Nicholas Heng, Hannah Ayrault win National Clay Courts

Madison, Ala.’s Nicholas Heng took home the USTA Boys’ National Clay Court Championships singles titles in the 18s division.

The fourth-seeded Heng defeated Pooler, Ga.’s No. 2 seed Jelani Sarr 6-4, 6-3 for the gold ball and a taste of redemption after falling in the 2021 final.  

“I was so nervous and anxious last year, but this time I just kind of freed up and played my game and that’s when I’m at my best,” said Heng, who experienced a three-hour rain delay ahead of his match at the Delray Beach Tennis Center in Florida. He will play for Auburn University in the fall.

Heng, who was awarded the 2021 USTA Southern DeWitt Redgrave III Junior Achievement Award, talked about his Asian American/Pacific Islander heritage in this video, recorded in April 2022.

Atlanta's Hannah Ayrault downed Welles Newman, of Boca Raton, Fla. 6-3, 6-3, for the Girls' 12s title. The tournament was played in Newman's hometown.

Southerners who were champions and finalists in USTA National Clay Court Championships results:

Boys’ 18s

Delray Beach Tennis Center, Delray Beach, Fla., July 10-17, 2022

Singles: (4) Nicholas Heng (Madison, Ala.) d. (2) Jelani Sarr (Savannah, Ga.), 6-4, 6-3

Girls’ 18s

LTP Tennis, Mount Pleasant, S.C., July 10-17, 2022

Doubles: (1) Natalie Block (Plantation, Fla.) / Piper Charney (Mount Pleasant, S.C.) d. (2) Vivian Miller (Sullivan’s Island, S.C.) / Maddy Zampardo (Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich.), 7-5, 7-5

Girls’ 16s

Athletic Club Alabama, Huntsville, Ala., July 10-17, 2022

Doubles: (4) Kayla Chung (Philadelphia) / Alanis Hamilton (Bentonville, Ark.) d. (1) Saray Yli-Piipari (Peachtree Corners, Ga.) / Kayla Schefke (McKinney, Texas), 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-4

Boys’ 14s

Westgate Tennis Center, Dothan, Ala.,, July 10-17, 2022

Doubles: (6) Sebastian Bielen (Glen Cove, N.Y.) / Kennedy d. (3) Yannik Alvarez (Cumming, Ga.) / Ryan Cozad (Alpharetta, Ga.), 6-3, 6-3

Girls’ 14s

Frank Veltri Tennis Center, Plantation, Fla., July 10-17, 2022

Doubles: (1) Sara Shumate (Charlotte, N.C.) / Bella Payne (Taylor, S.C.) d. (11) Georgia Kulevich (Marblehead, Mass.) / Zosia Henryson-Gibbs (Springfield, Mass.), 6-4, 6-0

Girls’ 12s

The Polo Club, Boca Raton, Fla., July 9-15, 2022

Singles: (7) Hannah Ayrault (Atlanta) d. (2) Welles Newman (Boca Raton, Fla.), 6-3, 6-3

Other top results:

Girls 18s

4^th Place- Singles- Riley Crowder-AL

Boys 16s

4^th Place- Aidan Atwood

Bronze Ball Doubles- Augustin Miramontes-Al

Girls 16s

Bronze Ball Singles- Claire Hill-NC

4^th Place- Emily Baek-Ga

Gold Ball Doubles- Alanis Hamilton-Ar

Boys 14s

Bronze Ball Doubles- Anthony Dry and Gavin Goode-NC

Girls 14s

Bronze Ball Singles- Sena Yoon-Ga

Third/fourth Doubles- Daniele Young-NC

Boys 12s

Gold Draw Finalist- Tabb Tuck-Al

4^th Doubles- Jason Eigbedion

Girls 12s

4^th Place Singles- Ciara Sergi-La