24-Jul-2008
Embree Downs Capra for Clay Court Title
Lauren Embree was in a position many players would envy, having
reached the finals of the 2007 Clay Courts, the 2008 Spring
Championships and 2008 Easter Bowl. But the 17-year-old from Marco
Island, Fla. had settled for second place until Sunday, when she
defeated top seed Beatrice Capra 6-4, 6-2 to claim the USTA Girls 18s
Clay Court Championship at the Racquet Club of Memphis.
17-Jul-2008
Duke Tennis Players Travel to Vietnam to Assist in Providing Sports Education Opportunities
Duke's Reka Zsilinszka and Amanda Granson's summer is revolving around
a memorable adventure - a trek to Vietnam as pioneers of the newly
organized Coach for College program.
10-Jul-2008
Top Prospect: Lauren Embree
A top-ranked junior tennis player who loves the sport and the
inevitable travel it requires would normally be a prime candidate for
a high profile tennis academy. But Lauren Embree, a rising senior
from Marco Island, Fla., has chosen to live and train at home, where
she attends a public high school and maintains a circle of
non-tennis-playing friends.
3-Jul-2008
June Aces
June marks the transition from clay to grass for the sport's top
players, but the dozen junior and college players that are last
month's aces have also displayed their prowess on those natural, and
very different surfaces.
26-Jun-2008
Commitment Comments: Ryan Lipman Chooses Commodores
"When I stepped on campus, it just felt right," said blue chip recruit
Ryan Lipman of his recent decision to join the Vanderbilt Commodores
in the fall of 2009. "I knew people and I love the city of Nashville.
It just felt perfect."
19-Jun-2008
Dabrowski and Britton Conquer International Grass Court Fields
Seventeen-year-old Devin Britton was making his third attempt at a
U.S. Junior International Grass Court Championship, while 16-year-old
Gabriela Dabrowski was playing in her first event on the surface, but
both conquered the Philadelphia heat to claim singles titles last week
at the Philadelphia Cricket Club.
12-Jun-2008
Prince PPI All-American Gives Top Academy Juniors a Taste of the NCAA Championships
The Prince Plugged In Academy Challenge Cup competition, in its fourth
year, pits top junior academies against each other, in a team format.
Last month, a select few participated in the first PPI All-American
Championships held in conjunction with the NCAA Division I
championships in Tulsa.
5-Jun-2008
May Aces
The aces for May start with the NCAA champions but don't end there.
Junior achievers also made their marks last month on the Pro Circuit
and ITF scene, in the U.S. and Europe.
29-May-2008
Devvarman and McDowell Claim NCAA Singles Crowns
The Atlantic Coast Conference swept the NCAA singles championships on
Monday at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center at the University of
Tulsa, with defending champion Somdev Devvarman of Virginia and Amanda
McDowell of Georgia Tech posting convincing victories in the finals.
Devvarman defeated Tennessee freshman JP Smith 6-3, 6-2, while
McDowell downed 2005 NCAA champion Zuzana Zemenova of Baylor 6-2, 6-3.
22-May-2008
UCLA Women and Georgia Men Capture NCAA Team Championships in Tulsa
Two teams that had endured prolonged bouts of illness and injury
during the season found their form at just the right time, with the
UCLA Bruins taking their first women's championship with a 4-0 win
over Cal-Berkeley Tuesday afternoon and the Georgia Bulldogs
successfully defending their 2007 title with a 4-2 victory over Texas
Tuesday night at the Michael Case Tennis Center on the campus of the
University of Tulsa.
15-May-2008
Michigan Men Advance to Sweet Sixteen with 4-2 Win Over Texas Tech
The yin and yang of Michigan's springtime weather was on full display
last weekend in Ann Arbor, where the 16th ranked Wolverines hosted
Western Michigan, Harvard and Texas Tech for the first two rounds of
NCAA Division I team championship competition. The home team took
found the silver lining in the rain clouds however, defeating Texas
Tech 4-2 to advance to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since
1988.
8-May-2008
A Conversation with Documentary Filmmaker Tom Pura
Tom Pura is a tennis parent, a Harvard grad and a Wall Street retiree.
He is not, as he would be the first to tell you, a movie producer. But
several years ago, Pura decided that if he wanted to chronicle the
tennis life of his 13-year-old son TJ, it was up to him to become one.
Colette Lewis talks with Pura about his resulting documentary, entitled
50,000 Balls.
1-May-2008
April Aces
Most of the aces this month are juniors who competed in the major
California hard court events, but several others scored big on clay in
Texas, Florida, Mexico and Italy.
