3-Sep-2010
Previewing the U.S. Open Junior Championships
Leading up to this year's U.S. Open there has been plenty of
discussion about the "wide-open" nature of the women's draw. But in
the world of junior tennis, that description can be applied to nearly
every slam. This year's U.S. Open junior championships will feature
all 10 of the top-ranked boys in the ITF juniors - and seven of the
girls in the Top 10.
1-Sep-2010
August Aces
Because their National Championship runs were covered so extensively
last month here at the Tennis Recruiting Network, the eight USTA Hard
Court winners will not be featured in this monthly review of top
performances. Instead, I'll focus on other newsmakers who excelled in
Europe, Asia and on the courts of the Billie Jean King National Tennis
Center in New York.
27-Aug-2010
Atlanta's Pasha Commits to Georgia Bulldogs
It wasn't the program's storied history of tennis excellence, or a
conversation with former Bulldog John Isner, currently in the ATP Top
20, that led to blue chip Nathan Pasha's verbal commitment to the
University of Georgia. Instead, it was the opportunity to be close to
his family while working toward a professional tennis career that had
the rising senior from Atlanta deciding to head to nearby Athens.
20-Aug-2010
Sock and Redlicki Crowned National Champions in Kalamazoo
Any USTA gold ball is special, whether it's the second or the 20th.
But a gold ball won at Kalamazoo has something extra attached - a
place on the long list of National Champions and a trip to New York to
play at the U.S. Open. Jack Sock, the 18s champion, and Michael
Redlicki, who triumphed in the 16s, survived a week of heat, humidity
and rain disruptions to finish atop the 192-player fields gathered for
the tournament's 68th year.
9-Aug-2010
Recruiting Profile: Katie Goepel
During her preteen years, five star recruit Katie Goepel found
contentment hitting tennis balls against the garage door of the family
home. Those countless hours have helped give the 17-year-old from
Chatham, New Jersey plenty of options. A straight-A student, Goepel
received a dozen or so calls from college coaches on July 1, and she
is now reviewing her list of possible schools.
5-Aug-2010
Jordan Cox, Shane Vinsant Top Seeds for USTA Boys 18 and 16 National Championships in Kalamazoo
Jordan Cox won the 2008 16s singles title in Kalamazoo, demonstrating
his ability to cope with the pressure and pomp surrounding a final at
the pinnacle of boys junior tennis in the United States. Can he do
the same in the 18s this year as the top seed? And in the 16s, top
seed Shane Vinsant has the highest ITF junior ranking in the field at
73 - closely followed by No. 2 seed Mitchell Krueger at 79. Colette
Lewis breaks down the field of the USTA Boys 18 and 16 Nationals.
3-Aug-2010
July Aces
The USTA National Clay Court champions usually dominate July's roster
of aces, but with the extensive coverage the Tennis Recruiting Network
put together last week, the focus instead will be on the juniors and
collegians past and present who collected other titles during the
month.
30-Jul-2010
Price Captures Girls' 18s Clays in Memphis
Living just minutes from each other in suburban Atlanta, 17-year-olds
Caroline Price and Whitney Kay had met many times throughout their
junior tennis careers. When they met in the final of the USTA Girls'
18 Clay Court Championships in Memphis, it was Price that
emerged victorious - capturing the title with a 6-3, 6-3 win.
15-Jul-2010
ITA Summer Circuit Fills Competition Gap for College and Junior Players
Last Saturday 128 players took to the Western Michigan University
courts with a variety of motives - to size up their games, stay sharp
over the summer months, prepare for the fall college season and test
their conditioning in two-a-day matches in the summer heat and
humidity. Colette Lewis of ZooTennis.com took in the ITA Summer
Circuit tournament - here she provides a wrap-up of both the
tournament and the program.
8-Jul-2010
Egger Will Join Washington Huskies in 2011
Emmett Egger is comfortable on the road - playing tennis on several
continents while living and training in Florida and Texas. But when
it came time to consider his college options, the Issaquah, Washington
native kept the University of Washington high on his list. Last
month, Egger verbally committed to join Matt Anger's Huskies in the
fall of 2011.
