Southern

Princeton and TCU players win USTA Southern Pro Circuit singles

Ron Cioffi | May 28, 2023


Men's main draw singles. Men's main draw doubles. Women's main draw singles. Women's main draw doubles

 

Saturday community events. Friday action photos.

 

Unseeded Fnu Nidunjianzan, from China, showed grit in the men’s singles final, focusing in the second set to defeat the fourth-seeded Roberto Cid Subervi at the USTA Southern Men’s and Women’s Pro Circuit Event 7-5, 6-3.

 

In the women’s singles final played concurrently on the clay courts of the Athletic Club Alabama, 3250 Leeman Ferry Rd SW, top-seed Frenchwomen Tiphanie Lemaitre downed Floridian DJ Bennett 6-7(3), 7-6(5), 6-2.

 

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Tiphanie Lemaitre and Fnu Nidunjianzan win Huntsville Pro Circuit Event.

 

Nidunjianzan, who plays at Princeton, started his drive to victory in the first set breaking Cid Subervi, of Dominican Republic, with a break in the last game. 

 

Nidunjianzan then fought off three points in the second set’s seventh game to take a 5-2 lead. The Chinese had two match points in the next game but Cid Subervi, who was ranked No. 211 in 2020, found a way to hold. In the final game, Cid Subervi halted Nidunjianzan’s drive to win the third match point. But, Nidunjianzan found success to win the fourth deuce and fourth match point to take the match. Cid Subervi played college tennis at South Florida.

 

In a post-match interview, Nidunjianzan said, “First round, I almost lost it and saved seven match points. I obviously didn’t have too much pressure (in the final). I knew he had more pressure. So, I went out, played loose and got the win.”

 

Women's singles final

The women’s final ran just 11 minutes short of three hours. Bennett, a rising sophomore at Auburn, served for the match in the second set at 5-4. But she let the momentum slip away as Lemaitre saved two match points. In the second set tiebreak, Lemaitre took an early lead but still needed a third set point to even the match.

 

Bennett’s all-court game began to break down in the final set as she won only 46% of her first set points. Lemaitre used her five years of collegiate tennis experience – currently at TCU and previously at Kentucky and Ole Miss – to wear down her younger opponent.

 

Lemaitre said after the match. “Oh, it was crazy for me. I was down 7-6, 5-3, 15-40 on her serve. It was a great comeback for me. I just fight until the last point. … She’s a great player. She’s like really complicated to play with a big serve.

“I’m grinding all the way through. I’m shaking and super happy.”

 

Both winners praised the tournament run by USTA Southern and the host facility. USTA Southern’s Milagros Sequera Huss and club owner Eddie Jacques were co-tournament directors.

 

Doubles champions

In the men’s doubles final, the team of Brazilian Lorenzo Esquici and Argentine Franco Ribero defeated the American brothers Elijah and Isaiah Strode 6-4, 6-3. The South Americans hit four aces compared to one double fault while the Americans did not hit any aces but threw in six double faults.

 

The women’s double final pitted two American teams: second-seeded American Kolie Allen/Paris Corley against the fourth-seeded Newborn/Mia Yamakita. The title went to Newborn/Yamakita 7-5, 6-3, for their first professional crowns.

 

Videos

How to Vote

  1. Sign in or create a free account for Match Tennis App. 
  2. After signing in, from the top of the Match Tennis App homepage, click the "Vote" button.
  3. Cast your vote by selecting a player from the dropdown and hit the submit button.
  4. For a one-page, step-by-step instructions, click here.

Tiered Reward System:

The Sportsmanship Award System includes a tiered reward system, wherein players who receive a specified number of nominations shall be awarded certain items. Any player, parent, or tournament staff member may nominate individual players for the Sportsmanship Award by utilizing the Sportsmanship Award button on the tournament page within the Match Tennis App, or by using the respective external tournament nomination page. The tiered reward system shall be as follows:

  • 5 Nominations: Southern Section Selected Award - Bag Tag
  • US Open Grand Prize: 

o    US Open Ground Pass Tickets $300.00 for 2 provided by USTA Southern

o    Airfare $800 provided by Match Tennis App

o    Hotel $500 Grant provided by USTA Southern

Here are the three players with Huntsville ties who received wild cards:

 

NAME, HOMETOWN/COLLEGE, WILD CARD  

  • Alana Boyce; Huntsville, Ala.; Women’s singles and doubles main draw
  • Nicholas Heng; Madison, Ala./Auburn University; Men’s singles main draw
  • Houston Jacques; Huntsville, Ala.; Men’s singles qualifying draw

Other Alabama players:

  • Riley Crowder; Dothan, Ala.; Women’s singles qualifying, doubles main draws
  • Taylor Nix; Northport, Ala.; Women’s doubles main draw

HBCU players who received wild cards are:

  • Gabrielle Blanks; Clark Atlanta University; Women’s singles and doubles main draw
  • Jamiya Ivory; Tuskegee University; Women’s singles qualifying, doubles main draw
  • Terrell Olagbegi;  Morehouse College Alumnus; men’s singles main draw, doubles main draw
  • Teryon Newbold-Hudson; Tuskegee University; Men’s singles qualifying, doubles main draw
Free community tennis events at the USTA Pro Circuit tournament in Huntsville

Playoff Series events

The USTA Southern Playoff Series consisted of three tournaments from March to May:

  • Juniors (clay), March 18-20, Knoxville, Tenn.
  • Adult Open (clay), April 21-23, Jackson, Miss.
  • Southern Colleges and Universities, juniors and adults (hard), May 6-8, Jonesboro, Ga.
Playoff Series

USTA Southern introduced a three-tournament USTA Southern Playoff Series that will award 12 wild cards to the USTA Pro Circuit Tournament. The series has offered expanded opportunities to historically Black college and university (HBCU) student-athletes.

 

Spearheading the series and Pro Circuit tournament are USTA Southern staffers Milagros “Milly” Sequera Huss, a former WTA player, and Maria Cercone. Sequera Huss will serve as tournament director of the Pro Circuit tournaments.

 

Sequera Huss explained, “Having a Pro Circuit event is a great way to engage Huntsville-area families by offering various community activities. Southern is currently planning numerous events, especially for kids. We want to offer free or low-cost professional tennis so the community can enjoy watching players from all over the world compete in their backyard. It is also a bonus to have the event during National Tennis Month.”

 

Cercone, who serves as USTA Southern Director, Junior Tennis & Player Development, added, “USTA Southern is excited to support the development of our juniors. The Playoff Series expands the pathways for juniors and young adults to move from boys’ and girls’ tournaments to professional-level competition.”

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