USTA NorCal Sectional Wrap- Up
12s/Sunnyvale Tennis Center
Deepa Dhore ran out of steam in an impressive showing at the NorCal 12 Sectional Championships held June 15-21 at Sunnyvale Tennis Center, the site’s third straight year as a sectional host. Seeded 14th, Dhore reached the quarterfinals after blasting a pair of higher seeds — No. 4 Stacy Liu (6-3, 6-2) and No. 8 Aiswarya Sankar (6-2, 6-4) — in the Round of 16 and quarters, before falling to top-seeded Jenna Friedel 6-2, 6-2. Dhore eventually finished fourth overall, after taking No. 3 Sarah Hu to three sets in a 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 third-place affair. No. 2 Catherine Bellis won the girls’ 12s singles final in convincing fashion, topping Friedel 6-3, 6-0.
No. 2 Dasha Dubinsky and Kaede Ishikawa won the girls’ doubles final, 6-4, 6-3, over fourth-seeded Grace Lin/Karina Vyrian.
The boys’ 12s singles draw produced a chalk bracket through the first four seeds, as No. 1 Cameron Klinger topped No. 2 Kenneth Tao 6-4, 6-3 in the final and No. 3 Victor Pham ousted No. 4 Adrian Chamdani 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 to finish third.
The No. 2 and No. 3 seeds (Tao and Pham) paired on the doubles side and cake-walked to a 6-3, 6-1 doubles title over the No. 2 seeds — Vikram Chari and Vince Tabotabo (6-3, 6-1). Unseeded Adrian Chamdani and Andy Huang defeated (3) Maxim Baban/Maksim Tsukanov 6-2, 6-2 in the third place bout.
14s/Seascape Sports Club
Deuces were wild for Timothy Tan at the 14s Sectionals at Seascape Sports Club, held June 15-21. The San Jose product took home two titles, topped a pair of No. 2 seeds and took out the second half of his doubles pairing on his way to a standout showing at Sectionals. Tan, seeded third overall in the singles draw, ousted doubles partner Richard Pham, the No. 4 seed, in the singles final — 7-5, 6-1. Tan rolled into the final with a straight-set win over No. 2 Mason Vierra 6-3, 6-3. Top-seeded Andrew Lo fell in the Round of 16 in a surprising upset to No. 11 Farzin Amiri, who reached the third-place match before falling to Vierra 6-2, 6-2.
Tan topped Vierra twice during the six-day Sectionals, his second coming with Pham on the same half of the court. The pairing topped Mason Vierra and his brother Benjamin 6-3, 6-1 in the boys’ 14s doubles final.
Tournament favorite Mariska Chamdani of Santa Clara put on possibly the most dominant display during the championships, as only one opponent managed more than a game against her in the girls’ 14s singles bracket.
No. 4-seeded Lauren Thaxter tested Chamdani in the semis, forcing a tiebreaker first, before falling in straight sets 7-6(5), 6-2. Chamdani breezed through the singles final, dispatching of No. 6 Isabella Heidenreich 6-0, 6-1.
Heidenreich made sure she didn’t go home empty handed though, pairing with partner Hadley Berg for a redemptive 6-0, 3-6, 6-4 thriller in the girls’ 14s doubles final over top-seeded sisters Lily and Chloe Forlini.
“This is the very best age group to have and Seascape is as proud of this event as they are of any other they have hosted over the years,” said Seascape Sports Club director of tennis Rick Kepler.
16s/Santa Clara University
Hosting the 16s Sectionals for the first time, Santa Clara University was treated to a more-than-welcoming eight days of junior tennis June 13-21.
The girls’ 16s singles final was easily the highlight of the tournament as two underdogs battled it out — No. 9 Brooke Irish and unseeded Caroline Doyle. Irish outlasted tournament favorite Samantha Polayes 7-6(5), 6-1 in the semis, while Doyle defeated No. 11 Crystal Yen, No. 5 Megan Tang and No. 2 Julie Leong to reach the finals. Irish didn’t need luck in the final, rolling to a 6-4, 6-2 title.
