF J300 in Roehampton heads toward its finish, with the singles and doubles semifinals Thursday.

Both of the Roland Garros champions are out, with No. 2 seed Niels McDonald of Germany losing in the third round yesterday and top seed Lilli Tagger of Austria going out today to 15-year-old Jana Kovackova of the Czech Republic, the No. 5 seed, 6-2, 6-3. Kovackova can play on grass; she won the Wimbledon U14 title last year. 

Next up for Kovackova is No. 3 seed Julieta Pareja, who defeated unseeded Tahlia Kokkinis of Australia 6-4, 6-4. The other semifinal will be an all-Bulgarian affair, with Orange Bowl finalist Elizara Yaneva facing No. 12 seed Rositsa Dencheva, the recent Roland Garros semifinalist. 

Two Bulgarians have reached the boys semifinals as well, but they will both have to win again to face each other.  No. 9 seed Alexander Vasilev defeated qualifier Linus Lagerbohm of Finland 6-3, 7-6(5) and will play unseeded Luis Guto Miguel of Brazil. Miguel defeated Roland Garros finalist Max Schoenhaus of Germany, the No. 10 seed, 7-6(5), 6-3. Ivan Ivanov avenged his two 2025 losses on clay to Noah Johnston, earning a 6-3, 6-2 decision today. He will play unseeded Oliver Bonding, the British 18s National Champion, who won a round in men's qualifying last week. Bonding defeated No. 14 seed Pierluigi Basile of Italy 6-1, 6-4.

Pareja and Thea Frodin are the only Americans through to the doubles semifinals. The No. 2 seeds defeated Roland Garros champions Eva Bennemann and Sonja Zhenikhova, the No. 8 seeds, 2-6, 7-6(2), 10-7 in today's quarterfinals. They will play No. 4 seeds Jeline Vandromme of Belgium and Laima Vladson of Lithuania, who beat No. 6 seeds Kristina Penickova and Vendula Valdmannova of the Czech Republic 6-4, 4-6, 10-7.

Due to rain this morning, Wimbledon got off to a late start, and when second round play began for the day, American men did not fare well. Only No. 5 seed Taylor Fritz posted a victory: a late-night, five-set victory over former University of Kentucky All-American Gabe Diallo of Canada. Brandon Nakashima won the fourth set, of his first round match, played today due to darkness Tuesday, to advance to a second round meeting against 2025 Wimbledon boys champion Reilly Opelka. In total, American men went 10-6 and American women went 11-8 in the first round.

Wednesday's second round results of Americans:

Cameron Norrie(GBR) d. Frances Tiafoe[12] 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-5
Taylor Fritz[5] d. Gabriel Diallo(CAN) 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(0_, 4-6, 6-3
Joao Fonseca(BRA) d. Jenson Brooksby 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4
Kamil Majchrzak(POL) d. Ethan Quinn 6-1, 6-4, 6-3
Nicolas Jarry(CHI) d. Learner Tien 6-2, 6-2, 6-3

Madison Keys[6] d. Olga Danilovic(SRB) 6-4, 6-2
Amanda Anisimova[13] d. Renata Zarazua(MEX) 6-4, 6-3
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova(RUS) d. Ashlyn Krueger[31] 7-6(4), 6-4
Elise Mertens[24](BEL) d. Ann Li 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-2

First round:
Brandon Nakashima[29] d. Yunchaokete Bu(CHN) 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(1), 6-4

Thursday's second round matches featuring Americans:

Caty McNally v Iga Swiatek[8](POL)

Sofia Kenin[28] v Jessica Bouzas Maneiro(ESP)

Caroline Dolehide v Barbora Krejcikova[17](CZE)

Emma Navarro[10] v Veronika Kudermetova(RUS)

Hailey Baptiste v Victoria Mboko[LL](CAN)

Katy Volynets v Elisabetta Cocciaretto(ITA)

Danielle Collins v Veronika Erjavec[Q](SLO)

Ben Shelton[10] v Rinky Hijikata(AUS)

Tommy Paul[13] v Sebastian Ofner(AUT)

Marcos Giron v Jakub Mensik[15](CZE)

Brandon Nakashima[29] v Reilly Opelka

The mixed doubles draw was released today, with the highest seeded Americans No. 4 Taylor Townsend and Evan King.

Today, the NCAA announced a resolution in a major infractions case it brought against Oklahoma State's women's tennis program.

Violation Summary: Pursuant to Bylaw 19.10.6, this negotiated resolution has no precedential value. Tampering violations occurred in the Oklahoma State women’s tennis program when head coach Chris Young impermissibly communicated with three transfer prospects. During the investigation, Young failed to cooperate when he instructed a student-athlete to withhold information from the enforcement staff. He also violated head coach responsibility rules.

Penalty Summary: Three years of probation; a fine of $35,000, plus 1% of the women’s tennis program budget; a reduction by 18% of the average number of official visits (based on the previous four years); the school prohibited unofficial visits for 10 weeks during spring 2025; the school prohibited the women’s tennis program from recruiting communications for a total of three weeks during the 2024-25 academic year. The school will prohibit recruiting communications for an additional seven weeks during the 2025-26 academic year; the school prohibited the women’s tennis program from off-campus recruiting for 10 weeks during the 2024-25 academic year; a four-year show-cause order for Young, during which time he cannot communicate with prospective transfers in December for each year of the order. Additionally, Young will be suspended from two regular-season contests during the 2025-26 season. He has already been suspended by the school for 10 contests, including 100% of the fall 2024 season. The total suspension of 12 contests equates to approximately 50% of the regular season; and vacation of team wins and records in which the ineligible student-athletes competed.

According to the case summary, which provides detailed descriptions of the tampering and failure to cooperate violations, Young resigned his position as chair of the NCAA Division I women's tennis committee in March.