1-Jul-2010
June Aces
June marks the transition from clay to grass, so it's no surprise
there were junior aces from both surfaces last month. College tennis
was also in the spotlight, with recent stars demonstrating its role as
a stepping stone between junior and professional tennis.
24-Jun-2010
Adding to a Tennis Legacy: A Conversation with USC's Peter Smith
Peter Smith completed his eighth year as men's head coach at the
University of Southern California exactly the same way he finished his
seventh, leading the Trojans to the NCAA team title. Colette Lewis
sat down with the 2010 Wilson/ITA Coach of the Year to get his views
on some of the major issues in junior and college tennis.
17-Jun-2010
Mamalat, Lipman Bring Home Grasscourt Titles
Whether it was home cooking, family experience or simply games
that work well on grass, unseeded Anna Mamalat and Maxx Lipman made
their advantages work for them last week at the ITF International
Grass Court Championships at the Philadelphia Cricket Club.
10-Jun-2010
Herring Commits to Georgia for 2011
It was love at first sight for blue chip Lauren Herring when she
stepped on the campus of the University of Georgia last October. The
rising senior recently made a verbal commitment to the Bulldogs,
becoming Coach Wallace's first commitment for 2011.
5-Jun-2010
May Aces
Singles, doubles, red clay, green clay, hard courts, college, junior
and pro: May brought 13 aces from all kinds of places.
3-Jun-2010
Gullickson and Klahn Lead U.S. Sweep of NCAA Singles and Doubles Titles
For the second consecutive year, Americans claimed the men's and
women's singles titles at the NCAA Division I individual
championships, with U.S. players also capturing both doubles titles
Monday to complete the sweep.
28-May-2010
USC Wins Back-to-Back NCAA Titles with Win Over Tennessee
2009 in College Station, Texas... 2010 in Athens, Georgia... For the
second year in a row, the University of Southern California are NCAA
men's tennis champions after a 4-2 victory over Tennessee Tuesday
night at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex. The Trojans took out the top
two seeds in two days at college tennis' version of the Final Four.
27-May-2010
Stanford Women Earn 16th National Title with Thrilling 4-3 Victory over Florida
The Stanford Cardinal returned to the top of college tennis Tuesday,
claiming a dramatic 4-3 victory over the Florida Gators. After more
than four hours, the championship had come down to the No. 3 singles
match between freshman Mallory Burdette and Florida senior Marrit
Boonstra. Burdette broke Boonstra to serve for the third set at 6-5,
and then she sealed the 6-4, 6-7, 7-5 victory - starting a Cardinal
dogpile.
13-May-2010
Scout, Sponsor, Mentor, Technician: Wilson's Adam Schaechterle
As a poetry major at Northwestern University, Wilson's Adam
Schaechterle is as surprised as anyone to find himself Tour and Junior
Manager of the Americas after less than four years in the Racquet
Sports division of the global sporting goods company. Colette Lewis
caught up with Schaechterle at the Easter Bowl.
6-May-2010
April Aces
Although the majority of April's aces are from the two important
California junior hard court tournaments, many other teenagers
excelled on the clay, indicating their readiness to contend at the
upcoming spring majors in Europe.
22-Apr-2010
Fratangelo and Hardebeck Continue Winning Ways with Easter Bowl ITF Championships
Bjorn Fratangelo and Krista Hardebeck may be reigning Clay Court
champions, but they have shown their dominance extends to faster
surfaces too. Fratangelo followed up her USTA Spring National
Championships with a title last week at the ITF Easter Bowl.
Hardebeck joined him in the Easter Bowl winner's circle, less
than a week after capturing the International Spring
Championships.
16-Apr-2010
Southern California Wild Cards Kosakowski and Hardebeck Capture International Spring Championships
Krista Hardebeck and Daniel Kosakowski made the most of their wild
cards into the ITF Grade 1 International Spring Championships last
week at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., claiming their first
international junior titles without leaving their section.
14-Apr-2010
Spring Signing Week '10: Davis Signs with Seminoles
Blue chip Blake Davis looks back on last year's USTA Boys 18 Clay
Court championships as an important moment in his college search.