Mackenzie McDonald won a rollercoaster boys’ 16s singles bracket that saw top-seeded Jayabharath Billa upset in the Round of 32 by unseeded Jimmy Castellanos — 6-3, 6-4.
McDonald, the No. 7 seed, won 7-6(1), 6-4 in the final over Lovedeep Singh — one of the closest two-set finals of the Sectionals at any age group.
Billa and partner Nicholas Hu held serve as the top seeds in the doubles draw, winning an up-and-down three-set comebacker over unseeded Michael Guzman and McDonald, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. Sisters Kat and Kaelyn Facey defeated Kennedy Davis and Kassidy Jump in the girls 16s doubles final 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
“It was a fantastic event that started off with some chaos — a one-hour rain delay at one site — but blossomed into a week of great weather and great tennis,” said tournament director Jason Scalese. “The feedback was great and our efforts helped raise over $2,000 for the American Cancer Society for the second year in a row.”
18s/Santa Clara University
So much for seeds. Tayler Davis and Layla Sanders made an unseeded run to a sectional crown June 13-21 at SCU during the 18s Sectionals.
The pairing was one of three unseeded pairs to place in the top four, upsetting the No. 3 and No. 2 seeds. Davis and Sanders topped unseeded Blanca Martinez-Cobian and Ayaka Okuno 6-2, 6-3 in the girls’ 18s singles final.
Katie Le took home third place in doubles along with partner Jamie Pawid, and capped a solid tournament showing with a finals appearance in singles. A No. 8 seed, Le fell to No. 1 Giuliana Olmos in straight sets — 6-2, 6-2. In the boys’ 18s singles draw, No. 3 Shaun Chaudhuri wore down Jamin Ball in a Jekyll-and-Hyde final, winning 7-6(4), 6-0. Top seeded Daniel Hoffman fell in a barn-burning quarterfinal to No. 7 Eugene Muchynski, 7-6(4), 5-7, 6-3. Muchynski finished fourth overall. Hoffman, however, rebounded with Sean Talmadge to take the doubles title 6-3, 6-3 over Ball and Muchynski.
7th Annual Rock & Rally a Success
The 7th Annual Rock & Rally once again proved a successful day-full of tennis and fun, while the South Bay Community Tennis Association managed to raise another $3,000 toward the renovation of the Los Gatos H.S. courts.
“Without the generosity of our supporters, this would not have been possible,” said South Bay CTA president Todd Dissly. “The South Bay CTA would like to thank the USTA for their continued support.”
This year’s Regional Rally featured the USTA Fast Serve booth, which was busy with activity throughout the day as community members of all ages and abilities took their turn at smashing serves.
This event also featured an exo with Los Gatos H.S. alums Brian Brogan and Steven Stege vs. current Wildcats Nico Lunardi and Jimmy Castellanos.
“It’s great to see the community come together,” said Dissly.
Courtside Fundraiser Aids Wheelchair Programs
Courtside Club hosted a Tennis Garden Party in May in an effort to support the South Bay Smash Wheelchair Tennis program & the Far West Wheelchair Tennis program. Orchestrated by members Bonnie Middlebrook and Erin Perrucci, the Tennis Garden Party raised enough funds to purchase a sports wheelchair for the association. A silent auction held following the Tennis Garden Party raised another $5,000 for both programs. To celebrate the fundraiser’s success, the Club held a mixer with the team in June.
“That really capped off the festivities,” said Courtside Club director of tennis Gordon Collins. “A great time was had by all.”
Los Gatos Swim and Racquet Club Turns 50
Get out your golden rackets. The Los Gatos Swim and RC will celebrate its 50th Anniversary on July 18.
“We always have a club birthday party, this year we’re doing a bigger party,” said Los Gatos SRC director of tennis Vince Russo.
The members-only event is scheduled to include a band and BBQ, plus tournaments galore including a social tennis tourney and one of the yearly highlights — a ping pong tournament.
“All of the tennis players really get into that,” Russo said.
Los Gatos S&RC was founded in 1959 and remains one of the oldest fitness clubs in NorCal. The six-acre facility is family owned and operated.
