WESTBOROUGH, MA- The first of five individual L2 National Tournaments of the year featured two New England champions, one finalist and four semifinalists. Iris Gallo (Longmeadow, MA) and Daniel Milavsky (Needham, MA) took home their first National Tournament championships of the year and headlined a field of New England juniors that competed across 16 sites for a chance at National and New England standing points.

The tournaments ran from February 10-12.

Gallo, who was seeded fifth at the Girls’ 16s singles tournament at St. Stephen's Episcopal School in Austin, TX, made a statement in the Lone Star State. She won five rounds, including a classic three-setter in the finals against No. 7 seeded Mary Grace Armistead (Hilton Head Island, SC), 6-7(6), 6-4, 6-1.

On her road to the finals, Gallo picked up wins against players from Florida, Texas and Illinois. ADVERTISEMENT She also defeated fellow New Englander Jennifer Riester in the quarterfinals in three sets after dropping a first-set tiebreak.

Down in Glen Cove, NY, Daniel Milavsky and partner Trey Stinchcomb (Olney, MD) took care of business in the Boys’ 16s doubles tournament. The top-seeded duo was the only team to earn a first-round bye and proceeded to win three straight matches en route to their championship.

Milavsky and Stinchcomb ran into the No. 2 seeded team of Logan Chang and Ryan Fishback, of the USTA Eastern Section, in the finals, but got the better of the New Yorkers, 6-4.

The tournament was played at the Robbie Wagner Tennis Center. 

High performance juniors will have the opportunity to compete in four more individual L2 National Tournaments throughout the year as well as the Zone Team Championships (L2) for 16s, 14s and 12s.

Other notable New England results can be found below:

Julia Pezzuco, of Johnston, RI, and partner Katya Hersh (Carpentersville, IL) reached finals of Girls’ 18s doubles at the McFarlin Tennis Center in San Antonio, TX. The unseeded duo picked up marquee wins in both the quarterfinals and semifinals before falling in the championship in a tiebreak.

Pezzuco and Hersh took down the No. 1 seeds from Texas, Gabriella Cusano and Jayci Goldsmith in the quarters and the No. 4 seeds, Elizabeth Goldsmith (Chula Vista, CA) and Gianna Pielet (El Paso, TX), 6-4 in the semis.

At the McCallie School in Chattanooga, TN, Eleanor Schulson, of Newburyport, MA, found success in both singles and doubles. As the third seed in Girls’ 16s doubles, she and partner Aleksandra Karamyshev (Ashton, MD) earned a third-place finish. 

Schulson was the top seed in the singles draw and reached the quarterfinals, where she fell to Gracie Mulville, of Hoschton, GA, 6-4, 2-6 (3-10).

Samantha Svendsen, of Ridgefield, CT, finished in third place in Girls’ 16s doubles at the Baseline Tennis Center in Minneapolis, MN with partner Jesse Hollins (Orchard Park, NY). The duo won 6-2 in its opening-round matchup and took down No. 2 seeds Nicole Gillinov (Moreland Hills, OH) and Sonia Maheshwari (Morrisville, NC) in the quarterfinals, 6-3. After a 0-6 loss in the semifinals, Svendsen and Hollins bounced back to win their third-place match, 6-3.

Iris Gallo wasn’t the only New Englander looking to leave her mark in Austin, as Nastasya Semenovski and Jennifer Riester both put together memorable performances. Semenovski, along with partner Carrie Beckman (Louisville, KY), took home third place in Girls’ 16s doubles, while Riester reached the quarters of the Girls’ 16s singles before falling to Gallo in three sets.

In her second round match, Riester upended top seeded Malaika Rapolu, of Cedar Park, TX, 5-3, 0-4, 4-0.

Competing at the Five Seasons Sports Club in Cincinnati, OH, Trip Wright was the only New England boy or girl to reach the semifinals across the 12s division. Wright, with partner Leonardo Dal Boni, of Bradenton, FL, earned a third-place finish in the Boys’ 12s doubles. The pair won their first two matches before falling 0-6 in the semifinals.

The first New England L4 championships of 2018 are up next for high performance juniors, with doubles taking place from February 17-18.