Unseeded in Delray Beach, Davis went on to reach the quarterfinals in
the main draw and the consolation final, results that confirmed both
the health of his surgically-repaired knee and his position as one of
the nation's top recruits. This week, Davis will sign a NLI to continue
his career with the Florida State Seminoles.
8-Apr-2010
Top Player to Top Coach: Georgia Tech's Bryan Shelton
Bryan Shelton's resume as a college and pro player is impressive. He
was an All-American at Georgia Tech, and he reached a career-high
ranking of 55 on the ATP tour. But since returning to his alma mater
to lead the women's program, his performance as a head coach has
eclipsed even the considerable accomplishments of his playing days.
1-Apr-2010
March Aces
No April Fools in this group of aces, who excelled not only in North
America, but in Europe, Asia and South America too. A special mention
goes to a pair of former college teammates who are winning Futures
doubles titles at a rate even the Bryan brothers would envy.
29-Mar-2010
Texas Tech Wins Thriller over Oklahoma to Claim Blue Gray Championship
The championship match in the 2010 Blue Gray National Tennis Classic
came down to a pair of Big 12 foes: #16 Texas Tech and #17 Oklahoma.
The final moved indoors - and the hotly-contested match ended after
four hours with Tech's Raony Carvalho clinching the 4-3 victory at No.
1 singles. Colette Lewis was in Mobile, Ala., to cover the event.
25-Mar-2010
Collins, Fratangelo Collect National Titles at Spring Championships
Mobile's azaleas hadn't yet bloomed, and for most of last week, the
USTA Spring 18 National Championships were played in weather more
reminiscent of November than March. But for champions Bjorn
Fratangelo and Danielle Collins, the chilly and breezy conditions
barely registered - a gold ball radiates a warmth all its own.
4-Mar-2010
February Aces
February's mid-winter aces always include those who excel on indoor
courts, collegiate and otherwise. However last month there was also
good news from the South American clay court circuit, where two young
Americans captured ITF junior titles on the surface known to present
the biggest challenges for them.
1-Mar-2010
Taney's Comeback Leads No. 8 Michigan Women Past Fifth-ranked Baylor
College dual matches can't be scripted. Too much can happen over the
course of three doubles and six singles matches. But last week the
Michigan women earned two 4-3 victories over visitors from Texas by
following a similar storyline - win the doubles point, then add
victories at the 4, 5, and 6 singles spots.
25-Feb-2010
Building a National Powerhouse
When Brian Boland arrived in Charlottesville in the fall of 2001,
Virginia had never won an ACC title or more than a round in the NCAA
team championships. Boland went to work, and the accomplishments are
piling up: three straight undefeated ACC seasons, two consecutive
undefeated regular seasons, two NCAA semifinal appearances, three NCAA
individual titles, and now three straight ITA Men's Team Indoor
titles. Here is Colette Lewis' conversation with Coach Boland.
18-Feb-2010
Virginia Tops Tennessee For Third Consecutive ITA Men's Indoor Championship
The Virginia Cavaliers won their first ITA Team Indoor championship
two years ago in Seattle and their second last year in Chicago. On
Monday, they claimed their third straight title, defeating Tennessee
4-1 at the sweetest of locations, their home courts at the Boar's Head
Sports Club in Charlottesville.
5-Feb-2010
January Aces
The bulk of January's 14 aces come from Arizona, where the USTA Winter
Nationals concluded on the first day of 2010. But Australia, England,
Mexico, South America and Florida were sites of outstanding
performances from other young competitors throughout the month, and an
exciting idea from the USTA also made the grade.
4-Feb-2010
North Carolina Earns Berth in ITA Team Indoor by Defeating Host Notre Dame
The North Carolina Women's Tennis Team travelled to South Bend,
Indiana to face Notre Dame on its home courts. On the line was a trip
to the ITA Team Indoor next week in Madison, Wisc., a trek every UNC
team has made for the past six years. That streak is now seven, with
the second-seeded Tar Heels posting a 5-2 win over top-seeded Irish.
