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| No. 1 seed Denis Kudla ominated Mitchell Frank of Annandale, Va., 6-0, 6-2, to win the Boys' 16s title.© Michael Baz |
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| Chanelle Van Nguyen upset No. 3 Madison Keys in the Girls' 16s final.© Michael Baz |
By Andrew Labovitz, special to USTA.com
KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. -- Americans were in the spotlight on Saturday at the Dunlop Orange Bowl, as the Boys’ and Girls’ 16s singles finals featured all-American matchups for the first time since 1970. And in the 18s draws, three Americans reached the finals for the first time since 2004.
In the Boys’ 16s final, No. 1 seed Denis Kudla, a 16-year-old from Arlington, Va., lived up to his seeding, as he dominated training partner Mitchell Frank of Annandale, Va., 6-0, 6-2. Frank, the No. 12 seed, proved to be remarkably consistent all week as he frustrated opponents into going for too much and forcing errors. But the strategy proved ineffective against Kudla, who worked Frank all over the court and defeated him relatively easily.
“This hasn’t really sunk in yet,” said Kudla. “I know Mitchell so well, and he’s one of the most consistent guys out here, so I knew I’d be in for a tough match because he gets so many balls back. But I was able to place my shots where I wanted to. It just feels awesome to win this title.”
With the win, which was his first in major international competition, Kudla became the first American to win the Boys’ 16s title since Donald Young in 2003. Kudla was unable to pull off the rare title sweep, as he and Junior Ore of Gaithersburg, Md., were soundly defeated by Ecuadorians Diego Acosta and Roberto Quiroz, 6-3, 6-2.
The Girls’ 16s final featured the match of the day, as 14-year-old Chanelle Van Nguyen of Miami upset No. 3 Madison Keys, a 13-year-old from Boca Raton, Fla., 6-3, 5-7, 6-4. Van Ngyuen actually had multiple chances to defeat the powerful Keys in straight sets, but Keys valiantly fought off five match points as she came back from 5-2 down in the second set to force the third set. Van Nguyen again went up 5-2 in the third set, and blew more match points as Keys again battled back in what seemed like déjà vu. But Van Nguyen was ultimately able to take the match and the title, as Keys went for broke in the final game, booming groundstrokes all over the court, and finally missing one to end it. It was Van Nguyen’s first final in an ITF event, and her first singles title in a major championship.
“This is just an amazing feeling,” Van Nguyen said. “Madison played so well, and I couldn’t put her away in that second set. She hits such big shots, that I needed every ounce of energy I had to keep the points going and track down all her shots. I’m really going to enjoy this victory.”
Van Nguyen became the third straight American to win the Girls’ 18s title, following in the footsteps of Allie Will in 2006, and Lilly Kimbell last year. Meanwhile, the Girls’ 16s doubles final never went off, as Emi Mutaguchi of Japan was forced to withdraw due to illness, giving the title to Americans Lauren Herring of Greenville, N.C., and Grace Min of Lawrenceville, Ga.
Americans were the story in the Girls’ 18s draw as well, as the two semifinals featured all-American matchups for the first time in over 30 years. And in something of a surprise, wild card Julia Boserup, a 17-year-old from Boca Raton, Fla., stormed past No. 11 Lauren Embree of Marco Island, Fla., 7-5, 6-0. Embree, who won the Eddie Herr International last week, had come back from deficits a number of times this week, but was unable to do so today against the more powerful Boserup, who with the win has reached her first final in international competition.
“This is such a great feeling,” Boserup said afterwards. “Not only to reach my first final, but to get against a player as good as Lauren, who’s been on such a roll recently, I just feel great. She gets everything back, so I knew I needed to pick my spots, and then go for the big shots when I saw an opening.”
In tomorrow’s final, Boserup will face fellow wild card Christina McHale, a 16-year-old from Englewood Cliffs, N.J. McHale survived an intense matchup with her Dunlop Orange Bowl doubles partner, 15-year-old Sloane Stephens of Lauderhill, Fla., 5-7, 6-1, 7-5. McHale proved to be the more consistent player as she displayed her trademark consistency and defense to frustrate the more powerful Stephens and force a number of errors.
“It feels really good to make the final,” said McHale, who reached the Girls’ 14s final here two years ago and whose last final in any competition came at an ITF Pro Circuit event in Brazil in October 2007. “Sloane’s such a good player and has so much power, but I knew I had to fight and stay in every point. We play so much, so to get this one definitely feels really good.”
McHale and Boserup train together at the USTA Player Development Facility in Boca Raton, Fla.
