CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES SET AT 18U JTT NATIONALS

Just one week after California teams swept the titles in the 14U age group, two more squads from the Golden State are in contention for silverware at the 2017 Junior Team Tennis 18U National Championships. 

Bay Club Courtside, representing the USTA Northern California Section, will face Southern Reign of USTA Southern in the final of the Advanced division, while Nor Cal's Laguna Creek Racquet Club squad will play Berry Creek of the USTA Texas Section in the championship match in the Intermediate flight.

The start of Saturday's matches were delayed several hours by rain at the USTA National Campus at Lake Nona in Orlando, Fla. Eventually the courts dried, the sun came out, and play was scattered across the campus’ expansive grounds in an effort to finish the day’s full slate of contests

Once play finally got underway, the last round of flight matchups had to be completed before the tournament’s playoff draws could be set. All playoff semifinals eventually got underway, but the skies opened back up not long after. Due to the steady and consistent downpour that settled over the National Campus, only the semifinals that originally started indoors plus the championship semifinals were completed; all others were postponed until Sunday.

Grasping the four championship playoff spots in the Advanced division were Northern California (Bay Club Courtside), Eastern (Island Grinders), Texas (ATA Dream Team) and Southern (Southern Reign). Bay Club Courtside from Flight A and Southern Reign in Flight D both reached 180 games, which was the maximum number a team could earn.

Southern was especially dominant, giving up a mere 36 games in its three duals. The Island Grinders had already secured their championship berth on Friday in Flight B, while the ATA Dream Team edged out Missouri Valley (Quail Creek) by eight games in Flight C.

In the semifinals, Southern Reign used commanding play in both the boys’ singles and doubles to take down the ATA Dream Team, claiming the singles, 6-2, 6-1, and the doubles, 6-2, 6-4. The ATA Dream Team did battle to victories in girls’ singles (2-6, 6-4, 1-0) and doubles (6-5, 6-4), but it wasn’t enough to bring them back from the deficit.

Almost all the courts in the other semifinal were tightly contested, with Bay Club Courtside able to come out on top on all of them to move on to the championship. The 6-4, 6-2 victory in girls’ singles provided the biggest margin for the Northern California representative.

The championship semifinals in the Intermediate division featured Southern California (iStringing Team Tenacity), Texas (Berry Creek), Mid-Atlantic (Tennis ADDicts) and Northern California (Laguna Creek Racquet Club). Berry Creek and Laguna Creek Racquet Club each cruised through Flight B and Flight D, respectively.

Those two flights were composed of just three squads each, with the flight winners the only ones to finish with a positive games won-lost total. Flight A came down to the narrowest of margins, as iStringing Team Tenacity emerged the winner with 139 games to their credit, just one ahead of Pacific Northwest (Servivors), four clear of Northern (BLS) and eight in front of New England (New Hampshire Rogues).

The Tennis ADDicts claimed Flight C by two games over Eastern (Island Grinders) thanks to their 48-39 triumph when the two teams squared off. Berry Creek slipped past iStringing Team Tenacity, 54-46, in their semifinal encounter, securing a 6-2, 6-1 triumph in boys’ singles that ended up being the difference. They also won in boys’ doubles (6-5, 6-5) and girls’ doubles (5-6, 6-3, 1-0), while the team from Southern California kept the team score tight thanks to earning wins in girls’ singles (6-3, 6-4) and mixed doubles (5-6, 6-5, 1-0). Four of the five courts in the semifinal between the Tennis ADDicts and Laguna Creek Racquet Club could have gone either way. Instead, the squad from Northern California won three of those en route to the 55-44 team victory.

Boys’ singles, boy’s doubles and mixed doubles were all decided by a match tiebreak, while the girls’ doubles ended with a 6-5, 6-4 scoreline. Laguna Creek Racquet Club padded their lead early with a 6-1, 6-2 result in girls’ singles.

Sunday will now feature many more matches than expected, with play getting underway at 8 a.m. Following the completion of all matches, the awards ceremony will be held on Championship Court.

ADVANCED RESULTS
 

1-4 Playoff Results (Championship Semifinals)

Northern California (Bay Club Courtside) def. Eastern (Island Grinders) 46-43

Southern (Southern Reign) def. Texas (ATA Dream Team) 43-42

5-8 Playoff Results

Midwest (RCC) vs. Southern WC (CBRC Tornadoes)

Missouri Valley (Quail Creek) vs. Pacific Northwest (PNW Elite)

9-12 Playoff Results

Middle States (The Mill at Gulph Mills JKST) def. BLS 18A-Bloomington 40-0

New England (North Shore Legends) def. Southwest (Team ATA) 44-38

13-14 Playoff Results

Middle States WC (Delaware Nightmare) vs. Hawaii Pacific (Mililani Monster Tennis Red)
 

FINAL ADVANCED FLIGHT STANDINGS
 

Flight A (games won-lost)

Northern California (Bay Club Courtside): 180-50

Midwest (RCC): 143-92

Middles States (The Mill at Gulph Mills JKST): 80-149

Hawaii Pacific (Mililani Monster Tennis Red): 58-170
 

Flight B (games won-lost)

Eastern (Island Grinders): 95-37

Southern WC (CBRC Tornadoes): 93-55

Northern (BLS): 0-96

Flight C (games won-lost)

Texas (ATA Dream Team): 159-86

Missouri Valley (Quail Creek): 151-112

New England (North Shore Legends): 117-145

Middles States WC (Delaware Nightmare): 79-163
 

Flight D (games won-lost)

Southern (Southern Reign): 180-36

Pacific Northwest (PNW Elite): 132-132

Southwest (Team ATA): 49-113

Midwest WC (Grant County CTA): 40-120
 

INTERMEDIATE RESULTS
 

1-4 Playoff Results (Championship Semifinals)

Texas (Berry Creek) def. Southern California (iStringing Team Tenacity) 54-46

Northern California (Laguna Creek Racquet Club)def. Mid-Atlantic (Tennis ADDicts) 55-44

5-8 Playoff Results

Pacific Northwest (Servivors) vs. Southern (Hendersonville)

Eastern (Island Grinders) vs. Middle States (Ox Strong)

9-12 Playoff Results

Northern (BLS) vs. Missouri Valley (RH-91)

Northern California WC (Stonegate Tennis Academy) vs. Southwest (Team TCA)

13-14 Playoff Results

New England (New Hampshire Rogues) vs. Florida (Miami Thunder)
 

FINAL INTERMEDIATE FLIGHT STANDINGS
 

Flight A (games won-lost)

Southern California (iStringing Team Tenacity): 139-127

Pacific Northwest (Servivors): 138-142

Northern (BLS): 135-134

New England (New Hampshire Rogues): 131-140

Flight B (games won-lost)

Texas (Berry Creek): 105-59

Southern (Hendersonville): 83-101

Missouri Valley (RH-91): 71-99

Flight C (games won-lost)

Mid-Atlantic (Tennis ADDicts): 156-91

Eastern (Island Grinders): 154-90

Northern California WC (Stonegate Tennis Academy): 116-118

Florida (Miami Thunder): 50-177

Flight D (games won-lost)

Northern California (Laguna Creek Racquet Club): 120-27

Middle States (Ox Strong): 73-101

Southwest (Team TCA): 50-115