28-Jan-2010
Talking About Your Tennis: Media Training for Juniors
Andy Roddick, Serena Williams and Melanie Oudin aren't professors, but
junior players at the USTA Training Center Headquarters learned
important lessons from the three American stars last fall at a media
relations session in Boca Raton, Fla.
21-Jan-2010
Sanon and Rinaldi Earn Tennis Plaza Cup 18s Titles
Top seed Bianca Sanon and unseeded Michael Rinaldi approached the
Tennis Plaza Cup in unsettled states of mind, yet the two Floridians
managed to focus on the task at hand to emerge with championship
trophies over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend.
14-Jan-2010
Nine Intriguing Questions for 2010
2010 marks the fifth new year for TennisRecruiting.net - and the fifth
edition of "Intriguing Questions" from columnist Colette Lewis. Lewis
asks nine questions that may bear answers in the first year of the new
decade.
7-Jan-2010
December Aces
December's aces always center on the three major international junior
tournaments in Florida, and this year, for the first time since I
began covering these events, 16 different players claimed titles. The
other two aces are U.S. teenagers who claimed Australian Open wild
card berths with victories last month in the USTA's playoff
tournament.
31-Dec-2009
Chiang Topples Favorites to Claim Junior Orange Bowl Title
Unseeded Californian Yuki Chiang made her final 14-and-under
tournament a memorable one, defeating the top three seeds en route to
the Junior Orange Bowl girls 14s title last week. She finished with a
flourish, downing No. 1 seed Brooke Austin 6-3, 6-3 in the
championship match held at the University of Miami's Neil Schiff
Tennis Center.
17-Dec-2009
Mina, Dabrowski Win 18s Championships, Halebian and Addison Capture 16s Titles at Dunlop Orange Bowl
The summer-like heat and humidity in Miami last week proved no
obstacle to Dunlop Orange Bowl boys 18s top seed Gianni Mina of
France, who won the Grade A championship. Canadian Gabriela
Dabrowski, the girls 18s champion, was unseeded and ranked outside the
ITF Junior Top 40 coming into the tournament.
10-Dec-2009
American Champions Abound at 2009 Eddie Herr
At the 2008 Eddie Herr, Americans took home half of the singles
titles, with four champions calling the United States home. Last week
they improved on last year's impressive showing, taking six of the
eight titles and sweeping both the 12s and 16s age divisions.
4-Dec-2009
November Aces
There's no off season for aces, with November providing notable
achievements from those competing at the ITA Indoor early in the month
to the Eddie Herr at the end. And we're all thankful for the
contributions of a truly exceptional ace retiring after more than 30
years of service to junior tennis.
27-Nov-2009
Eddie Herr Preview: 16s and 18s
Yesterday, Colette Lewis previewed the younger age groups at the Eddie
Herr. Today she takes a look at the 16s and 18s divisions.
26-Nov-2009
Eddie Herr Preview: 12s and 14s
One of the pleasures of attending the Eddie Herr International
tournament year after year is the opportunity to watch the progress of
junior players from their pre-teen years through young adulthood. In
the first of a two-part preview of this year's tournament, I'll look
at some of the youngest competitors, most of whom are seeking the
thrill of their first major international championship.
16-Nov-2009
Pac-10 Sweeps Titles at ITA Intercollegiate Indoor Championships
With their regional competitions held outdoors, the Pac-10 players who
won entry into the ITA Indoor had to adapt quickly once they arrived
at Yale University. They did just that, with teams from Stanford
earning an unprecedented sweep of the doubles title, and Steve Johnson
of the University of Southern California and Jana Juricova of
California-Berkeley capturing the singles titles at the Cullman-Heyman
Tennis Center in West Haven, Conn.
11-Nov-2009
Fall Signing Week '09: Cercone Stays in Home State, Signs with Gators
Back when she was playing zonals and intersectionals for the Florida
section, Alexandra Cercone loved the team atmosphere at those junior
competitions. She treasured the bonds formed by the team t-shirts and
well-rehearsed cheers. And although college tennis may mean bigger
audiences for that team spirit, her decision to sign a National Letter
of Intent to join the University of Florida in 2010 will keep that
Florida pride in full view.