The Girls’ 18s doubles final will also feature a matchup of all-American teams, as Embree came back from her defeat to Boserup to reach the final with partner Asia Muhammad, a 17-year-old from Henderson, Nev. They will face long-time doubles tandem of 16-year-olds Brooke Bolender of Delray Beach, Fla., and Beatrice Capra of Ellicott City, Md.
In Boys’ 18s draw, Jarmere Jenkins, an 18-year-old from College Park, Ga., wowed spectators in defeating 17-year-old Alex Domijan of Wesley Chapel, Fla., who looked to be the new tournament favorite after his upset of ITF No. 1 Tsung-Hua Yang on Thursday, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4. In an incredible match featuring long rallies and two players with superb all-court games, Jenkins survived by seemingly tracking down every ball that Domijan sent his way. With the win, Jenkins snapped Domijan’s astounding ITF match winning streak at 15. The win was especially sweet for Jenkins, who reached the semifinals here last year before he suffered from severe dehydration and needed to be hospitalized.
“I’m just really focused, and really proud of myself right now,” said Jenkins, who is in his first final since reaching the final at the ITF Pan-American Championships in October 2007. “I was able to play my game, stay within myself, and I never gave up. I think a big key was making Alex work for every point, not giving him any free ones. But he’s such a great player, so to beat him is really special.”
With the win, Jenkins becomes the first American to reach the Boys’ 18s final since 2004, when Timothy Neilly defeated Donald Young in straight sets. In tomorrow’s final, Jenkins will face No. 2 Yuki Bhambri, who’s currently No. 4 in the ITF World Junior Rankings. Bhambri, the only international player left in the competition, outlasted Germany’s Cedrik-Marcel Stebe, the No. 4 seed, 6-3, 4-6, 6-1.
Jenkins and Bhambri will compete against each other in the Boys’ 18s doubles final as well. Bhambri will partner with Chase Buchanan of New Albany, Ohio, while Jenkins reached the final with partner Devin Britton of Jackson, Miss., who was a US Open Boys’ finalist. Both teams advanced to tomorrow’s final by winning in 10 point match tiebreakers.
62nd Annual Orange Bowl International Tennis Championships
Crandon Park Tennis Center
Key Biscayne, Florida
December 7-14, 2008
Saturday’s Results
Boys’ 18s Singles – Semifinals
Jarmere Jenkins, College Park, Ga., def. Alex Domijan, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
(2) Yuki Bhambri, India, def. (4) Cedrik-Marcel Stebe, Germany, 6-3, 4-6, 6-1
Girls’ 18s Singles – Semifinals
WC-Christina McHale, Englewood Cliffs, N.J., def. WC-Sloane Stephens, Lauderhill, Fla., 5-7, 6-1, 7-5
WC-Julia Boserup, Boca Raton, Fla., def. (11) Lauren Embree, Marco Island, Fla., 7-5, 6-1
Boys’ 18s Doubles – Semifinals
(1) Bhambri and Chase Buchanan, New Albany, Ohio, def. (3) Shuichi Sekiguchi, Japan, and Tsung-Hau Yang, Chinese Taipei, 3-6, 6-4, [10-8]
(7) Devin Britton, Jackson, Miss., and Jenkins, def. Pierre-Hughes Herbert, France, and Stanislav Poplavskyy, Ukraine, 4-6, 7-6(5), [10-3]
Girls’ 18s Doubles – Semifinals
Brooke Bolender, Delray Beach, Fla., and Beatrice Capra, Ellicott City, Md., def. (1) Ana Bogdan, Romania, and Kristina Mladenovic, France, 6-2, 2-6, [10-7]
Embree and Asia Muhammad, Henderson, Nev., def. Paula Kania and Magda Linette, Poland, 7-5, 6-4
Boys’ 16s Singles – Final
(1) Denis Kudla, Arlington, Va., def. (12) Mitchell Frank, Annandale, Va., 6-0, 6-2
Girls’ 16s Singles – Final
Chanelle Van Nguyen, Miami def. (3) Madison Keys, Boca Raton, Fla., 6-3, 5-7, 6-4
Boys’ 16s Doubles – Final
(4) Diego Acosta and Roberto Quiroz, Ecuador, def. (1) Kudla and Junior Ore, Gaithersburg, Md., 6-3, 6-2
Girls’ 16s Doubles – Final
Lauren Herring, Greenville, N.C., and Grace Min, Lawrenceville, Ga., def. (2) Marianne Jodoin, Canada, and Emi Mutaguchi, Japan, W/O