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| Donald Young in action at the Orange Bowl© Susan Mullane |
Birthdate: July 23, 1989
Birthplace: Chicago, Ill.
Residence: Chicago, Ill.
Height: 5’ 5”
Weight: 105 lbs.
Plays: Left-handed; two-handed backhand
Third-seeded Donald Young of Chicago rallied from a set down to defeat No. 2 seed Aljoscho Thron of Germany, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, in the final of the prestigious boys’ 16 Orange Bowl International Championships, held at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park in Key Biscayne, Fla., from Dec. 15-21. By winning the title, Young became the first American since Jim Courier to win the Orange Bowl 16s championship, as well as the first African-American to capture a boys’ 16s or 18s title in the 57-year history of the tournament.
Young, 14, has taken the junior tennis world by storm in 2003. At the beginning of the year, he swept the singles and doubles titles at Les Petits As and Teen Tennis, two of the most prestigious events in the world for players’ 14 and younger. Later in the year, he won two 18-and-under ITF singles titles at The El Paso Youth Tennis Centre ITF Tournament and the Chanda Rubin American ITF Junior Classic – Texa. He also led Team USA to its second consecutive title at the 2003 World Junior Tennis Championships, the ITF team competition for boys and girls aged 14-and-under held in Prostejov, Czech Republic.
Currently ranked first in the country in the boys’ 14s and seventh in the boys’ 16s, Young is considered one of the country’s top junior prospects. In 2004, he plans to play more 18-and-under events and test his talents at USTA Pro Circuit Futures and Challenger tournaments in order to build a professional ranking.
RANKING HISTORY
2002 – 1 (USTA 14s)
2001 – 1 (USTA 12s)
2003 HIGHLIGHTS
- Became the first African-American to win a singles title in the 57-year history of the Orange Bowl International Championships, outlasting Aljoscho Thron of Germany, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, in the boys’ 16s final.
- Reached the singles semifinals at the Chanda Rubin American ITF Jr Circuit, Evert.
- Swept the singles and doubles (with Jean Ives Aubone) titles at The El Paso Youth Tennis Centre ITF Tournament.
- Won the boys’ 18 singles title and advanced to the doubles quarterfinals (with Leo Rosenberg) at the Chanda Rubin American ITF Junior Classic – Texas.
- Finished runner-up in doubles (with Calvin Kemp) at the boys’ 18 Chanda Rubin American Junior Tennis Classic – Georgia.
- Led Team USA to its second consecutive title at the 2003 World Junior Tennis Championships, the ITF team competition for boys and girls aged 14-and-under held in Prostejov, Czech Republic.
- Advanced to the singles quarterfinals at the boys’ 14 Fila Cup.
- Won the boys’ 18 doubles title (with Kemp) and reached the singles final at the Interscholastics-East at the University of Kentucky.
- Won the boys’ 14 singles title and finished runner-up in doubles (with Jay Wong) at the USTA Super National Spring Championships, The Easter Bowl.
- Won both the singles and doubles titles (with Leo Rosenberg) at Les Petits As, the most prestigious event in the world for players aged 14 and under, held in Tarbes, France, from Jan. 28-Feb. 3… Defeated Rosenberg, 6-2, 6-1, in the singles final, then the duo teamed to beat Belgians Frederic De Fays and Germain Gigounon, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, for the doubles championship.
- Swept the singles and doubles titles (with Leo Rosenberg) at Teen Tennis, a quality warm-up event for Les Petits As, held Jan. 18-23 in Telford, England.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
2002
- Captured the boys’ 14 singles and doubles titles (with Spencer Vegosen) at the USTA Super National Winter Championships.
- Finished in fourth place at the boys’ 14 Junior Orange Bowl.
- Won the boys’ 14 doubles title (with Calvin Kemp) at the Eddie Herr International Junior Tennis Championships.
- Won the doubles title (with Leo Rosenberg) and finished runner-up in singles at the USTA Super National Hard Court Championships.
- Won the boys’ 14 singles title at the Midwest Open.
- Advanced to the boys’ 14 singles final and finished in third place in doubles (with Calvin Kemp) at the USTA Clay Court Championships.
- Swept the boys’ 14 singles and doubles titles (with Adam Wright) at the Midwest Closed.
- Captured the boys’ 16 singles and doubles titles (with Austin Travis) at the Mary Lou Piatek-Daniels Munster Classic.
- Won the boys’ 18 doubles title (with Porter Myrick) at the Mary Lou Piatek-Daniels Munster Classic.
- Won the boys’ 14 singles championship at the CDTA Qualifier.
- Won the boys’ 16 singles title and the boys’ 18 doubles championship (with Adam Wright) at the Sandburg Open.
- Won the boys’ 16 singles title at the Clarence Walker Jr. Memorial Open.
- Reached the boys’ 16 singles semifinals at the USTA National Open Championships.
- Finished runner-up in doubles (with Calvin Kemp) and advanced to the singles quarterfinals at the boys’ 14 USTA Super National Spring Championships – The Easter Bowl.
- Won the boys’ 16 singles championship at the Lockport Junior Open.
- Advanced to the boys’ 16 singles quarterfinals at the MWS Designated.
- Was a boys’ 14 singles finalist at the Copper Bowl.
2001
- Advanced to the boys’ 14 doubles round of 16 (with Michael Cameron) at the USTA Super National Winter Championships.
- Finished in third place in the boys’ 12 Junior Orange Bowl.
- Won the boys’ 12 doubles title (with Dennis Nevolo) and reached the singles semifinals at the Eddie Herr International.
- Won the boys’ 14 single titles at the Designated Midwest Tennis Series, the Harvest Day Open and the NTC Junior Open.
- Won the boys’ 12 singles championship and reached the doubles final (with Andrew McCarthy) at the USTA Super National Clay Court Championships.
- Won the boys’ 16 singles title at the Mary Lou Piatek Munster Open.
- Captured the boys’ 12 singles title and finished in third place in doubles (with Denis Nevolo) at the Super National Hard Court Championships.
- Won he boys’ 14 doubles title (with Rozel Hodges) and finished runner-up in singles at the MidWest Closed.
- Won the boys’ 12 singles title at the USTA National Open Championships.
- Won the boys’ 12 singles title at the Franklin Winter Junior Championships.
2000
- Captured the boys’ 12 singles title at the Copper Bowl.
- Reached the boys’ 14 doubles quarterfinals (with Rozell Hodges) at the USTA National Open Championships.
- Won the boys’ 11 single championship at the Little Mo National Championships.
- Advanced to the boys’ 14 singles quarterfinals at the Midwest Closed.
- Won the boys’ 12 singles championship at the USTA Midwest Boys Designated.
- Won the boys’ 11 singles title at the Little Mo Regionals.
- Won the boys’ 11 singles title at the Little Mo Sectionals.
- Was a boys’ 12 singles quarterfinalist at the Copper Bowl.
1999
- Won the boys’ 10 singles title and advanced to the boys’ 12 doubles quarterfinals (with Claude Lawrence) at the 82nd ATA National Championships.
PERSONAL
- Father, Donald, and mother, Illona, are both tennis pros and coach their son.
- Was introduced to tennis at age two by his mother.
- Is an all-court player with a strong forehand, backhand, volley and serve.
- Is sponsored by Head (racquet) and Nike (clothing and shoes).
- Favorite tennis player is Pete Sampras.
- Hobbies include ping-pong, movies and video games.
- Aspires to win all the Grand Slams more than once and to be the No. 1 player in the world.