24-Apr-2008
Top Prospect: Rachael White
She's tall, she hits a big ball and she lives in suburban Chicago. Five
star junior Rachael White, ranked 20th in the class of 2009, has taken
two unofficial visits, to the University of Illinois and the
University of Wisconsin, but her mind is far from made up. Colette Lewis
talks with White about her tennis and her college plans.
17-Apr-2008
Oudin Earns Fifth Major ITF title, Buchanan Gets His First at Easter Bowl
Melanie Oudin and Chase Buchanan joined forty years of Easter Bowl
champions last week in the desert heat of Rancho Mirage, Calif.,
earning titles in the second of two April ITF Grade 1 events held in
the Golden State.
10-Apr-2008
Klahn and Oudin Take ITF Grade 1 International Spring Championships in California
The clouds and chill that were prevalent all week at the Home Depot
Center in Carson, California couldn't cool off two red-hot U.S.
juniors, as Melanie Oudin and Bradley Klahn posted straight-set
victories in the finals of last week's International Spring
Championships. Number one seed Oudin topped unseeded Jacqueline Cako
6-3, 6-3. Klahn, the second seed, eased past No. 5 seed Jarmere
Jenkins 6-1, 7-6 (1).
9-Apr-2008
Spring Signing Week '08: Rice Lands Tachibana
It was between Princeton, Harvard and Rice, but according to
17-year-old Texan Isamu Tachibana, it wasn't the proximity to home
that led him to ultimately choose Rice over the Ivys.
3-Apr-2008
March Aces
Clay or Hard, Indoor or Out, junior and college aces found all
conditions to their liking in March.
27-Mar-2008
Top Prospect: Ryan Lipman
Ryan Lipman's one-handed backhand, creative spins, crisp volleys, and
his favorite surface - grass - recall a bygone era in tennis. Add the
plethora of sportsmanship awards Lipman has garnered during his junior
career, and it's little wonder the blue-chipper is high on the list of
many of the nation's top Division 1 schools.
20-Mar-2008
Nevolo and Ahn Take Gold at USTA 18s Spring Nationals
For 18-year-old Dennis Nevolo, the third time in Mobile was the charm,
while for 15-year-old Kristie Ahn, her first trip to the Spring 18s
resulted in a national championship.
6-Mar-2008
February Aces
College tennis accounts for half of February's dozen aces, but there
were also juniors excelling south of the border, across the Atlantic,
and in the pro ranks.
28-Feb-2008
An Interview with World's Top Junior Ricardas Berankis
Ricardas Berankis had a memorable 2007, capturing the U.S. Open Junior
championship, training with Roger Federer, playing Davis Cup, signing
with IMG and winning the season's last two ITF junior tournaments to
finish the year as World Junior Champion. Colette Lewis of
ZooTennis.com got the chance to sit down with Berankis last month in
Miami.
22-Feb-2008
Gators Add Another Alexander
It's only February, but junior Jessica Alexander has already made up
her mind to join older sister Megan at the University of Florida. And
by joining the Gators early, the five-star recruit from Dallas will
have an opportunity to play two spring seasons alongside Megan, a
sophomore.
21-Feb-2008
Redshirting in College Tennis
Typically associated with football players, the term redshirt is
frequently applied to student-athletes who spend their first
collegiate academic year attending classes, practicing and working out
with the team, but not competing in games. Colette Lewis explores the
issue, talking pros and cons with college coaches and players.
14-Feb-2008
Georgia Tech Repeats as Women's National Indoor Champions
Neither a blizzard, a recent loss to Northwestern nor a 3-0 deficit to
top seed Stanford could keep the Georgia Tech women from defending
their title at the National Indoor Championships in Madison, Wis. The
Yellow Jackets left the expansive icebox of the upper Midwest with the
warmth of their third national team championship.
7-Feb-2008
January Aces
While the rest of the country watched the ball drop in Times Square,
the juniors competing in Arizona were concentrating instead on the
gold balls awarded at the Winter National Championships. Those eight
winners join Australian Open junior champions and Florida Futures
winners as this month's aces.
31-Jan-2008
Tennis Plaza Cup Crowns Champions amid Raindrops
It may have taken overtime, but eight champions emerged in four age
divisions in last week's Tennis Plaza Cup, a USTA National Level 3
event in its second year in south Florida.