5-Nov-2009
October Aces
October's baker's dozen of aces range in age from 11 to 23, and posted
their wins in locations equally as diverse - Germany, Japan, Tulsa,
Okla., Bolivia and Curacao, to name just a few of the places where
these champions were crowned.
29-Oct-2009
Capra and Gibbs Join U.S. Fed Cup Team's Title Quest
An invitation to join the United States Fed Cup team as hitting
partners is exciting enough, but Beatrice Capra and Nicole Gibbs have
additional reasons to savor the experience: it's the finals, it's in
Italy, and they are going together.
22-Oct-2009
Bouchard and Bangoura Emerge as Pan-American Champions in Damp and Chilly Tulsa
The weather in Oklahoma felt more like December than October, but for
Eugenie Bouchard and Sekou Bangoura Jr. there were no gifts, nothing
to suggest a festive holiday. Instead, there were long days waiting
for an indoor court, grueling matches and frustrating moments. Yet
both handled every challenge last week, claiming their first ITF Grade
1 titles at the University of Tulsa's Michael D. Case Tennis Center.
15-Oct-2009
Smith Claims Two Titles for Volunteers at D'Novo ITA All-American Championships
The weather was damp and cool in Tulsa last weekend, but the dreary
conditions didn't faze Tennessee junior JP Smith, who became the first
player to sweep the singles and doubles titles at the All-American
Championships since Harvard's James Blake accomplished that feat in
1998.
8-Oct-2009
Davis Gains Stature in New York
Top-ranked sophomore Lauren Davis decided to defend her USTA National
Girls 16s title in San Diego this year - in part to return to the
biggest stage in U.S. tennis - Flushing Meadows, New York. Having played
only three ITF junior events in her tennis career, Davis needed the US
Open Junior wild card given to the 16s champion, and once she secured
it, without dropping a set in her seven victories, she was ready for
her second chance in New York.
1-Oct-2009
September Aces
The year's final major supplied our junior aces, but current and
former collegians also claimed the spotlight, excelling in competition
from Gainesville and Waco to Manila and Johannesburg, and nearly
everywhere in between.
24-Sep-2009
Capra Considers Options While Enjoying Junior Grand Slam Success
Blue chip senior Beatrice Capra loves to write, keeping a journal of
her experiences as she travels the tennis circuit. This summer, the
class of 2010's third-ranked player reached the final 16 in all three
junior slams, concluding with a quarterfinal appearance at the U.S.
Open. With that kind of success, writer's block isn't likely, and she
provided some of her impressions during a recent interview.
17-Sep-2009
Notes and Observations on 2009 U.S. Open
The final junior slam of the year is now history, and with Great
Britain's Heather Watson and Australia's Bernard Tomic capturing the
girls and boys titles, that makes eight different players claiming the
championships this year. This year's US Open provided plenty of drama
and surprises - here are a dozen impressions.
4-Sep-2009
US Open Junior Preview
India's Yuki Bhambri and France's Kristina Mladenovic will be the top
seeds in this year's U.S. Open Junior Championships, but they're
better off reflecting on their previous Junior Grand Slam titles than
on the past history of No. 1 seeds in the year's final major.
3-Sep-2009
August Aces
The aces of August include the eight USTA national junior champions,
three girls who couldn't play the nationals but captured a coveted
team title that same week, an award-winning coach and three
competitors who excelled on the ITF circuit.
27-Aug-2009
Where Are They Now? Paul Goldstein
Few Kalamazoo competitors are remembered as fondly as Paul Goldstein,
who won three consecutive singles titles at the USTA Boys Nationals,
winning the 16s in 1992, and the 18s in 1993 and 1994. Add a doubles
title with Scott Humphries in 1994, and his sportsmanship award in
1992, and it's little wonder Goldstein was welcomed like an old friend
when he returned to Kalamazoo several weeks ago for the professional
exhibition that opens the event.
20-Aug-2009
Buchanan and Austin Add Their Names to List of Kalamazoo Champions, Earn Invitations to US Open
Chase Buchanan marched along a very direct path to the 18s National
title at Kalamazoo College's Stowe Stadium, Gonzales Austin took a
more winding road in capturing the 16s championship, but both reached
their ultimate destination: Flushing Meadow, New York and the US Open.
