Traveling was definitely the theme of the month for Team NorCal, as our players traveled from North to Central America. From Mobile, AL, to Tucson, AZ, and back to Newport Beach, CA, some even traveled down to the Caribbean Sea to Panama, as well a,s San Jose in Costa Rica.

First, we’ll stay in the North America with the USTA National Spring Team Championships BG 14-18, which took place in Mobile, AL, March 3-7. This event made way for several NorCal junior players to earn some prestigious awards. Alexander Chang of Berkeley, CA, was part of the Silver winning team called Team Eagles coached by Ron Dyson. The Vacaville resident, Marcus McDaniel, may not have finished in the top 3 with his team, but he didn’t go home empty-handed, earning the Sportsmanship Award in the boys’ category. On the girls’ side, Jessi Muljat of Sacramento, CA, was a huge contributor to the Stingrays’ Gold Medallion, coached by Marial Tinnirello, winning all but one match throughout the four days of competition in the Girls’ 18. In the Girls’ 14 category, Priya Nelson of Sacramento, CA, was also instrumental to her team, the Diamondbacks, coached by Daniel F. Caballero Valcarcel, taking home the Silver Medallion. Priya won six out of her seven matches during the competition, good job!

USTA National Spring Team Championships BG 14-18, in Mobile, AL. Picture on the left: Team Eagles (Alex Chang (Berkeley, CA), Graydon Lair (Tulsa, OK), John Lasanajak (Lawrenceville, GA), Max McKennon (Newport Beach, CA), Riley O’dell (Plano, TX), Michael Sun (Livingston, NJ), Coach Ron Dyson (New Jersey). Picture on the right: Team Stingrays with Jessi Muljat.

Still in North America, during the same weekend (March 3-6), the USTA National BG 12 Spring Team Championships took place in Tucson, AZ. Once again, our NorCal players found success in the city often nicknamed “the Old Pueblo.” Nav Dayal, of Roseville, CA, accumulated four wins to help his team, the 3 Musketeers coached by Istvan Szabo, win the Silver Medallion. Last but not least, of the girls’ 12 category, Natasha Rajaram of Cupertino, CA, couldn’t have done better if she tried, earning a trifecta of awards! Helping her team win the Gold Medallion with three victories, Team Twizzlers coached by Jonathan Picket, also captured the Team Spirit Award. Natasha’s own spirit showed through as she took home a third and important award, the Sportsmanship Award in the girls’ category. Congratulations Natasha on your fantastic tournament!

USTA National BG 12 Spring Team Championships in Tucson, AZ. Picture on the left: Team Twizzlers. Picture on the right L-R: Coach Jonathan Picket and Natasha Rajaram.

Finally, we head way down to Central America’s inner coast by the Carribean Sea to San Jose, Costa Rica, where a Grade 3 ITF tournament, the Costa Rica Bowl took place March 5-10. Niluka Madurawe of Sunnyvale, CA, continued her successful year when the 17 year old, who was seeded No. 2, won three matches before being stopped in the semifinals by Elvina Kalieva of the U.S.A. 1-6, 7-5, 6-2. Niluka advanced one step further in the doubles, reaching the finals with American player Addison Guevara. The runner-up pair only fell to the American pair Savannah Broadus and Kailey Evans 6-3, 6-3.

Congratulations to everyone who participated in the tournaments and on another very successful month. Go Team NorCal!

The post NorCal Juniors Honor Roll: March 2018 appeared first on USTA NorCal Junior Tennis.

 “I just wanted to qualify so I could play at the main stadium,” were Niluka Madurawe’s first words as we spoke about qualifying for the main draw of the Australian Open Junior Championships. The Sunnyvale resident has steadily broadened her horizons, by first playing in NorCal tournaments, then by representing the section nationally, finally by traveling across the world to continue climbing the rankings.

Born into a family of tennis players – her mother moved from Sri Lanka to play for Auburn University, introduced her older brother to the game, then  Niluka who picked up a racquet at the age of seven. “I love the individual aspect of the game, it’s just you and the racquet,” Niluka laughed, explaining that it’s in contrast with her off court fun personality. The powerful striker might be outgoing off the court, but don’t be fooled, as it is only a match to her intensity and focus on the court.

Niluka Madurawe during the 2017 Maze Cup.

As a top-five player in NorCal since 2014, Niluka started playing tournaments two short years after picking up her first racquet. “I started playing the local tournaments and also participated in junior team tennis growing up,” Niluka fondly remembers. “As I got better, I was invited to USTA Camps, and also played on Zonal teams, and Maze Cup teams. These team events were my favorite of the year because I got a ton of experience and met great players and coaches.” In 2014, Niluka was ranked the No. 1 player in NorCal in the girls’ 14, and never stepped out of the top five after that. Even as she changed her game with her current coach Nick Fustar, of Eagles Fustar Academy, she stayed in the top-five of the NorCal ranking. “I started working on a more aggressive game in 2015, and the results took a while to follow, but when my game started coming together, the results came easier,” Niluka explained. “I was winning before, and even though the results weren’t as good when I first changed my game, I liked the direction it was taking, so I stuck with it, and it’s really paying off now.”

Picture on the left: Sarah Bahsoun and Niluka Madurawe at the Team NorCal Training in 2015. Picture on the right: 2015 BG16 Zonal Team.

“Paying off” would be an understatement as Niluka reached her first ever main draw of a junior Grand Slam by winning her two qualifying matches. Reliving the experience, Niluka admitted being extremely nervous prior to her first qualifying round match. “I wanted to qualify so badly, because one, you don’t want to come all the way to Australia for nothing, and two, the qualifying rounds aren’t played where the main event actually is, so I really wanted to get there,” the determination still palpable in her voice. “Once I qualified, I just enjoyed everything! I drove to Melbourne, got my badge, and checked in at the site, just like the pros. It is really different even from the ITF tournaments I play; everything is more professional and prestigious.” Niluka found positives and gained a lot of confidence from her first round loss in the main draw and from her experience down under. “I played pretty well and had my chances in the second set, but my opponent was good, and advanced to the quarterfinals.” On top of the on court experience, Niluka got the chance to talk to the Zverev brothers who shared their experience.

Picture on the left: Niluka Madurawe with other players during the 2018 Australian Open players party. Picture on the right: Niluka Madurawe playing at the 2018 Junior Australian Open Championships.

Following the Australian Open, Niluka showed her current form by reaching the singles semifinals and the doubles finals at the ITF Costa Rica Bowl. Currently ranked 122 in the world as a junior, she is fighting to get a chance to play the junior Wimbledon Championships and the Junior US Open Championships before heading to Stanford in the Fall. “I am really excited to be part of a team because a lot of juniors don’t get that experience, and I feel much more prepared having played in JTT leagues, and having been part of several NorCal teams.”

If you want more information about JTT, and NorCal Team tournaments, you can click on the links.

The post From NorCal Play to International Play appeared first on USTA NorCal Junior Tennis.

In what will be remembered as one of NorCal’s best showing at the 2018 USTA National Championships – Easter Bowl, nine of our NorCal star juniors brought home a trophy.

The Easter Bowl took place March 24-31, at the prestigious Indian Wells Tennis Garden, in Indian Wells, CA, and welcomed the top boys and girls in the nation, age 12-18. As a Grade B1 ITF (International Tennis Federation) tournament, the 18U division players earned ITF points.

First, let’s look back at the boys’ 12 singles division. Team NorCal swept it with an all-NorCal affair in the final featuring Rudy Quan of Sacramento, CA, and Raghav Jangbahadur of Palo Alto, CA. In the end, nobody was able to stop Rudy, who earned his second Gold Ball 6-1, 6-4. Raghav didn’t leave the tournament empty-handed, taking home a silver ball. Congratulations to you both on a fantastic tournament!

2018 USTA National Championships – Easter Bowl, Indian Wells, CA. Picture on the left – Rudy Quan: Boys’ 12s winner. Picture on the right – Raghav Jangbahadur: Boys’ 12 finalist.

Team NorCal was also well represented in the girls’ 14 doubles division. Once again, our NorCal Juniors showed what they were capable of when Anushka Khune of Palo Alto, CA, and Tomi Main of Seaside, CA, reached the final. The duo, who paired up for the first time, won four matches before being stopped by Ann Guerry and Kate Sharabura from Southern 6-2, 7-5, bringing home a silver ball. In the girls’ 16 divisions, the NorCal players continued to shine, advancing to the final match in singles and doubles. In the singles division, unseeded India Houghton, of Belvedere Tiburon, CA, stormed through the draw to reach the final. She beat the No. 1 seed Gianna Pielet in her second round match, and won another three matches before falling in the final to Anessa Lee of Southern California 6-2, 6-3. It was a well-earned silver ball to say the least! On the doubles’ side, sisters Maribella and Allura Zamarripa of St. Helena, CA, captured the national title without dropping a set. They overcame Amanda Chan from Southern California and Chidimma Okpara from Eastern 6-4, 6-4. Congratulations on your gold ball young ladies!