24-Jan-2008
Top Prospect: Jarmere Jenkins
Jarmere Jenkins grew up learning from his four older tennis-playing
brothers, taking the best parts of their games as motivation to
improve his own. Jenkins melded their qualities into a game that has
made him one of the top juniors nationally and internationally.
Colette Lewis talked with Jenkins about his future plans.
17-Jan-2008
Nine Intriguing Questions for 2008
For the third year in a row, Colette Lewis publishes her annual
"Intriguing Questions" article right here at TennisRecruiting.net.
Take a look at nine questions she is eager to have answered in 2008.
7-Jan-2008
December Aces
December may mean charity events and exhibitions for the pro tour, but
in the junior tennis world, the final month of the year has much
higher stakes. Here are 16 players who met the challenge.
3-Jan-2008
Gators Get Cohen
Head Coach Roland Thornqvist and the Florida Gators are ringing in the
New Year with extra enthusiasm now that Julia Cohen, one of the
world's top juniors, has joined the team for the 2008 dual season.
27-Dec-2007
Eddie Herr Champions Keys and Di Giulio Add Junior Orange Bowl Titles
Madison Keys of Boca Raton, Fla. and Joe Di Giulio of Newport Beach,
Calif. were the targets of every 12-and-under player competing in the
Junior Orange Bowl last week. With recent Eddie Herr championships
secure, the pair once again triumphed over the international elite of
their age group in Coral Gables, Fla., adding the coveted silver bowl
of oranges to their trophy cases.
20-Dec-2007
Oudin Soars to No. 4 in the World after Stellar Autumn
Back in September, Melanie Oudin needed a wild card to participate in
the main draw of the U.S. Open Junior Championships. Three months
later the 16-year-old from Marietta, Ga. occupies the No. 4 spot in
the ITF World Junior rankings, having reeled off 27 straight junior
victories. Colette Lewis talks with Oudin about her recent surge.
13-Dec-2007
Florida Fortnight Crowns a Dozen Singles Champions from Eight Countries
The world's best juniors descend on South Florida in late November
prepared for the intensive competition the Eddie Herr International in
Bradenton and Orange Bowl in Miami always provide. This year, it was
players from the United States who captured the most titles.
6-Dec-2007
November Aces
November began with the crowning of college indoor champions and ended
with coveted Eddie Herr 12s titles, and throughout the month there
were performances worth noting.
29-Nov-2007
Top Prospect: Jessica Alexander
Five star recruit Jessica Alexander's life has included tennis since
she was four years old, and when the 16-year-old Texan considers her
future, she doesn't see that changing much.
22-Nov-2007
2007 Eddie Herr Provides Glimpse into the Future of Tennis
Four age divisions of both boys and girls from around the world make
for an impressive array of junior tennis. And the Eddie Herr, which
begins this weekend at the IMG/Bollettieri Tennis Academy in
Bradenton, Florida, usually showcases a future professional star.
16-Nov-2007
Signing Week: Boyajian Chooses North Carolina Blue
Florida's Brennan Boyajian knew he would have a wide range of options
when it came to selecting a college. The senior took five unofficial
visits during the summer, so when he decided late last month
to sign with the University of North Carolina, he knew he'd done his
homework.
8-Nov-2007
Devvarman and Miseviciute Earn ITA Indoor Titles
It was the expected and the unexpected last weekend in Columbus, Ohio
as No. 1 seed Somdev Devvarman of Virginia and unseeded Aurelija
Miseviciute of Arkansas collected the first ITA Indoor Championships
in the history of their schools.
6-Nov-2007
Countdown: Florida's Burkhardt Chooses Gators
Blue Chip Joey Burkhardt grew up wearing the orange and blue athletic
gear of the University of Florida, and there won't be any wardrobe
changes for his college years, as the right-hander from St. Augustine
has verbally committed to the Gators.
1-Nov-2007
October Aces
From junior to college to Pro Circuit events on six continents, aces
were plentiful last month; the 17 pictured below all harvested
trophies in October.
30-Oct-2007
Countdown: Nevolo Stays in Home State
Blue Chip recruit Dennis Nevolo took the maximum five official visits
this fall, but in the end, it was an unofficial visit to the
University of Illinois that convinced him to join the Fighting Illini.
25-Oct-2007
Countdown: Lauren McHale Update
Lauren McHale's tennis journey began ten years ago in Hong Kong; in
the next several weeks, the 17-year-old from New Jersey will select
another destination that will shape her future: a college campus.
