CARSON, CALIF. — Some of junior tennis’ brightest stars of tomorrow both nationally and internationally will take center stage beginning April 5 at the sixth annual USTA International Spring Championships, an ITF Grade 1 tournament being held at the USTA Training Center – West at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.
Fontana’s Raymond Sarmiento will be right at home as he trains at the facility where the tournament is being held. “I think that definitely gives him an advantage,” said John Lansville, the tournament director who also serves as the director of the USTA Training Center – West. “He’s played on these courts a ton and is really familiar with all the surroundings.
“Raymond’s really improved as a player and is considered one of the U.S.’ top juniors. He doesn’t do any one thing huge but has an all-court and pretty sound game. He does everything well.”
Sarmiento is currently ranked No. 28 in the ITF junior world rankings. He committed to defending national champion USC – choosing the Trojans over Texas and Michigan – last fall and chose the school for its proximity to his home in Fontana. Sarmiento is returning from the recently concluded ITF event in Manila, Philippines, where he won the doubles title and lost in the third round of singles.
Sarmiento was the ’09 International Grass Court champion and a U.S. Open Junior quarterfinalist last year.
Other top-seeded world ranked boys competing in the 18s include Dennis Novikov (No. 38) of the U.S., Darian King (No. 48) of Barbados, Alexis Carlos (No. 49) of Mexico and Nick Chappell (No. 61) of the U.S.
Another USTA Training Center – West player to watch is Dennis Mkrtchian, last year’s boys’ 16s champion who is coming back from injury. He has received a wild card into the 18s draw. Also receiving wild cards on the boys’ side are: Nikko Madregallejo, Spencer Newman, Nathan Pasha, Marcos Giron, John Richmond and Daniel Kosakowski.
On the girls’ side Canada’s Katarena Palivets will likely draw the top-seeded spot as she is the highest world-ranked ITF junior at No. 37.
Last year’s girls’ 18s winner Sloane Stephens of San Pedro, Calif., turned professional at the end of last summer and recently won her first-round match at the WTA event the BNP Paribas at Indian Wells. Stephens beat Grace Min of the U.S. in the final. Min is back this year hoping for a return to the final and possibly the winner’s circle as the No. 2 seeded player (No. 46). Other U.S. girls’ to watch for include Madison Keys (No. 60), Chanelle Van Nguyen (No. 74) and Monica Turewicz (No. 106) and Sachia Vickery (No. 112).
Keys is just 15 years old and is the highest profiled junior in the draw and currently holds a WTA world ranking of No. 615. Although she’s missed some time due to injury, Keys, who has trained at the Evert Academy in Boca Raton since the age of 9, was a member of the World Team Tennis Philadelphia Freedoms last summer and beat reigning Wimbledon champion Serena Williams 5-1. She is one of the youngest players ever to win a match on the WTA Tour when at age of 14 years old and 48 days she beat WTA world No.81 Alla Kudryavtseva.
“I’m looking at Grace, Madison, Chanelle, Monica and Sachia as girls who can definitely win the tournament,” Lansville said. “Madison especially should be the favorite as she has won matches on the WTA Tour, but she is coming back from injury.”
Receiving wild cards in the girls’ 18s were Southern California players Gabriel Andrews, Kaitlyn Christian, Gabriel Desimone, last year’s Easter Bowl girls’ 16s winner Caroline Price and Santa Ana’s Krista Hardebeck, last year’s Carson 16s girls’ winner.
Mitchell Frank was last year’s boys’ 18s winner as he beat current Michigan freshman Evan King in the final.
Singles qualifying will take place this Saturday and Sunday with main-draw matches beginning on Monday. The finals will take place in the boys’ and girls’ 16s on April 10, and boys’ and girls’ 18s on April 11.
The tournament began in ’05. Recent winners and finalists of the event include current professionals Sam Querrey (’05 18s singles winner), Jesse Levine (’05 18s doubles finalist) and Ryan Harrison (’06 16s singles finalist and doubles winner). On the girls’ side, recent winners and finalists include current pros Vania King (2005 18s singles winner), Melanie Oudin (’08 18s singles winner), Alexa Glatch (2005 18s singles runner-up) and Asia Muhammad (’07 18s doubles finalist).
For more info on the tournament, log onto the website at www.usta.com/isc.