2018 USTA National Championships – Easter Bowl, Indian Wells, CA. Picture on the left – Anushka Khune and Tomi Main: Girls’ 14s doubles finalists. Middle picture: Allura and Bella Zamarripa: Girls’ 16 doubles winners. Picture on the right – India Houghton: Girls’ 16 finalist.

Last but not least, the boys and girls’ 18 singles divisions. Team NorCal dominated with a complete sweep of the division. Jenson Brooksby of Carmichael, CA, took full advantage of his wildcard, leaving Indian Wells with a brand new gold ball in his hands. After losing the first set 5-7, Jenson came back to win the second set 6-4, and raced to a 5-0 lead, before his opponent, No. 1 seed Tristan Boyer of Altadena, CA, made a comeback. Jenson closed out the match at 6-3, earning a second gold ball. On his incredible run, Jenson beat the No. 15, No. 4, and No. 11 seeds. Katie Volynets, of Walnut Creek, CA, who already has several gold balls on her full trophy case, added another one thanks to her terrific comeback victory in the final. Down a set against No. 1 seed Alexa Noel of Florida, Katie fought her way back to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-1. The winds turned in Katie’s favor when she fought off several break points at 5-3 in the second set to tie it at a set a piece. That win helps Katie secure a spot in her first ever French Open and Wimbledon Junior Championships.

2018 USTA National Championships – Easter Bowl, Indian Wells, CA. Picture on the left – Katie Volynets: Girls’ 18s winner. Middle picture: Katie Volynets playing at the 2018 ITF Easter Bowl. Picture on the right – Jenson Brooksby: Boys’ 18 winner.

What a ride it was! Congratulations to all for a memorable 2018 Easter Bowl, and good luck in your future tournaments. Go Team NorCal!

The post An Easter Bowl to Remember appeared first on USTA NorCal Junior Tennis.

April was another exciting month for our NorCal junior players, starting with several titles coming from Carson, CA, at the International Spring Championships. Our juniors then competed in the Maze Cup in Berkeley, CA, and headed to Mexico City, Mexico for the Junior Davis Cup.

First, the International Spring Championships that took place March 30 – April 8. Twin sisters, Allura and Maribella Zamarripa, of Saint Helena, CA, continued their dream run down in Southern California, capturing their second title in as many weeks, after claiming the Easter Bowl in Indian Wells, CA. The sisters were unseeded and beat the No. 1, 3, and 4 seeds on their way to the title. They won 6-2, 6-4 in the finals of the Girls’ 16 division, against Maryam Ahmad of Albertson, NY, and Lina Mohamed of Glen Cove, NY. Congratulations to our NorCal twins on a wonderful run!

In the Boys’16 division, NorCal players showed up in force once again, reaching the semifinals and better in both the singles and doubles divisions. Zachery Lim of Fairfield, CA, did not lose any time on the court, claiming the title in the singles division without dropping a set. In the finals, the No.3 seed handled Maxwell McKennon of Newport Beach, CA, 6-0 6-2. In the doubles division, Hugo Hashimoto of San Jose, CA, reached the semifinals with Benjamin Kittay of Potomac, MD. The pair did not go down without a fight, losing in two tiebreakers, 7-6(5), 7-6(4).

Our players were definitely comfortable in doubles as Katie Volynets of Walnut Creek, CA, took home the title in the Girls’ 18 doubles division. Teaming up with Natasha Subhash of the USA, Katie also won back to back titles in Southern California, claiming the singles title just a week prior at the Easter Bowl in Indian Wells, CA. In the final match, Katie and Natasha overcame Georgie Drummy of Ireland, and the Canadian Alexandra Vagramov, 6-3, 6-3.

2018 International Spring Championships, Carson, CA. Picture on the left: Natasha Subhash and Katie Volynets: Girls’ 18 doubles winners. Picture in the middle: same. Picture on the right: Allura and Bella Zamarripa: Girls’ 16 doubles winners. .

Next up we head back to Northern California. The Berkeley Tennis Club was host to another amazing Maze Cup, April 13-15. The 45^th Annual Maze Cup saw our best Boys’ and Girls’ in the 16 and 18 age divisions battle it out against the best players from Southern California. It was a suspense-filled weekend as both teams were tied 6-all after the first day, then tied at 10-all after all matches were played. The winner had to be determined by a 10-point super tiebreaker mixed doubles match. Ryder Jackson and Connie Ma were chosen to try and keep the Maze Cup home, but SoCal had another idea in mind. In the end, SoCal prevailed in a nail-bitter, winning 10-8, on another powerful serve by Stefan Dostanic. It was a fantastic weekend of tennis, with both teams leaving it all on the court.  You can find all the names of the players here. Congratulations to both teams!

2018 Maze Cup, Berkeley, CA. Picture on the left: Southern California Section in white sweatshirt and Northern California Section. Picture on the right: Team NorCal.

Junior Davis Cup, New Mexico, MX. From L-R: Marcus McDaniel, Toby Kodat, Coach Tom Lockhart, Alex Lee. Photo credit: theericnunez/Twitter

Lastly, we head south of the border, to Mexico City, Mexico, where the North/Central American and Caribbean Final Qualifying event for the Junior Davis Cup took place April 26-28. Marcus McDaniel of Vacaville, CA, was part of the team, and was a key component to Team USA.’ success. Marcus won all his matches (one single and three doubles with partner Alex Lee), just like all his teammates. Team USA won all their matches 3-0 and did not drop a set, starting with Guatemala, then Mexico, and finally Canada. Congratulations Team USA! We can’t wait to follow you in the finals, in Budapest, Hungary, September 25-30.

Another big month came to an end, and we can’t help but be excited for the ones to come. Go Team NorCal!

The post NorCal Juniors Honor Roll: April 2018 appeared first on USTA NorCal Junior Tennis.

USTA National Center in Orlando, FL – L-R: Ivan Lendl and Payton Young.

Alamo resident Payton Young had the opportunity of a lifetime when, during a Team USA Camp in April 2018, at the USTA National Center in Orlando, FL, former world No.1 Ivan Lendl was there to help out.

The 13 year old trained with eight-time Grand Slam champion Ivan Lendl, making it for an unforgettable moment. “The experience was amazing,” Payton shouted with excitement. “I was nervous, but how often do you get to be on the same court with a tennis legend who is there to watch you and give you input into your game?”

 During practice, Payton exchanged words with Lendl,  gaining insights into his game and what area he thought he should focus on. “What Lendl was really helpful with was with my footwork.  He showed me how to move more efficiently on the court.”

Beyond getting advice from one of the greatest players of all time, Payton learned much more than just about his game.  What stood out the most to the youngster was the intensity and focus Lendl put into practices. “Lendl was very focused on the goal of the session, and extremely serious. I felt like the sessions I had with him were very productive even though they were only about two to three hours,” Payton explained. “One of my goals now is to have shorter, but more focused practices while I am at my home courts with my coach, Rosie Bareis.”

Coming back to the Bay Area after this incredible experience, Payton is excited to take to the court, and off the court, Lendl’s advice. Known for being a very intense and serious person, Payton told us that off the court, the legend who holds 94 ATP titles, is a very nice and approachable person.

If you want more information on Team USA Camps, click here.

The post NorCal Player Payton Young Trains with Eight-time Grand Slam Champion appeared first on USTA NorCal Junior Tennis.

“It was the best part of the season!,” Stanford Campus Recreation Association player Kai Lobell, shouted during the East Bay Junior Team Tennis Regional tournament. A brand new concept implemented by USTA NorCal this year, three Regional Tournaments took place over two weekends in May, at the Fremont Tennis Center in Fremont, CA, at Sonoma State University and Magnolia Park in Rohnert Park, and at Diamond Hills Sports Club in Oakley, CA.

Behind the creation of the tournaments, a simple reason: increasing playing opportunities for our junior players and access to the post season. Overall, 43 teams competed in the new tournament for a total of 364 players who played across five different age divisions:

• 10U Orange
• 10U Green
• 12U Green
• 12U Yellow
• 14U Coed

“In the past, only a handful of teams would qualify directly from league play to Sectionals, but now with Regionals, we have been able to increase the number of teams that get to participate in a season ending event,” USTA NorCal Junior Team Tennis Specialist, Darren Wenger, explained. “It was exciting to see new teams participating in Regionals for the first time. A lot of teams were competing in their first post season event, so it was great to see the smiles on the players’ faces for making it that far in the season.”

The feeling was echoed by the coaches who were thrilled to continue their season and have another opportunity to qualify for the JTT Sectional Championships on June 16, at Diamond Hills Sports Club in Oakley, CA. “It makes it more exciting,” Lifetime Santa Clara Coach, Michael Leopold said. “It gives kids a sense of responsibility so they don’t take it for granted,” Leopold added. Parents were equally thrilled to have another reason to get their kids outdoors with their friends. “It’s a great opportunity for kids to get outside, not inside and to learn every match,” Anupam Rajan, parent and coach for the Fremont Tennis Center, said enthusiastically. “They are having fun with their teammates and on my team, my son and his teammates want to do everything together,” Rajan said as his team was volleying behind him while waiting for their next match.