24-Oct-2007
Countdown: Marino to Don Yellow Jacket Next Fall
She took only one official visit, but for Blue Chip Rebecca Marino of
Vancouver, British Columbia, it was enough. After meeting the coaches
and the team during a September trip to the Georgia Tech campus,
Marino was convinced it was the place for her.
22-Oct-2007
Countdown: Wil Spencer Selects Texas A&M
College Station, Texas is the next stop for blue chip senior Wil
Spencer, who has verbally committed to Texas A&M University. For
Spencer, the Tennis Recruiting Network's second-ranked player in the
class of 2008, the choice was between Florida and Texas A&M.
After taking official visits to both schools, he decided in favor of
the Aggies.
18-Oct-2007
Oudin and Spencer Take Tulsa Titles
For top-seeded Melanie Oudin, it was the second major ITF junior title
in as many months; for unseeded Wil Spencer it was the first of his
junior career, but for both players, the Pan American Closed in Tulsa,
Okla. was a forum for outstanding tennis.
11-Oct-2007
ITA Polo All-American Crowns Another Bulldog Champion
Georgia's Travis Helgeson may not have the height or the serve of his
former teammate John Isner, but he now owns the same major college
title: a singles championship at the Polo ITA All-American tournament.
5-Oct-2007
American Coaching in London
British Tennis is getting a dose of American coaching; will it change
the prognosis for juniors there? The LTA recently selected Bill
Mountford, USTA director of tennis at the Billie Jean King National
Tennis Center for six years, to oversee the LTA's Coach Relations and
Competition program. Colette Lewis talks with Mountford about junior
tennis in the UK.
4-Oct-2007
September Aces
All of August's aces were from the United States, but players from
every corner of the world produced last month's outstanding
accomplishments.
27-Sep-2007
Top Prospect: Alison Riske
Most juniors head to the USTA National championships hoping to catch
the eye of a Division I coach at the school of their choice. But when
it's Billie Jean King who is impressed by your game and expresses an
interest in speaking with you, well, forgive USTA Girls 18s Nationals
finalist Alison Riske for being a little awestruck.
20-Sep-2007
Top Target: Dennis Nevolo
When blue chip recruit Dennis Nevolo of Gurnee, Ill., boarded an
airplane bound for New York last month as the 31st alternate for the
US Open junior championships, he didn't know if his racquets would get
any use. Not only did he get in, but he won both qualifying matches
and two more wins in the main draw. Colette Lewis of ZooTennis.com
sat down with Nevolo to discuss all things tennis.
13-Sep-2007
Lessons and Observations from the 2007 US Open
Colette Lewis of ZooTennis.com has the last word on the US Open. She
makes 16 observations from New York.
6-Sep-2007
August Aces
August begins with the National Junior Championships and ends midway
through the Open in New York, so it's fitting that all the aces for
the month call the United States home.
30-Aug-2007
Recruiting Profile: James "Bo" Seal
Sixteen-year-old Bo Seal of Chattanooga, Tenn., has played many sports
in his life, but he is now focusing on tennis. A finalist in both
singles and doubles at the Nationals in Kalamazoo earlier this month,
he is now looking forward to another opportunity to delve deeper into
the sport, when he heads for the famous IMG/Bollettieri Academy in
Bradenton, Fla.
23-Aug-2007
Unstrung: Courier Documentary Attempts to Transcend Tennis
Jim Courier didn't want his documentary "Unstrung" to be a tennis
movie. What he hoped for, after following a group of male junior
players for ten months, was a film that would appeal to a wider
audience, one that would focus less on the sport and more on the
dynamics and drama when family and competition intertwine. Each of
the film's subjects provides a glimpse of the many paths parents
and children can take.
16-Aug-2007
Top Seeds Prevail in the Boys 16 and 18 Nationals
Top seeds arrive in Kalamazoo with extra pressure and expectations.
They play on the main stadium courts, and they are also playing for
U.S. Open wild cards. For the second year in a row, Kalamazoo's
champions held up under that top-seed pressure, with 18's No. 1
Michael McClune and 16s No. 1 Tennys Sandgren capturing the most
prestigious titles in U.S. junior tennis and their spots in New York.
9-Aug-2007
July Aces
It started with U.S. junior fireworks at Wimbledon and ended with a
collegiate bang at the ATP event in Washington D.C. July, which also
produced USTA Clay Court National Champions, was an ace-filled
extravaganza.