6-Aug-2009
Alex Domijan and Jack Sock Top Seeds for USTA Boys 18 and 16 National Championships in Kalamazoo
For generations, Kalamazoo has welcomed the nation's top junior boys,
who converge on the courts of Kalamazoo College and Western Michigan
University not only for a chance to compete against the best in a
pressure-packed setting, but also for the festival of junior tennis
the tournament has become. This year, the tournament's 67th, top
seeds Alex Domijan and Jack Sock are expected to assume starring
roles.
5-Aug-2009
July Aces
The majority of July's aces come from the USTA Clay Court National
Championships, but beginning with the Wimbledon junior championships
and ending on the U.S. hard courts, there were other performances
during the month that put international juniors and U.S. collegians in
the spotlight too.
30-Jul-2009
Unseeded Hardebeck Captures Clay Court Title in First Girls 18s National Championship
Fourteen-year-old Krista Hardebeck faced all sorts of challenges in
her first National Championships in the 18s division. From an
unfamiliar surface, to bad weather, to an early round third-set
tiebreaker, she survived them all, and with a 6-2, 6-3 win over No. 17
seed Gabriella De Simone in the final, which was played indoors at the
Tunica National Tennis Club due to rain, Hardebeck made sure her first
USTA ball was a gold one.
23-Jul-2009
The Man Behind the Texas College Tennis Blog
Last spring, tennis bloggers welcomed a new website and a new voice in
college tennis world. During its first year of existence, the Texas
College Tennis blog had neither a name nor face attached to it. But at
the NCAAs in College Station, I met its creator, and he agreed to
answer the many questions I had about his connection with college
tennis in Texas and his decision to start a blog dedicated to it.
16-Jul-2009
Athletic DNA Launches Clothing Line with Juniors in Mind
When facing global sports apparel and shoe giants like Nike and
Adidas, how does a small startup hope to have an impact? For Athletic
DNA, a new Seattle-based company, the answer is simple: focus on
tennis, and start where the sport starts - in the juniors.
9-Jul-2009
Will Heads Florida's Way
Blue chip recruit Allie Will had two decisions to make during her
senior year. The 18-year-old from Boca Raton, Fla. was debating both
where and when she would attend college, deciding late last year on
the University of Florida, and early last month that she would not
take a year off, but instead join the Gators this fall.
2-Jul-2009
June Aces
June is the month when red clay gives way to green grass as the tennis
surface du jour. Here's a baker's dozen aces who have excelled in
Paris, London, and even on hard courts in the U.S.
25-Jun-2009
Sarmiento Keeping College Options Open
Raymond Sarmiento probably won't be answering his phone too often next
week, despite the many, many calls he'll undoubtedly receive from
college coaches interested in discussing his plans. The Fontana,
California native, who turns 17 next month, is in Europe the next
several weeks, competing in ITF Men's and Junior Circuit events.
18-Jun-2009
International Grass Courts Veteran Sarmiento and Rookie Davis Claim Titles in Philadelphia
Last week in Philadelphia, Raymond Sarmiento made his third appearance
at the ITF Grade 3 International Grass Court Championships and swept
both the singles and doubles titles. On the girls' side,
fifteen-year-old qualifier Lauren Davis earned the title in only her
third ITF-sanctioned event.
11-Jun-2009
Harvard Law or Decatur Futures?
When Blake Strode was growing up, he had two ambitious and unrelated
dream careers: pro tennis and law. Both are still vying for his time.
He finished his collegiate tennis career at Arkansas ranked #13 in
singles and reached the semifinals of last month's NCAA championships.
He graduated with a 3.97 grade point average and has been admitted to
Harvard Law School. Colette Lewis caught up with Strode at the NCAA
Championships and talked with him about his future.
4-Jun-2009
May Aces
The NCAA Division I Championships in College Station Texas produced
the majority of May's dozen aces, but several young pros and juniors
also excelled last month, on both the red and green versions of clay.