To make it easier on the coaches, players, and parents, all Regional tournaments were played over one day.  All draws “were played as an elimination draw format with only one team from each age division/area qualifying for Sectionals based on performance,” Wenger said. The coaches reiterated that this format was very beneficial and time-efficient, allowing more players to participate. “The 1-day tournaments make it easier to get players to commit,” Bay Club Santa Clara Coach, Javon Montgomery, noticed.

At the end of all three Regional tournaments, 20 teams have qualified for the Sectional Championships across all five age divisions. You can find the results for the East Bay tournament here, San Francisco/Marin, and South Bay. To learn more about JTT, click here.

Thank you to everyone who participated in our inaugural JTT Regional tournaments and we look forward to seeing some of you at the upcoming JTT Sectional Championships. For all the pictures, click here.

The post Successful JTT Regionals Give Players More Playing Opportunities appeared first on USTA NorCal Junior Tennis.

For a third consecutive year, Menlo High School in Atherton, CA, made it to the final match, but for the first time in three years, it will play a different opponent. Taking place at the Broadstone Racquet Club in Folsom, CA, on May 18-19, the 2018 CIF/USTA Northern California Boys Regional Tennis Championships saw some very competitive matches during the two-day tournament.

In addition to Menlo High, Redwood, Dougherty, and Bellarmine High Schools all advanced to the semifinals, but not without some close calls. Redwood High School barely escaped Granite Bay High School, winning 4-3, with the entire match coming down to the #2 singles position. Bellarmine High School also had to fight to get through the first round, overcoming Jesuit High School 5-2.

Siddharth Chari of Menlo High Shcool

Once again, Bellarmine showed its passion, fighting tooth and nail to punch their ticket to the finals. After a very tense and close match that came down to the #3 singles, Bellarmine prevailed 4-3 against a very competitive Dougherty Valley High School. In the other semifinal, Menlo High School had an easier time qualifying for the finals, as they took on Redwood High School. In the end, Menlo High School won 5-2, taking a shot at the Regional Championship for the third time in a row.

After all was set and done, it was clear that Menlo High School was on a mission and nobody could stop them. Coached by Bill Shine, the team had one goal in mind, and it was to finally hold that Championship trophy. In the finals, the Knights, who are undefeated this season, didn’t feel any pressure of being the #1 seed, winning the final with a decisive 6-1 score.

Even though they were eliminated in the first round by the future winner, Pleasant Valley High School of Chico, CA, didn’t go home empty-handed. The team won best cheer and you can understand why after seeing this amazing video! (Last cheer)

Cheer off between Redwood, Granite Bay, Menlo and Pleasant Valley. It’s clear who won this one #CIFState #USTANorCal pic.twitter.com/IhBiCWlPhr

— Troy Rondeau (@TennisRepTroy) May 18, 2018

What also stood out was “their attitude despite their early first round loss to Menlo School 0-7,” USTA NorCal Youth Tennis Specialist, Troy Rondeau, said.

To cap off an amazing season, three NorCal seniors have signed a letter of intent to play college tennis this fall. Number one and undefeated all season, Siddharth Chari has chosen Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH, to pursue his education and play tennis, while Bo Leschly will be heading to Harvard University in Cambridge, MA. His doubles partner, Clark Safran, will be going to Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA. Congratulations to all three of them for taking their education and tennis skills to the next level!

Congratulations to all the teams on making it this far, and we look forward to seeing you back next Spring!

The post Third time is a Charm appeared first on USTA NorCal Junior Tennis.

“No rest for the weary” should be the new slogan for our junior players. Team NorCal continues to put in work on and off the court and it’s paying off! With three tournaments, 20 players reaching the semifinals or better, and six first place trophies, simply calling it a successful month would be an understatement.

At the USTA National Level 2 Ranking Tournament in Roseville, CA, it was all about protecting their home turf for Team NorCal. An astonishing 14 players made it to the final four or better! In the Boys’ 12s, Krish Arora of San Jose, CA, took third place in singles and doubles. In singles, Krish pushed eventual winner and No. 1 seed Dylan Charlap of Southern California, to a third set, but fell 6-1; 4-6; 1-0(6). In doubles, Krish and Cassius Chinlund of Southern California, were stopped once again by Dylan Charlap with fellow Southern Californian Brandon Vu, losing 7-5. Siddharth Moturi of Monterey, CA, also advanced to the semifinals in singles and doubles. Siddharth was stopped in singles by fellow NorCal player Saahith Jayaraman of Gold River, CA, 6-2, 6-4. Then, Siddharth teamed up with Zhengqing Ji of Southern California, taking fourth place, as William Semler and Vincent Yang of Pacific Northwest prevailed 7-5. Saahith had a successful tournament, reaching the finals, only falling to… yes you guessed it, Dylan Charlap 6-0, 6-1!

On the girls’ side of the 12s, Martina Marica of San Jose, CA, had a dream tournament, sweeping both the singles and doubles draws! In singles, she overcame NorCal player Esther Vyrlan of Sacramento, CA, 6-4, 6-4 to claim the title. Martina and Annika Renganathan, of the Pacific Northwest, did not waste any time en route to their doubles title, winning 6-0 in the finals against Anya Murthy of Fremont, CA, and Natasha Rajaram of Cupertino, CA. Impressive fact: Martina and Annika only lost five games in four matches! Natasha finished third and got her revenge, beating Annika in the playoff match 7-6(7); 4-6; 1-0(8).

USTA National Level 2 Ranking Tournament 12s – Roseville, CA. Picture on the left: Krish Arora and Siddharth Moturi. Picture in the middle: Anya Murthy and Natasha Rajaram. Picture on the right: Natasha Rajaram and Annika Renganathan.

Jumping to the Boys’ 14s with another sweep, this time by Alexander Chang of Berkeley, CA. Alexander made quick work of Phillip Deaton of Pacific Northwest, winning 6-1, 6-0. Alexander had to get passed Nicholas Chen of Oakland, CA, in the semifinals. Payton Young of Alamo, CA, joined him for doubles, and the unseeded pair battled through the No. 2 seed on their way to the title. Alexander and Payton beat Lucca Liu and Raghav Jangbahadur, both from Palo Alto, CA, 6-4 in the finals. Ryan Hoang of San Rafael, CA, reached the semifinals in doubles with Southern Californian Ivan Savkin, losing to Lucca and Raghav 6-2. On the girls’ side, Tomi Main, of Seaside, CA, made NorCal proud as well, finishing as a runner-up. She fell to Katherine Hui of Southern California 6-3, 6-4.

USTA National Level 2 Ranking Tournament 14s – Roseville, CA. Picture on the left: Alexander Chang and Phillip Deaton. Picture in the middle: Tomi Main. Picture on the right: Payton Young and Alexander Chang.

In Stockton, CA, at the USTA National Level 2, our NorCal stars showed up big time, starting with Stevie Gould of Corte Madera, CA. Stevie, who has verbally committed to the University of Washington, placed third, beating the No. 1 seed on his way to the semis! He lost a tough battle against Harsh Parikh of Tucson, AZ, 6-3, 7-5. Stevie took it up a notch, snatching the doubles title with Jack Pulliam of Manhattan Beach, CA, 6-3. The pair edged out Eric Hadigian of Sacramento, CA, and Benjamin Keyser of Vienna, VA, to lift the trophy. On their way to the title, Stevie and Jack defeated Ryan Ali of Mill Valley, CA, in the semifinals. Ryan paired up with Sima Pesic of Del Rey Oaks, CA, to finish third overall. Zachery Lim of Fairfield, CA, also reached the semifinals in doubles, next to Eric Hahn of Fullerton, CA. Due to an unfortunate injury, the pair had to withdraw. Last but not least, Marcus McDaniel of Vacaville, CA, was back to his winning ways, adding another trophy to his collection. Seeded No. 2, Marcus held his status and took care of business in the finals, overcoming No. 4 seed Harsh Parikh, of Tucson, AZ, 6-3, 7-5.

USTA National Level 2 – Stockton, CA. Picture on the left: Stevie Gould. Picture in the middle. Ryan Ali and Sima Pesic. Picture on the right: Marcus McDaniel and Harsh Parikh.

USTA National Level 2 Tournament – Girls and Boys 16s – Norman, OK. Makenna Thiel with her trophies.

Leaving NorCal for the final leg of this honor roll, we head to Norman, OK, for the USTA National Level 2 Tournament – Girls and Boys 16s. Seeded No. 8, Makenna Thiel of Piedmont, CA, powered through her draw, taking out the No. 2 seed on her way to the semifinals, 6-1, 6-0. Makenna fell to the No. 4 seed Malaika Rapolu of Cedar Park, TX, 6-2, 6-3. She ended on a high note, winning convincingly 6-2, 6-2 against Lara Schneider of Mt. Pleasant, SC, to finish third.

It was definitely a busy and successful month for our NorCal stars, so congratulations to everyone on another terrific  four weeks. Go Team NorCal!