2-Aug-2007
McClune and Sandgren Lead 18s and 16s Fields as Kalamazoo Marks 65th year
Michael McClune and Tennys Sandgren hope to add their names to the
list of Who's Who in American Tennis by capturing championships during
the 65th edition of the USTA Boys' 18 & 16 Nationals, beginning
tomorrow at Kalamazoo College's Stowe Stadium and the Sorensen courts
on the campus of Western Michigan University.
30-Jul-2007
Mark Riley Takes the Reins at Kalamazoo
Kalamazoo College alumnus Mark Riley ('82), head men's tennis coach at
the University of Pennsylvania for the past seven seasons, was
recently named men's tennis coach at his alma mater and assistant
director of the 2007 USTA Boys 18s and 16s National Championships.
Just a few days after his arrival on campus at Kalamazoo College,
Colette Lewis sat down to talk with Riley about the new chapter in his
career in tennis.
26-Jul-2007
Bowles and Sandgren Survive Florida Heat to Claim Clay Court Crowns
The USTA Boys 18s and 16s National Clay Court Championships moved
south this year, to Delray Beach, Florida, ending three years of the
two age divisions playing together in Rockville, Maryland. The boys
joined the girls 12s and the boys and girls 14s in South Florida, and
players who had participated in those events knew that heat and
humidity would play a big role in deciding the champions.
16-Jul-2007
U.S. Juniors Shine at Sun-Starved Wimbledon
The 2007 Wimbledon Junior Championships were marred by rain, but a
little rain could not deter Donald Young and Madison Brengle from
becoming the first American boy and girl combination to reach the
singles finals since 1981. Young won the boys title over Vlad Ignatic
of Belarus, while Brengle fell in three sets to Urszula Radwanska of
Poland.
12-Jul-2007
Twelve Tips for a Better Tournament Experience
Colette Lewis has attended quite a few tennis tournaments over the
years. During that time, she has seen the good, the bad, and the
ugly. Here is a list of twelve tips that players and parents should
keep in mind to foster the best-possible tournament experience for
everyone.
5-Jul-2007
June Aces
June is the transition month - from clay to grass, and from school to
summer vacation. Here are some of the junior and collegiate aces who
took it all it stride.
28-Jun-2007
Top Prospect: Bradley Klahn
Bradley Klahn is a quick study. The 16-year-old left-hander from
Poway, Calif. was eleven when he began playing tennis, and within a
few years he became a fixture in the Tennis Recruiting Network's top
ten. Now his attention turns to selecting a college, and he realizes
there's a lot to learn on that front too. With his impressive
performances on the court and in the classroom, there are many college
coaches hoping for an opportunity to instruct him in the process.
21-Jun-2007
Klahn and Paz Weather All Challenges to Earn Grass Courts Titles
Last week's U.S. Junior International Grass Courts Championships at
the Philadelphia Cricket Club were played over six days that seemed to
encompass three different seasons - cool spring rains, overcast autumn
skies, and summer sun and warmth. Bradley Klahn and Gabriela Paz
withstood both the climate changes and the unfamiliar surface to
capture Grass Court titles.
14-Jun-2007
May Aces, Part 2 - Juniors
May featured not only great college tennis, but also many impressive
teenage performances on the ITF pro circuit, especially on the women's
side. Here's a look at the off-campus aces for last month.
7-Jun-2007
May Aces, Part 1 - NCAAs
There's the 12 Days of Christmas, and for college tennis fans, May
brings even better gifts, the 12 Days of the NCAAs.
1-Jun-2007
Middle Tennessee and North Carolina Earn NCAA Doubles Titles
In the NCAA Division I tournament, Middle Tennessee sent retiring coach
Dale Short out in style with a men's doubles championship, while North
Carolina came back to win the women's doubles title after dropping
the first set 6-1.
31-May-2007
Virginia's Devvarman and Miami's Cohen Win NCAA Singles Championships
The NCAA Division I men's and women's tennis champions are both
college juniors, but they are heading in different directions next
year. Virginia's Somdev Devvarman will return to Charlottesville
for another year, while Audra Cohen of Miami announced that she
will try her hand at the pro tour.
25-May-2007
Georgia Tech Women Defeat UCLA for School's First NCAA Title
Late Tuesday night, a vocal crowd in Athens, Ga., saw the Georgia Tech
Yellow Jackets earn their first women's tennis title - and the
school's first NCAA championship in any sport. Georgia Tech won the
championship with a 4-2 victory over 12th-seeded UCLA.