The post NorCal Juniors Honor Roll: May 2018 appeared first on USTA NorCal Junior Tennis.

If you do anything today, remember this name: Sterling Davies. At only 11 years old, Sterling dreams big – Olympic gold big – and he is not afraid of saying it. Standing at 5 feet and 5 inches overlooking most of his opponents by a foot, Sterling only started playing tournaments in August 2017, and is now a semifinalist at the NorCal 12s Junior Sectional Championships.

NorCal 12s Junior Sectional Championships – Stockton, CA: Picture on the left: Aston and Sterling Davies. Picture in the middle: Sterling and Kosei Ogata. Picture on the right: Sterling with his 3rd place trophy.

The El Dorado Hills resident, who started tennis when he was 7-years-old through his parents, got hooked on tennis quickly. Even though he picked up swimming first, the intensity and the hard work needed to compete at the highest level, appealed so much to Sterling that he decided to take is seriously. At the age of 8, Sterling wanted to take his game to the next level, so he joined the JMG Academy, along with his twin brother Aston. Now at Arden Hills Club & Spa, in Sacramento, CA, Sterling and his brother manage to combine swimming and tennis lessons, competitions in both sports, piano lessons, and school! How do they do it? “Organization, organization, and organization,” the soft spoken pre-teen replies with a smirk.

Sterling Davies playing through the years.

The composed 11-year-old calmly explained that he started playing tournaments by entering Open 12s and UTR Championships. Back in October 2017, he won one match at the Fall Individual Sectional Championships, before winning two in the consolation draw. “We didn’t get to finish the consolation draw because of the rain, but I really enjoyed the tournament,” said Sterling, reminiscing over the event. “It was my first higher end tournament and I just had a great time, so I wanted more.”

Picture on the left: Sterling with his 6th place trophy at the Darling Memorial Tennis Center USTA National Level 3 Tournament in Las Vegas, NV.

With his drive and dedication, the powerful hitter took his chance and started entering National L3 tournaments earlier this year. “I was so excited!” Sterling said enthusiastically. “I tried to stay competitive, keep my game the same as in practice, and not change anything because I’m at a national tournament.” However, one should not confuse his competitive spirit with arrogance. The level-headed pre-teen works hard, and knows his hard work will pay off, but is also as humble as they come. “He has never called an official on his court,” Angel Gibbs, an Official for the NorCal 12s Junior Sectional Championships told me. “He takes all his shots, never gets upset with his opponent, and you can see how much he loves the game,” said Gibbs with a warm smile. Now competing in L2 national tournaments, he is starting to make a name for himself in just a few-months’ time. His positive, hard-working, and sportsmanship-like attitude already allowed him to achieve great results His No. 3 seed and third place finish at the NorCal 12s Junior Sectional Championships earlier this month can attest of his progress.

Heading to Oregon for a National L2 tournament at the end of the month, Sterling is excited to see what his future holds, hoping that it will turn into a professional career down the road. In the meantime, he will continue to work hard on and off the court. But take notice: Sterling Davies has arrived!

The post Getting to Know Sterling Davies appeared first on USTA NorCal Junior Tennis.

Taking place over two weekends in June, the Junior Sectional Championships were spread over four different locations in Sacramento, Stockton, and Fresno diving them in the BG12s, BG14s, Boys 16 and 18, and Girl’s 16 and 18.

Starting on June 9-10, and finishing June 16-18, the NorCal 12s Junior Sectional Championships were held at the University of Pacific in Stockton, CA, and saw 112 players battle it out for the ultimate prize of being crowned section champion! In the end, the No. 1 Kosei Ogata of Saratoga, CA, prevailed in a fierce three set match against No. 5 seed Min Htun of Sacramento, CA, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 under extreme heat. In the doubles draw, Htun was once again back in the finals, teaming up with Luke Stratakos of Saratoga, CA. This time Htun climbed the last latter to defeat Nav Dayal of Granite Bay, CA, and Karthikeya Gannavarapu of Pleasanton, CA, 3-6, 6-1, 1-0(12). On the girls’ side, No. 1 seed and Menlo Park resident, Aspen Schuman made quick work of her opponent, winning 6-0, 6-0 against the No. 9 seed Penelope Wong of Mountain View, CA. In the doubles draw, Aspen went for the sweep and succeeded, partnering with Anushka Jaiswal of Fremont, CA, to claim the trophy. Aspen and Anushka also went to a third set, winning 1-6, 7-6(2), 1-0(6) against Varsha Jawadi of San Mateo, CA and Mila Mulready of Burlingame, CA.

NorCal 12s Junior Sectional Championships – Stockton, CA. Picture on the left: Dean Stratakos and Min Htun. Picture in the middle: Anushka Jaiswal and Aspen Schuman. Picture on the right: Mile Mulready and Varsha Jawadi.

Now jumping to the NorCal 14s Junior Sectional Championships, we head to Arden Hills Club & Spa in Sacramento, CA. With a total of 128 players participating in that age category, the competition was fierce and friendly. At the end of the day, the No. 1 seed Nicholas Chen of Oakland, CA, made his status known in a convincing 6-3, 6-3 win in the finals over the No. 3 seed Dylan Tsoi of El Dorado Hills, CA. Also a No. 1 seed in the doubles draw, Nicholas and Emon Van Loben Sels of Sacramento, CA, confirmed their favorite status, clinching the sectional title in a decisive 6-4, 6-2 victory over the No. 2 seeds Jason Lew and Patrick Toman of Pleasant Hill, CA. Over on the girls’ side, once again the No. 1 seed ruled, as Rhea Rai of Cupertino, CA, defeated the No. 5 seed Gayathri Krishnan also from Cupertino, CA, 6-2, 6-2. It was a feast for the No. 1 seeds in the 14s, as Maryia Hrynashka of Rancho Cordova, CA, and Lauren Joyce of Lodi, CA, also prevailed in doubles, overcoming Ava Martin of Menlo Park, CA, and Natasha Rajaram of Cupertino, CA, 6-1, 6-1 in the finals.

On to the NorCal Boys’ 16 and 18 categories which took place at the Natomas Racquet Club in Sacramento, CA. In the Boys’ 16 singles draw, Luke Casper of Santa Cruz, CA, made easy work of Mason Fung of San Francisco, CA, earning his sectional title 6-2, 6-2. In the doubles draw, Luke made it back to the final match but couldn’t quite get the sweep. No 4 seeds Theodore Dean of Livermore, CA, and Joseph Teh of San Jose, CA, were able to come back from a set down, winning 1-6, 6-1, 1-0(5). In the Boys’ 18 singles draw, it all came down to a showdown between the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds. After all was set and done, the No. 2 seed Aryan Chaudhary of Santa Clara, CA, overcame the top seed Eric Hadigian of Sacramento, CA, 6-4, 6-0 to claim the title. But Aryan didn’t want to leave with one hand empty, sweeping the division by winning with partner James Bell of Fremont, CA. Zachery Lim of Fairfield, CA, and Daniel Papacica of Carmel, CA, didn’t go down without a fight, evening things out at one set all, but Aryan and James snatched the super tiebreak 10-7 for a 7-5, 3-6, 1-0(7) final score.

NorCal 14s and 16s Junior Sectional Championships – Sacramento, CA. Picture on the left: Maryia Hrynashka, Lauren Joyce, Natasha Rajaram, Ava Martin. Picture in the middle: Makenna Thiel and Tomi Main. Picture on the right: Theodore Dean and Joseph Teh.

The final stop on our list is the Servy Girls’ 16 and 18 Junior Championships. Located at the Copper River Club in Fresno, CA, the event saw 88 players compete for the trophy. In the Girls’ 16 singles draw, the No. 2 seed Allura Zamarripa of St. Helena upset the No. 1 seed Tomi Main of Seaside, CA, in a 6-4, 7-6(0) victory, to take the title home. Allura’sister, Maribella, joined her in the doubles draw to continue their successful year, capping it off with a sectional title. The sisters took on Tomi and Makenna Thiel of Piedmont, CA, in the finals, easily winning 6-0, 6-2. The last age category, the Girls’ 18, saw the No. 3 seed Anna Campana of Hillsborough, CA, defeat Muskan Mhajan of San Ramon, CA, 6-4, 6-1. Last but not least, the Girls’ 18 doubles draw ended with a very close final between the top two seeds. Anna also reached the finals in doubles with partner Jeannamerie Gordon of Saratoga, CA, but couldn’t hold off Katherine Duong of Cupertino, CA, and Stephanie Nguyen of Fremont, CA, who prevailed 6-3, 7-5.

Congratulations to all the players who participated in the NorCal Junior Sectionals, and we look forward to seeing you all at the Fall Sectionals.

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Once again, it was hot, hot, hot during the 2018 USTA NorCal Coed Junior Team Tennis Section Championships. Taking place at the Laguna Creek Racquet Club in Elk Grove, CA, July 20-22, over 150 players and 18 teams competed in 100 degree weather for a chance to represent the NorCal Section at the USTA Junior Team Tennis National Championships in November at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, FL.

14U Intermediate: Four Directions

To say that the players were determined would be an understatement. On Friday, matches went on until 10:45 p.m., with the 14U Intermediate Courtside team and the Los Gatos Tennis Academy battling it out until the very end. It didn’t matter that the club closed at 10:30 p.m., neither team gave up and fought through the night. On Saturday, another great story of resiliency came through as Stonegate Academy came back from losing their first match by defeating their next two opponents and making it out of their flight by one game.

We would also like to mention that, for the first time in NorCal history, a national defending champion from NorCal will be heading back to Orlando to defend its title. The 18U Intermediate team out of Laguna Creek Racquet Club (Team A) came out victorious over the weekend, not only defending their sectional title, but giving themselves a chance to defend their national title as well.

Picture on the left – 18U Intermediate: Laguna Creek Racquet Club. Picture on the right – 18U Advanced: The Avengers

After three days of competition, three teams emerged as section champions and qualified to represent NorCal in the 18U Advanced, 18U Intermediate, and 14U Intermediate divisions.

Thank you to all the players, coaches, and parents for a very successful weekend.

For more pictures of the event, click here.

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Up and coming NorCal player Rudy Quan has made quite a few headlines this year, but he is not done yet.  The 12 year old Sacramento resident had the privilege of  being invited to represent the U.S.A. at the Longines Future Tennis Aces Tournament in Paris, France.  Taking place during the French Open back in May, USTA NorCal caught up with Rudy to talk about his experience.

All the players with their Longines watches in Paris, France.

How did you hear that you were part of the tournament?

“For winning the 2018 Boys 12 Easter Bowl, I was selected by the USTA to represent the USA in the Longines Future Tennis Aces Tournament in Paris, France.”

Was the trip sponsored?

“Longines sponsored the entire trip.  They were so generous. It was an incredible experience.”

Can you explained what the Longines tournament is all about?

“Longines has this tournament every year during the French Open.  20 boys and 20 girls (age 12 and under) from 20 different countries came to Paris to participate in the tournament which is played on a red clay court under the Eiffel Tower!”

Rudy Quan in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.

What was the experience like for you?

“It was an experience that I will never forget. I got to compete against some of the top junior players from around the world. I made some great friends from many different countries.  It was a lot of fun being in Paris. I’m thankful to the USTA and Longines for the incredible experience.”

Which pro players did you meet?

“Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf, Jo-Wilfred Tsonga, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, and Alex Corretja”.

Did you play on red clay before?

“No, it was my first time.”

What was it like and how different was it for you?

“It was totally different than the hardcourt surface that I typically play on. It’s a lot slower than what I’m used to. But it was a great learning experience playing on red clay”.

How long were you in Paris for?

“One week”

Did you visit any other place?

“We visited different places around Paris. The highlight for me was going to Roland Garros to watch the French Open. It was amazing.  We watched Rafael Nadal play against Richard Gasquet.  We spent a lot of time around the Eiffel Tower.  At the end of the week, we went on a cruise along the Seine River with all of the players.  We had a great party.  It was a blast!”

What people might not know is that Rudy Quan used this incredible experience and took it into the 2018 USTA National Clay Court Championships. The fierce 12 year old swept the singles and doubles draws, coming home with not one but two Gold Balls! Congratulations Rudy on your latest achievements and good luck for the rest of the year. NorCal is very proud of you!

The post French Flair Serves Rudy Quan Well appeared first on USTA NorCal Junior Tennis.

This month’s Honor Roll will be mostly focused on the USTA National Clay Court Championships that took place July 15-22, 2018.  Located in different areas of Florida, in South Carolina and Tennessee, our NorCal stars shone bright over the week.

First off, let’s start with a NorCal sweep, should we? Yes, Rudy Quan of Roseville, CA, dominated the Boys’ 12 singles draw to claim his first Gold Ball. Rudy beat Lucas Coriaty of Long Beach, CA, 6-1, 6-1 to assert his No. 1 seed. Rudy continued his great momentum in doubles, pairing up with Maxwell Exsted of MN . The tandem had an easy time in the first set, but had to battle in the second set to claim the title against Andrew Salu of FL, and Adam Sun of AZ, 6-2, 7-5. Huge congratulations to Rudy on his impressive result!

USTA National Clay Court Championships: Picture on the left: Rudy Quan, B12s singles and doubles winner, with his two Gold Balls. Picture in the middle: Rudy Quan playing. Picture on the right: Allura Zamarripa, G16s singles winner.

In the Girls’ 14 singles division, Vivian Ovrootsky of San Jose, CA, came very close to the title, taking her final match to a third set. She gave everything she had, but  Clervie Ngounoue of DC, took home the gold with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 victory. It was a great tournament nevertheless for Vivian who goes home with a Silver Ball. On the boys’ side, John Kim had a very similar tournament than Vivian, cruising through the draw. John was tested in the semifinals but overcame his opponent in three sets. He had another three-set match in the finals, but  Nicholas Heng of AL, was able to get away with the win 5-7, 6-4, 6-3. John also a great tournament in doubles, reaching the quarterfinals with Braden Shick of NC.

In the Girls’ 16 division, Allura Zamarripa of St. Helena, CA, claimed her first ever Gold Ball in singles, beating in straight sets the No. 1 seed Valencia Xu of NJ, 6-4, 6-3. Allura also had a great showing in doubles, advancing to the quarterfinals with her sister Maribella. On the Boys’ side,  unseeded Aidan Mayo of Roseville, CA,  had a fantastic tournament, beating the No. 1 seed and fellow NorCal player Zachery Lim of Fairfield, CA, to reach the semifinals. Aidan beat several seeds to get there, but couldn’t overcome Logan Zapp of FL, falling 7-6, 6-1. He was able to bounce back and earned his Bronze Ball by winning his playoff match against Daniel Labrador of NY, 6-4, 6-2.

Makenna Thiel on the left and Alexis Merrill on the right.

We would also like to congratulate Makenna Thiel of Piedmont, CA, who won the New Balance High School Tennis Championship in Ojai, CA, taking place July 21-24. At 15 years old, Makenna played against players 18 years of age to claim the title. She overcame the No. 1 seed Alexis Merrill of Mid-Atlantic in the finals 7-6(6), 6-2 to take the trophy home. This tournament is a celebration of high school tennis and a great way for high school tennis players to show their skills to potential universities.

Congratulations to all our NorCal junior players on a very successful month of July! We look forward to what August will bring. Go Team NorCal!

The post NorCal Juniors Honor Roll: July 2018 appeared first on USTA NorCal Junior Tennis.

Taking place all over the States, the USTA Hard Court National Championships were held August 3-12, 2018. Team NorCal had some impressive results, bringing home six trophies!

Now a regular on our Honor Roll, Rudy Quan of Sacramento, CA, isn’t slowing down any time soon. Rudy, now a holder of six National Balls (five Gold Balls and one Silver Ball this year alone), added two more during the Boys’ 12 USTA Hard Court National Championships located in Mobile, AL. Rudy claimed, yet another Gold Ball in singles, easily handling Dylan Charlap of Palos Verdes Estates, CA, 6-2, 6-1. Because one National Ball was not enough for Rudy,  he also reached the finals in doubles, coming up just short of a sweep with Maxwell Exted of Savage, MN. The pair was defeated by Alexander Razeghi of Humble, TX, and Cooper Woestendick of Olathe, KS, 6-4, 6-3, earning a Silver Ball in the process.

In the Boys’ 14 age category, Herrick Thomas Legaspi of Sacramento, CA, had a very successful tournament, winning the doubles draw with Nicholas Heng of Madison, AL. The No. 8 seed overcame the No. 1 seed in Lucas Brown of Plano, TX, and Aidan Kim of Milford, MI, 6-2, 7-5, after they had taken out the No. 3 seed in the semifinals. It is worth knowing that Herrick was rushed to the hospital two days prior to the finals, due to heat exhaustion and dehydration. Way to hang in tough Herrick!

USTA Hard Court National Championships in Mobile, AL. Picture on the left – B12s singles winner and doubles finalist: Rudy Quan. Picture in the middle L-R: Herrick Thomas Legaspi, Nicholas Heng, Lucas Brown, and Aidan Kim. Picture on the right B14s winners in doubles: Herrick Thomas Legaspi and Nicholas Heng.

On to the Girls’ 16 draw, which took place in San Diego, CA, where India Houghton of Belvedere, CA, advanced to the semifinals of the doubles draw. Paired up with Casie Wooten of Southern California, India and Casie had a tough semifinal against Elaine Chervinsky of Florida, and Madison Sieg of Eastern, losing 6-2, 6-1. In the playoff match, the pair came close to clinching a Bronze Ball, but Britany Lau of Eastern and Nastasya Semenovski of New England, hang on just enough to win 7-5, 7-6(5). In the singles draw, Allura Zamarripa of St. Helena, CA, continues her dream year, lifting a Silver Ball just weeks after earning her first ever Gold Ball in singles. Allura battled her heart out but Fiona Crawley of Texas came out with the 6-4, 6-0 win.