24-May-2007
Georgia Sweeps Illinois for Fifth NCAA Title
On a warm and breezy Tuesday afternoon in Athens, senior Matic Omerzel
delivered the University of Georgia's fifth NCAA men's tennis
championship, earning the final point in the top-seeded Bulldogs' 4-0
win over Illinois with a 7-6 (5), 6-2 victory over Ruben Gonzales.
17-May-2007
Georgia Teams Hope to Cook up Championships at Home
The University of Georgia's men's and women's teams started the
2006-2007 season in different places, but they've both ended up where
they want to be - poised for a home court run at the NCAA Division I
championships, which begin today at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex in
Athens.
10-May-2007
Top Junior Prospect: Wil Spencer
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are in the midst of impressive winning
streaks on clay and grass. Wil Spencer's streak is not surface
related, but it too goes back years; the 17-year-old Floridian has
been at the top spot in the Tennis Recruiting Network's Class of 2008
rankings since November of 2005 - a stretch of 80 weeks. With that
record of sustained excellence, it's no surprise that college coaches
from the country's top Division I schools have been eager to get his
attention.
3-May-2007
April Aces
Most of April's outstanding performers shone under the Southern
California sun at the International Spring and Easter Bowl
championships. But from Budpest to Little Rock, teenagers made their
elders sit up and take notice last month.
30-Apr-2007
Rux Chooses Baylor
He had plenty of alternatives, but Jordan Rux, of Kerrville, Texas has
decided to stay in the Lone Star State, committing to join the Baylor
Bears this fall. Ranked third by the USTA and eighth among the class
of 2007 by TennisRecruiting.net, Rux was a much-sought-after prospect
when he began taking visits this spring.
26-Apr-2007
Easter Bowl Wrap
Although the Easter Bowl celebrated its 40th birthday in 2007, there
were new places and fresh faces to help with the celebration. The
tournament moved to the Rancho Las Palmas Resort and Spa in Rancho
Mirage, California, and all six singles champions collected their
first ever Easter Bowl titles.
19-Apr-2007
Thacher and Jones Capture International Spring Championships
Studio City California's Ryan Thacher and Sacha Jones of New Zealand
won titles in the 18s division of last week's International Spring
Championships at the USTA West Coast Training Center in Carson,
California. Fifteen-year-old Tennys Sandgren and Zoe De Bruycker
won in the 16s.
16-Apr-2007
You Cannot Be Serious!
"I've gone from a poor tennis coach who does comedy, to a poor
comedian who plays tennis." That's Michael Kosta's tongue-in-cheek
description of the past year, when he resigned as assistant men's tennis
coach at the University of Michigan to tell jokes for a living.
Although at first glance that's an improbable change in occupations,
Kosta believes his twenty years in tennis prepared him well.
5-Apr-2007
March Aces
From junior to college tennis, Colette Lewis returns with her take
on the top performances in March.
29-Mar-2007
USTA Florida's Bobby Curtis Toasted and Roasted at Sony Ericsson Open Dinner
The Greater Miami Tennis and Education Foundation held its annual
fundraising dinner in Key Biscayne on Sunday, and the honoree was
Bobby Curtis, USTA Florida's coordinator of junior tennis. Colette
Lewis of ZooTennis.com was onhand to listen to the stories - humorous
and heartfelt.
22-Mar-2007
Boyajian and Oudin Take USTA Spring National Titles in Mobile
Melanie Oudin won her first gold ball in convincing fashion, while
Brennan Boyajian added to his impressive collection, earning his
eighth at the USTA Spring National 18s Championships in Mobile,
Alabama last week.
16-Mar-2007
Corwin Leaving Kalamazoo, Taking USTA Position
Timon Corwin, Tournament Director of the USTA Boys 18 and 16 National
Championships in Kalamazoo and men's tennis coach at Kalamazoo College
since 1994, announced last weekend that he would be leaving those
positions to join the USTA Player Development staff as Senior Director
for Junior and Collegiate Competition in May.
8-Mar-2007
Boise State upends Penn at Bronco Round Robin
Unless it's a ski trip, Boise, Idaho isn't a typical spring break
destination. But for the Pennsylvania men's tennis team, it has been a
regular stop during head coach Mark Riley's tenure.
1-Mar-2007
February Aces
February may be short on days, but it was long on opportunity for
these college and junior tennis competitors. Colette Lewis returns
with the February edition of "Aces".
22-Feb-2007
Georgia's Freshmen Step Up to Help Bulldogs Take National Team Indoor Championship
It's rare for a top recruiting class in college tennis to have an
immediate impact. With so many seasoned upperclassmen at top programs,
it may be a year or two before new recruits adjust not only to the
increased strength of play at the collegiate level, but to the
academic and social aspects of college life. This year's University
of Georgia men's team has needed no adjustment period - helping the
Bulldogs capture the school's second straight USTA/ITA National Team
Indoor championship.
15-Feb-2007
Recruiting Profile: Jamie Hampton
2007 will be the year of the professional women's circuit for
17-year-old Jamie Hampton. Although she played in the French and U.S.
Open qualifying tournaments in 2006 and reached the final of a $10,000
Pro Circuit event last June, the blue chip recruit still found time
for a few high profile junior events. But this year her emphasis has
changed.
8-Feb-2007
Recruiting Profile: Joel Samaha
With a sister at Princeton and a brother recently graduated from
Dartmouth, it's not surprising that Joel Samaha views those two Ivy
League schools as serious possibilities for his own higher education.
But the junior at Tampa's H.B. Plant High School hasn't made any final
decisions just yet.
1-Feb-2007
January Aces
Colette Lewis of ZooTennis.com brings you her inaugural "Aces" column
- a periodic column that is new to TennisRecruiting.net. Join Lewis
as she reviews recent highlights from the world of junior and college
tennis.
25-Jan-2007
Tournament Reports - Tampa Pro Circuit Futures, Florida 18s Sectional
Starting with a wild card qualifying tournament for the year's first
U.S. Pro Circuit Futures event and ending with a Florida junior
sectional tournament, the 28 courts at Hillsborough Community College
in Tampa, Florida were rarely idle, giving the sun-warmed spectators
an opportunity to compare the different stages of the game side by
side.
18-Jan-2007
Eight Intriguing Questions for 2007
Last week, Colette Lewis reviewed the 2006 year in tennis. Today,
she presents a set of eight questions that she is eager to have
answered in 2007.
11-Jan-2007
A Look Back at 2006
For the past two years, I've written an Intriguing Questions piece in
January. Part speculation, part prediction, part plain old curiosity,
the 2007 version will surface soon, but before I embark on that, I
thought it might be fun to look back at how the 2006 questions were
answered.
4-Jan-2007
Tomic and Orlik Harvest Jr. Orange Bowl Titles
Colette Lewis reports from the prestigious Junior Orange Bowl tournament
from Coral Gables, Florida. She provides summaries of play in both the
12s and 14s divisions.
14-Dec-2006
The Orange Bowl's 60th Anniversary Produces Many Firsts
When the late Eddie Herr organized the first Orange Bowl in 1947, it's
unlikely he envisioned champions from Austria, Bulgaria and Romania
sixty years later, but players from those three countries, along with
one from the U.S., are celebrating victories at the prestigious
international junior tournament now held at the Crandon Park Tennis
Center on Key Biscayne.
7-Dec-2006
2006 Eddie Herr International
The Eddie Herr International is always a smorgasbord of tennis, and
this year, with over 1750 players from 90 countries, it was an
all-you-can-watch feast for tennis fans.
13-Nov-2006
Kohlloeffel and Cohen Win ITA Indoors
Ben Kohlloeffel and Audra Cohen, named Intercollegiate Tennis
Association's Players of the Year in June, added even more sparkle to
their tennis resumes by capturing singles titles at the ITA National
Indoor Championships in Columbus, Ohio earlier this month.
12-Oct-2006
Tulsa's Brugues Earns School's First Championship on Home Courts
2006 has been a quiet hurricane season meteorologically speaking, but
a storm named Arnau has blown through Division I college tennis.
Golden Hurricane Arnau Brugues showed just what a force he is last
week, when the University of Tulsa junior captured his school's first
national tennis title at the Polo Ralph Lauren Intercollegiate Tennis
Association's All-American Tennis Championships.
5-Oct-2006
Recruiting Profile: Clint Bowles
Floridian Clint Bowles has traveled the world this year, playing
top-level junior tournaments in Sao Paulo, Milan, Paris, London and
New York. But his tennis trips this fall won't be to world capitals.
Instead, he'll be visiting college campuses, narrowing his choices,
which he describes as "wide open" now.
14-Sep-2006
U.S. Boys Dominate Junior Doubles in New York
For the third straight year, a team from the United States won the
U.S. Open junior boys doubles, and in 2006, that was assured even
before the final was played. Jamie Hunt and Nate Schnugg defeated the
young team of Jarmere Jenkins and Austin Krajicek 6-3, 6-3, in the
first ever all-American boys doubles final.