USTA Hard Court National Championships in San Diego, CA. Picture on the left – G18s doubles third place: Natasha Subhash and Katie Volynets. Picture in the middle – Casie Wooten and India Houghton – G16s doubles fourth place finish. Picture on the right – Fiona Crawley and Allura Zamarripa, G16s singles winner and finalist.

Jenson Brooskby: Boys’ 18 singles winner. He will compete in the US Open Men’s Singles main draw.

The final category, the Boys’ and Girls’18s, was as successful, with two players earning National Balls. First off, Katie Volynets of Walnut Creek, CA, reached the semifinals in doubles, teaming up with Natasha Subhash of Mid-Atlantic. Whitney Osuigwe of Florida, and Caty McNally of Midwest, got the better Katie and Natasha 6-1, 6-2, but the pair bounced back to claim their Bronze Ball. The No. 4 seed beat Salma Ewing of Southern California, and Jayci Goldsmith of Texas, 6-0, 6-3. Last but not least, Jenson Brooksby of Carmichael, CA. No. 4 seed in the Boys’ 18 singles draw, Jenson breathed through the draw until the finals, where he was able to overcome the No. 3 seed, Brandon Nakashima of San Diego, CA, 6-4 6-3, 6-1! With that win, Jenson earned a Wild Card into the US Open main draw, where he will make his grand debut. Congratulations Jenson, we’ll make sure to follow your journey in the Big Apple.

Another month ends, and the hardware continues to pile up. Congratulations to all the players who competed in the USTA Hard Court National Championships, and we can’t wait to see what September has in store for Team NorCal. Go Team NorCal!

The post NorCal Juniors Honor Roll: August 2018 appeared first on USTA NorCal Junior Tennis.

Taking place in the extremely warm Fresno/Clovis area, the 2018 USTA NorCal – JTT Summer Section Championships for the Same Gender divisions, was no exception this year. Temperatures reached over 100 degrees, but all 34 teams and 185 players showed passion and grit to complete the long weekend. This year, Tournament Director, Darren Wenger, was constantly monitoring air quality due to the fires. Matches started earlier in the morning at four different sites to avoid the late afternoon conditions.

As it happens every year, the winners get to play in the Gar Glenney Cup, which took place in Irvine, CA, August 18-19 (Results will be announced in a separate post). However, this is the first time that NorCal included the Intermediate teams, adding extra pressure and excitement for the teams. Laguna Creek Racquet Club’s coach, Mark Fairchilds reinforced that feeling by saying that “it was so exciting to be able to bring both the Boys’ and Girls’ 18’s Intermediate down to Irvine.” In addition, “the big highlight for the kids was being able to play Mixed 18’s Doubles in the event,” Fairchilds told us enthusiastically.

Wenger was very pleased with how the tournament went, especially the sportsmanship shown by the players. Wenger recalls how close some of the matches were, making it a very entertaining tournament. “The Boys 18U Advanced division came down to two doubles matches to clinch the title between Chabot and Bay Club Courtside,” Wenger said. “At one point the Chabot #1 doubles team had saved three or four match points to keep their hopes alive, and both doubles matches came down to match point at the exact same time. Bay Club Courtside ended up winning both matches within seconds of each other, to clinch the overall match 4-2. Both teams needed to win both doubles matches to win, and the pressure was high!”

Congratulations to all the teams who participated in the tournament and we can’t wait to see you all back next year!

Picture on the left: Girls 18U Advanced: Chabot College. Picture on the right: Girls 12U Intermediate winner: Four Directions Tennis, San Jose.

Picture on the left: Girls 15U Intermediate winner – Blossom Hill Aces, East Bay. Picture on the right: Girls 18U Intermediate winner – Laguna Creek Racquet Club, Elk Grove.

Picture on the left: Boys 15U Intermediate winner – Bay Club Courtside (Team A), Los Gatos. Picture on the right: Boys 18U Intermediate winner – YTA/McLaren Park, San Francisco.

Picture on the left: Boys 15U Advanced winner – Bay Club Courtside, Los Gatos. Picture on the right: Boys 18U Advanced winner – Bay Club Courtside (Team A), Los Gatos.

You can check out all the pictures here.

Complete match results here.

The post JTT Same Gender Sectionals Heat Up in Fresno appeared first on USTA NorCal Junior Tennis.

The NorCal Section was well represented this summer at the various team events that took place all around the country. Let’s take a look at how Team NorCal stacked up against the other sections.

The first stop took place at the USTA Boys’ & Girls’ 14 Intersectional Team Championships in Auburn, AL, June 30-July 4. The team consisting of four boys and four girls finished in 9th place. That same weekend, the USTA Boys’ & Girls’ 16 Intersectional Team Championships was held in Shreveport, LA. Team NorCal had a great showing, finishing third overall!

The next event of the summer was from July 26-30, at the BG12’s Zone Team Championships, which saw three NorCal teams compete in Tucson, AZ. When all was said and done, the NorCal teams finished in 5^th, 6^th, and 7^th place, out of a total of 12 teams. Team NorCal didn’t go home empty-handed however, as Jack Satterfield and Georgia McDougall both won a sportsmanship award. Georgia also won the overall Sportsmanship Award for the girls out of all the sections! Congratulations to the entire BG12’s team for representing the section so well.

Picture on the left: Georgia McDougall and Jack Satterfield with the other sportsmanship award recipients. Picture in the middle: Jack Satterfield with Coach Pablo Jose Alvarado. Picture on the right: Georgia McDougall with the boys’ sportsmanship award recipient.

Team NorCal took advantage of playing on their home courts as the BG14’s Zone Team Championships was played in Stockton, CA. The NorCal Tigers made it to the championship match, losing a close one against the Bruins of Southern California, 10 matches to 8. The other two teams representing NorCal took 6^th and 7^th place out of a total of 12 teams.

Two NorCal teams at the Boys’ and Girls’ 14 Zone Team Championships in Stockton, CA.

Picture on the left: the whole NorCal team at BG12s Zonals. Picture on the right: The third NorCal team at the BG14s Zonals.

Traveling to Salt Lake City, Utah, the three NorCal teams who competed in the BG16’s Zone Team Championships matched up with the BG12’s teams by also finishing in 5^th, 6^th, and 7^th places.

The Boys’ and Girls’18 traveled respectively to Urbana, IL, and Claremont, CA, to take part in the USTA National Team Championships and showed amazing grit throughout the entire competition. The Boys finished in 6^th place, while the Girls’ team took 7^th place.

Use to having Hawaii win the sportsmanship award every year, NorCal Girls’ 18 Team Coach Carrie Zarraonandia was excited to hear her team called up on stage as the 2018 Sportsmanship Award winner. “I was shocked when NorCal was announced as the winner because Hawaii is always so nice and they are expected to win,” Zarraonandia laughed. “But I’m really happy for my team because it shows that NorCal is doing something right, and that our players are representing the section well, which is something we have been focusing on.” Before the players went on stage, the Tournament Director called Carrie by herself, surprising her with the Sportsmanship Coach’s Award. “I was so amazed by it but I was honored to receive this award,” Zarraonandia revealed. “They had never given that award in 11 years, so I was really grateful for it.” Carrie was also grateful for the opportunity to coach the Girls’ 18 team for the first time and NorCal is proud of her accomplishments!

Carrie Zarraonandia and the Girls’ 18 NorCal team.

Carrie has also been a trainer for the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) for the last two years. A national non-profit organization that “develops better athletes, better people through resources for youth and high school sports coaches, parents, administrators and student-athletes,” it seems fitting that her infectious positivity and sportsmanlike conduct were recognized during the tournament. Carrie works tirelessly to instill the PCA’s mission into all of the NorCal players and parents she comes into contact with. “The Positive Coaching Alliance is in the first stage of creating the position of Tennis Ambassador, using  NorCal’ s model of offering workshops to support coaches, parents, and athletes, while carrying the PCA message to the other 16 USTA sections throughout the country,”  Zarraonandia enthusiastically explained. As Tennis Ambassador, Carrie hopes to carry the vision that both the Positive Coaching Alliance and USTA NorCal embrace.

The final team event of the summer was the Gar Glenney Cup, which was played in Irvine CA, August 18-19. After six years of taking home the trophy, Team NorCal had to concede to Southern California, but not without a fight. The overall score was 35-29, with 25% of the matches going to three sets. It was a fun and competitive weekend, and NorCal looks forward to hosting the SoCal team next year. NorCal leads the overall series 19-17.

Team NorCal and SoCal during the trophy ceremony.

Congratulations to all of the players and coaches who participated in the tournaments, and we look forward to seeing you back next year. Go Team NorCal!

To see all the pictures from these events, click here.

The post Awards and Sportsmanship Highlight an Action Packed Summer appeared first on USTA NorCal Junior Tennis.

Taking place at the beautiful Stanford Campus, the Zimmerman/Johnson USTA National Tournament is always special for our NorCal junior players. Excited to play at home for this well-established L2 national tournament, Team NorCal “was quite strong on our home turf,” Payton Young joked. Young was on point as 16 players reached the semifinals or better, and three earned Sportsmanship Awards.

Played September 14-16, 2018, the Zimmerman/Johnson USTA National Tournament hosted Boys’ and Girls’ age 12-18. The boys’ 12 had a great showing with Mason Nguyen of El Dorado Hills, CA, finishing fourth overall, and Mitchell Lee of Oakland, CA, taking third place. Mason gave it his all but fell to Rohan Belday of West Orange, NJ, 6-3; 6-2. Mason battled it out with fellow NorCal player Mitchell Lee in the playoff match, with the latter winning 6-3; 6-2. Mitchell fought hard in the semifinals but Nathan Blokhin of Plantation, FL, was unstoppable as the eventual winner, defeating Mitchell 6-4; 7-5. On the girls’ side, Anya Murphy of Fremont, CA, won two matches before being stopped in the semifinals by Paisha Douglas of Las Vegas, NV, 6-4; 6-4. Anya made her opponent, Thea Latak of Darien, IL, work for her third place, barely losing in three sets 6-7(2); 6-5; 6-3. A big congrats goes to Natasha Rajaram of Cupertino, CA, for winning the sportsmanship award.

In the boys’14 category, two NorCal players made it to the semifinals with Payton Young of Alamo, CA, who’s hitting the headlines yet again, and Ethan Quinn of Fresno, CA, debuting on the honor roll. After beating the No. 4 seed in the first round, Payton won another match before Yannik Rahman of Miami, FL, stopped him 6-4; 6-2. To add to an already fantastic tournament, Payton also won the sportsmanship award for the boys’ 14 category… way to go Payton! On his end of the draw, Ethan also beat a seed in the first round, and pushed the eventual winner, Kyle Kang of Fullerton, CA, to a third set, but fell 0-6; 6-3; 6-4. In the playoff match, the two friends faced each other, with Ethan coming out as the winner, 6-2; 6-2.

Zimmerman/Johnson USTA National Tournament – Stanford University, Boys’ 14. Picture on the left: Ethan Quinn and Payton Young. Picture in the middle: Tournament Director Phill Cello and Payton Young. Picture on the right: Ethan Quinn and Payton Young.

Now moving on to the boys’ 16 category where once again, NorCal showed up in big fashion. Team NorCal swept the draw with not one, two, three, but all four semifinalists coming from the NorCal section! Max Fardanesh of Albany, CA, was able to get passed all his friends, defeating Aryan Chaudhary of Santa Clara, CA, in a tough 6-3; 6-4 final. In the semifinal, Max had to overcome Luke Casper of Santa Cruz, CA, in a tough three set match, 7-5; 1-6; 6-2. On his end, Aryan also had a three set match to reach the finals, prevailing over Hugo Hashimoto of San Jose, CA, 3-6; 6-3; 6-1. Luke and Hugo faced each other in the playoff match, with Luke triumphing over Hugo 6-3; 6-2. Team NorCal didn’t have enough of sweeping the boys’ draw, so the girls joined the fun with three of the four semifinalists being from NorCal. India Houghton of Belvedere Tiburon, CA, continued her incredible year, conquering another very successful player, Allura Zamarripa of St. Helena, CA, 6-4; 6-4. India played another fellow NorCal player in the semifinal, when she battled passed Amber Marie Lee of Orinda, CA, in a fierce three-set match 7-6(5); 5-7; 6-1. India capped off her victory by winning the sportsmanship award in the girls’ 16, no doubt she’ll be hitting the headlines again. Amber had another tough three-set match in the playoff, losing 7-6(4); 5-7; 6-2 against Misa Malkin of Tucson, AZ.

Zimmerman/Johnson USTA National Tournament – Stanford University, BG16s. Picture on the left: Max Fardanesh. Picture in the middle: India Houghton and Allura Zamarripa.  Picture on the right L-R: Luke Casper, Phil Cello, and Hugo Hashimoto. Picture on the far right: Max Fardanesh and Aryan Chaudhary.

Our final category is the boys’ and girls’ 18. Ryder Jackson of Nicasio, CA, advanced to the semifinals but couldn’t hold Siem Woldeab of La Mesa, CA, who went on to win the tournament. Ryder put up a great fight against Alejandro Quiles of Las Vegas, NV, pushing him to a third set with a final score of 6-4, 1-6, 6-4. Marcus McDaniel of Vacaville, CA, climbed one more step to reach the final match, but also fell victim of Siem Woldeab in a close three-set match 3-6; 6-3; 7-5. On the girls’ side, 15 years old Connie Ma of Dublin, CA, continues to impress has she takes on 18 years old players. Connie didn’t lose a set on her way to winning the title, easily beating  Anessa Lee of San Marino, CA, 6-2; 6-1 in the finals. Connie wasn’t the only NorCal representative in the semifinals, as Ashley Yee of Los Gatos, CA, took on Anessa. Ashley came back strong in the second set but Anessa held her off for a 6-3; 7-6(3) victory. Ashley took third place by winning a close 6-4; 7-6(4) match against Lana Mavor of Yarmouth, ME.

Zimmerman/Johnson USTA National Tournament, Stanford University – Boys’ 18. Picture on the left: Marcus McDaniel. Picture on the right: L-R: Alejandro Quiles and Ryder Jackson.

In the words of Max Fardanesh “a very solid weekend for NorCal overall,” and indeed it was! Congratulations to all on defending the home turf with great pride, and as always go Team NorCal!

The post NorCal Juniors Honor Roll: September 2018 appeared first on USTA NorCal Junior Tennis.

With temperatures in the hundreds, the 10’s Exchange team of eight players (Somei Ogata, Nadaul Cheam, Blair Chen, Kota Kawasaki, Kohana Darroch, Sonya Goldberg, Lily Bazemore, and Nikitha Desai) managed to keep their cool under challenging conditions. Played in Scottsdale, AZ, the event “was a great learning experience for Team NorCal, especially playing doubles with new partners and bonding as teammates,” USTA NorCal Junior Team Tennis Coordinator, Chris Samuel, said. “Coach Todd Dissly led the group through the paces of a set warm-up and stretching routine, along with plenty of tips and strategy to keep the players motivated throughout the three days of competition.” Throughout the event, Team NorCal played against teams from Southern California, Pacific Northwest, Intermountain, Hawaii, and Southwest Sections. Samuel noted that “the players got progressively more comfortable with each match and it showed in their movement, skills, and doubles communication. We are so proud of our players’ performance.”

10’s Exchange – Sottsdale, AZ. Picture on the left: Todd Dissly with the 10’s Exchange NorCal team.Picture on the right: Todd Dissly and Chris Samuel on court with the 10’s Exchange NorCal team.

To help lead the team, Todd Dissly, of Todd Dissly Academy, guided the players through two boys’ doubles, two girls’ doubles, eight singles, and four mixed doubles during each match. “This was a great event for the players as they got to compete on a team, play multiple matches, and experience the ups and downs of competition,” Dissly explained. “From a coaching perspective, it was great because I could continually help guide players back to their focal point, and help them believe in themselves a little bit more.” To reach that goal, Dissly talked about his approach of staying positive and setting simple performance goals such as keeping every ball over the net and establishing a cross-court rally. Another successful coaching element Dissly and Samuel used, was to help teach the kids how to prepare before a match and recover after a match. “In the Arizona heat, there’s not much room for wasted energy, so we used every opportunity to help teach the kids to recover energy, refill their bodies with proper food and fluids, and stretch their muscles so they wouldn’t tighten up,” Dissly clarified.

10’s Exchange – Sottsdale, AZ. Picture on the left: Nikitha Desai with Todd Dissly receiving the Sportsmanship Award. Picture on the right: learning how to recover with stretching.

In the end, Team NorCal took a hard-earned third place, barely 10 games behind Intermountain. “I was delighted of the fact that we competed hard, we played fair, and we had no excuses,” Dissly proudly said. To add to a very successful outing, Nikitha Desai won the Sportsmanship Award and Nadaul Cheam the Team Spirit Award, applying  effectively their coach’s philosophy.

Congratulations to the players and coaches on playing their hearts out and making NorCal proud. Go Team NorCal!

The post Teamwork Heats Up at 10’s Exchange! appeared first on USTA NorCal Junior Tennis.

In the past couple months, Team NorCal continued to show their fantastic form at the national or international level. In early September, Jenson Brooksby experienced his first taste of the highest level when he competed in the US Open Men’s Championship main draw following a dream run to the Boys’ 18 Hard Court National Championship. On the women’ side, Connie Ma earned her place on Team USA, as she competed in the Junior Fed Cup finals September 25-30, 2018, in Budapest, Hungary. Back in NorCal, our players excelled at the USTA National Level 2 Tournament in Stockton, CA, on October 6-8.

Following his incredible run to the semifinals of the US Open Junior Championships, Jenson Brooksby, of Carmichael, CA, talked about his first experience in a Grand Slam tournament. “My experience at the US Open in both adults and juniors was amazing,” Jenson told USTA NorCal. After winning the USTA Boys’ 18 National title in Kalamazoo, MI, back in August, Jenson earned a Wild Card into the main draw of the US Open Men’s Championship. This was Jenson’s first experience playing at a Grand Slam, making his trip to the Big Apple one to remember. “I learned a lot by playing the highest level of tennis in the adults. Playing against the best juniors in the world was also important to learn from, as I did very well. I had a lot of confidence coming back home.”