17-Aug-2006
Top Seeds Take Different Routes to Kalamazoo Championships
The championship match in the boys' 16s USTA Nationals in
Kalamazoo, Mich. was a nearly three hour thrill-fest, with top seed
Brennan Boyajian defeating Ryan Thacher 7-5, 2-6, 7-6(5) to capture
the title. Donald Young won the 18 division without lifting a racquet
when second seed Jesse Levine was unable to play in the final due to
illness.
3-Aug-2006
Kalamazoo's U.S. Open Blue Courts Welcome Nation's Top Juniors
Now in its 64th year in Kalamazoo, Mich., the "Nats at the Zoo" have
served as a proving ground for the best junior boys in the United
States. Arthur Ashe, Stan Smith, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Andre
Agassi, Pete Sampras and Jim Courier have all competed on the Stowe
Stadium courts prior to winning Grand Slam titles. Action begins
Friday in the USTA Boys 18s and 16s National Championships.
31-Jul-2006
Recruiting Profile: Nick Meister
Nick Meister describes himself as "pretty much just a Southern
California kid," listing the beach, skateboarding and hanging out with
friends as his favorite pastimes. But once the 17-year-old rising
senior at Tesoro High School captured the Southern California Junior
Sectional 18s singles and doubles titles last month, there wasn't much
time for those pursuits. Instead, he was busy opening recruiting mail
and on July 1, fielding phone calls from college coaches across the
country.
22-Jun-2006
Grass Courts Provide History Lessons and Character Tests
Because tennis was first played on grass, there is a quaint and
nostalgic feel to any event held on the surface, and the U.S. Junior
International Grass Court Championships is no exception. Beginning as
the Girls 18 and Under National Tournament, then evolving to a USTA
surface championship, the Grass Courts has been a 32-draw Level 3 ITF
event since 2004. And although the sanction has changed, the venue
hasn't, with the stately Philadelphia Cricket Club serving as host for
88 years.
5-Jun-2006
First Combined NCAA Championships a Rousing Success
When the NCAA decided to combine the men's and women's Division I team
and individual championships at one site, they undertook a college
version of a Grand Slam, with Davis and Fed Cups thrown in for good
measure. Recognizing that the first would be the most difficult, they
wisely selected Stanford and Dick Gould as hosts.
8-May-2006
The Left Stuff: Ryan Thacher's Mission Includes Tennis and School
Ryan Thacher is a tennis player now. Although he excelled at
baseball, football and soccer, the sixteen-year-old Southern
Californian is devoting his athletic talents these days to kick serves
and backhand volleys, not pass routes and pitch counts.
24-Apr-2006
Easter Bowl Tournament Report
As one of the premier events in junior tennis, the Easter Bowl, now in
its 39th year, serves as both a springboard and spring break -
introducing young players in three age divisions to a wider audience,
and providing tennis families with an opportunity to enjoy the warm
sunshine and the snowcapped mountain scenery of Palm Springs.
23-Mar-2006
Barrick and Zsilinszka Capture Spring National Championships
A toddler as National Championships go, the USTA Spring National 18s
were established in 2005, when the venerable Easter Bowl switched from
a USTA event to an ITF Closed tournament for 18-and-under juniors.
This year's winners, both from the Southern section, featured a
familiar face in Mobile and a new one: Reka Zsilinzska and Houston
Barrick.
6-Feb-2006
Hunt Views Georgia as Perfect Fit
Jamie Hunt has an impressive junior resume. He has played in six
Junior Grand Slams, finished third at Kalamazoo last year, is ranked
among the world's top 30 juniors by the International Tennis
Federation and is sixth in his class according to the Tennis
Recruiting Network. He wanted to play college tennis. So why wasn't
he the subject of intense signing pressure by Division I coaches this
fall?
12-Jan-2006
Eight Intriguing Questions for 2006
For most people, this is the time of year for resolutions, but for
tennis fans and pundits, it's the time to peer into the fresh new year
with anticipation and predictions. Here are eight of the questions I'm
eager to have answered in 2006.
16-Dec-2005
Double The Fun: Heinser and Plotkin Team to Win Orange Bowl
In junior tennis, keeping abreast of who is playing doubles with
whom is nearly impossible. Another tournament, another partner is the
motto of many young players; even a title doesn't keep them from
swapping partners if the mood strikes.
8-Dec-2005
Eddie Herr Affirms Global Reach of Tennis
Colette Lewis of ZooTennis.com comments on last week's Eddie Herr International Junior Tennis Championships at the IMG/Bollettieri Sports Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