US Open Tennis Championships – Flushing, NY. Picture on the left: Jenson Brooksby compete in the first round of the US Open Men’s Championship. Picture on the right: Jenson Brooksby signs autographs.

Jenson wasn’t the only one shining on the international scene, as Connie Ma, a Dublin resident, represented the United Stated during the Junior Fed Cup finals. An integral part of the team, Connie brought three points to Team USA, helping the team to its second consecutive Junior Fed Cup title. She had this to say about her first ever Junior Fed Cup participation: “It was an honor to be able to represent my country and this was an experience that I will never forget.” Proud to wear the U.S.A. jacket, Connie won two doubles matches alongside Cori Gauff and Alexa Noel, and one singles match. New to the team, Connie soaked in every bit of advice from her coaches and teammates. “I learned that team spirit and cheering on your teammates is very important because every match matters,” she recalled. Regarding her own personal tennis, she took in some wisdom that will lead her, without a double, to more titles. “Enjoy and cherish every moment,” the petite but fearless 16 years old said. Check out the clinching point and celebration here.

Junior Fed Cup Finals – Budapest, Hungary. Picture on the right: L-R: Erik Kortland, Connie Ma, ALexa Noel, Cori Gauff with the Fed Cup trophy. Picture on the right L-R: Connie Ma, Erik Kortland, Alexa Noel, Cori Gauff.

Back on home soil in early October, Team NorCal took over the USTA National Level 2 Tournament in Stockton, CA. In the Boys’ 14 draws, Oakland resident Nicholas Chen, delivered another great performance, sweeping the singles and doubles titles. Nicholas took home the singles trophy against fellow NorCal player from El Dorado Hills, CA, Dylan Tsoi, 6-3, 6-4. In the semifinals, Dylan overcame Aadarsh Tripathi of Pleasanton, CA, 7-6(3), 6-2. In the doubles draw, Nicholas Chen partnered up with Alamo resident, Payton Young, to defeat Martin Mazev of Yorba Linda, CA, and Chase Thompson of Mission Viejo, CA, 7-6(4) in the finals. The pair took on another NorCal team in the semifinals, winning 6-3 against Luke Bollinger of Napa, CA, and Alex Fuchs of Los Altos, CA. Krish Arora of San Jose, CA, and Ryan Hoang of San Rafael, CA, also reached the semifinals but couldn’t overcome Mazev and Thompson. In the Boys’ 16 draw, NorCal also swept the category, as Luke Casper of Santa Cruz, won both singles and doubles titles. In a final of the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds, Luke prevailed against Peter Murphy of Portland, OR, in a close two sets battle, 7-5. 6-4. In the semifinals, he beat John Kim of Sunnyvale, CA, with a 6-4, 6-3 win. In the other semifinals, Kush Patel of Cupertino, CA, wasn’t able to stop Murphy, who won 6-2, 6-1. In the doubles draw, Luke teamed up with Brian Bilsey of Belmont, CA, and lifted the first place trophy thanks to a 6-2 win against Tristan Messerli of Rolling Hills Estates, CA, and Jinta Sasamori of Norwalk, CA. They were joined in the semifinals by Livermore resident, Theodore Dean and Joseph Teh of San Jose, CA, who couldn’t get passed Messerli and Sasamori with a 6-2 loss.

USTA National Level 2 Tournament – Stockton, CA. Picture on the left: Nicholas Chen, Boys’ 14 singles and doubles winner. Picture in the middle L-R: Tomi Main, Yuu Ishikawa, Allura Zamarripa, Maribella Zamarripa. Picture on the right: Tristan Messerli, Jinta Sasamori, Brian Bilsey, Luke Casper.

The girls’ 16 singles draw was also heavily represented with two players advancing to the semifinals. Katherine Duong of Cupertino, CA, couldn’t stop the eventual winner, Winta Woldeab of La Mesa, CA, with a3-6, 6-4, 6-2 loss. On the other side, Maribella Zamarripa of Saint Helena, CA, had two tight sets before falling to Amanda Perez of Mission Hills, CA, 7-6(5), 6-4. Maribella redeemed herself as, she and sister Allura Zamarripa, easily took home the doubles title, losing four games in three matches. It was an all-NorCal affair in the finals, as the sisters handled their friends Yuu Ishikawa of Mountain View, CA, and Tomi Main of Seaside, CA, 6-1. The No. 1 seed defeated Nirabelle Brettkelly of San Francisco, CA, and Lindsey Hofflander, Las Vegas, NV, 6-0. Yuu and Tomi, the No. 2 seed, beat Alexis Johnson of Fair Oaks, CA, and Shreya Ravilla of Fremont, CA, 6-3 in the semifinals.

It was another eventful and positive month for Team NorCal, who is looking to finish the year strong. Tune in next month for more updates. Go Team NorCal!

The post NorCal Juniors Honor Roll: October 2018 appeared first on USTA NorCal Junior Tennis.

“You can’t ask for a better experience!” Mark Fairchilds stated, coach of the Laguna Creek Racquet Club Coed 18U Intermediate team. The proud coach reflected on his experience at the Coed 18U Intermediate Junior Team Tennis National Championships that took place November 8-11, at the USTA National Campus outside of Orlando, FL.

The Laguna Creek Racquet Club team, which came back on site as the defending champion, did a fantastic job competing in a very tough flight. “We definitely had a target on our back as the defending champion, they all came after us,” Fairchilds explained. “This is the youngest team I’ve ever taken to Nationals with only one player returning from last year, but they fought until the end and showed some great team spirit.”

As coach of the defending champion, Fairchilds helped the team navigate the pressure and nerves that come with playing in a National Championship. In addition, with higher tempeartures this year, it was important for him to teach the team how to properly prepare and recover in the heat. “Getting them prepared mentally was my main focus, as well as teaching them how to handle the elements and environment,” the longtime coach said. “We had many exciting and nerve-wracking matches but it was all in good spirit.” As proof of the amazing sportsmanship that was displayed during the tournament, Fairchilds recalled a very close match where his player was winning 9-7 in the third set super tiebreak. At first, the player called the ball out, but overruled himself and gave the match to the NorCal player. “I had never seen this before, it was amazing!” Fairchilds said, still in awe. In the end, the Laguna Creek Racquet Club finished an amazing season in fifth place.

USTA National Campus – Orlando, FL. Picture on the left: San Francisco Recreation and Park Department/Youth Tennis Advantage (SFRPD/YTA) team. Picture on the right: Laguna Creek Racquet Club team.

In the Coed 18U Advanced division, the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department/Youth Tennis Advantage (SFRPD/YTA) team’s coach, Wing-Yan So, also shared Fairchilds sentiment about how competitive the tournament was. “My team was really young so it was a great experience to see where they were and where they need to be,” So reflected. The team is a mix of two NJTL chapters, making it a unique blend of two programs. “Lou Maunupau’s SFRPD team and our team always played each other, and we have both good but small programs so we decided to put them together. They’re all really good friends so it was sort of a family reunion.” So’s approach was to help her players be ready for the level of play, for the heat, and getting through all the matches. The SFRPD/YTA team finished 15^th in the country but still managed to come home with a trophy. The NorCal team won the Team Banner competition with a well-thought out concept! “Some of my players are artsy so they thought about the concept of one team coming together,” So proudly told us. Being an NJTL Chapter definitely has its perks. Gregory Frias, the USTA Foundation Programs and Services/NJTL Manager gave the team a tour of the USTA National Campus. “It was a lot of fun for the team to check out the campus, and some of my players found their way onto the red clay courts,” So remembered amused.

USTA National Campus – Orlando, FL. Picture on the left: San Francisco Recreation and Park Department/Youth Tennis Advantage (SFRPD/YTA) with their winning banner. . Picture on the right: Four Directions Tennis’ banner during the opening ceremony.

USTA NorCal also sent a team in the Coed 14U Intermediate division. The Four Directions Tennis team from the South Bay, captained by Craig Pasqua, ccompeted at Nationals during the previous weekend November 1-4. Pasqua is no stranger to JTT Nationals as he lead his team to a third place finish in 2015. “I think the level has increased from two years ago with 21 of the top 100 nationally ranked players participating in this year’s championships,” the longtime USTA NorCal volunteer said. This year, after it was all said and done, the team finished sixth overall in the country and learned a lot from the experience. “Our focus was to stay positive, work as a team and support our teammates. We learned to stick together as a team and actively support teammates that are struggling to stay positive, focused, and in the moment.”

USTA National Campus – Orlando, FL. Picture on the left:  Santiago Montgomery. Picture on the right: Four Directions Tennis team.

Congratulations to all the NorCal JTT teams on a fantastic season. We look forward to following all of you back in 2019. For more details on JTT, click here.

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