28-May-2009
Freshmen Britton and Cecil Earn NCAA Singles Titles
Two American teenagers with less than five months of college tennis
experience stayed cool under pressure in the Texas heat and humidity
Monday, leaving the George Mitchell Tennis Center on the Texas A&M
campus with three NCAA championship trophies between them.
21-May-2009
Duke Women and Southern Cal Men Claim NCAA Titles in College Station
It was the first for the Duke women, and either the fifth or the 17th
for the Southern Californian men, but regardless of the number, NCAA
championships are always the highlight of a collegiate career. Duke
claimed theirs with a 4-0 blanking of California-Berkeley Tuesday
evening, while USC downed Ohio State 4-1 in the afternoon contest at
the George Mitchell Tennis Center on the campus of Texas A&M
University.
14-May-2009
Fuller Makes Early Commitment to Georgia
Kate Fuller wasn't in a hurry. The 17-year-old high school junior had
planned to take all five of her official recruiting visits this fall.
A recent unofficial visit to nearby Athens, Ga., caused the Suwanee
resident to reconsider that timetable however, and Fuller has verbally
committed to the University of Georgia for the fall of 2010.
7-May-2009
April Aces
Most of April's aces distinguished themselves in the California junior
events, but the always geographically diverse tennis schedule produced
notable performances in India, Morocco and Cary, North Carolina too.
30-Apr-2009
Buckeyes Subdue Illini Again for Fourth Consecutive Big Ten Men's Title
For the sixth straight year the Big Ten Men's Conference Championship
came down to Ohio State and Illinois. The first of those two finals,
in 2004 and 2005, went to the Fighting Illini, but the past three had
belonged to the Buckeyes, and the country's third-ranked team was a
decided favorite in Sunday's contest, held at the University of
Michigan Varsity Tennis Center in Ann Arbor.
23-Apr-2009
King and McHale Win 2009 Easter Bowl ITF Titles
It was cool; it was hot; it was breezy; it was calm; it was dramatic;
it was routine. The 2009 Easter Bowl had a bit of everything last week
at the Rancho Las Palmas Resort and Spa in Rancho Mirage, California.
And when the last ball had been struck Sunday, there were both
veterans and rookies earning the coveted spring titles.
16-Apr-2009
Frank and Stephens Claim International Spring Championships
Mitchell Frank and Sloane Stephens came into the International Spring
Championships seeded ninth, but after a week of outstanding tennis,
they emerged with their first ITF Grade 1 titles And as an added
bonus, the two 16-year-olds enhanced their positions in the ITF World
Junior rankings for the upcoming Junior Slams in Paris and London.
9-Apr-2009
Spring Signing Week '09: Phillips Joins New Mexico's Lobos
Blue chip senior Jadon Phillips knows that life has a way of defying
expectations. Fully expecting to stay in the South, perhaps attending
Georgia Tech, Phillips took a recruiting visit to the University of
New Mexico in January. Despite initial doubts, he is excited to
announce he's heading west to Albuquerque to join coach Alan Dils's
team this fall.
2-Apr-2009
March Aces
The March aces are mostly of the junior variety, but add a couple of
pros and a college star, and it's a spring bouquet of tennis
excellence.
26-Mar-2009
Tennessee Beats Alabama to Win Blue Gray Tennis Classic
It has a tradition spanning 60 years, but Blue Gray Tennis Classic
chairman Paul Winn had no hesitation in putting this year's tournament
at the pinnacle. "It's probably the best weather we've ever had, the
best crowd we've ever had and the best support," an enthusiastic Winn
said of the annual invitational event that brings 16 top Division I
men's teams to Montgomery, Ala. In the championship match, the
Tennessee Volunteers defeated Alabama 4-2.
25-Mar-2009
Saba and Capra Capture USTA 18s Spring National Championships
As the rain of the first few days gave way to brilliant sun and ideal
playing conditions last week, the USTA 18s Spring National
Championships in Mobile, Ala. produced an expected winner, in girls
top seed Beatrice Capra, and a surprise one, in boys No. 11 seed
Frederick Saba.
12-Mar-2009
One Step at a Time
Chris Woodruff talks with Colette Lewis about the importance of
succeeding at one level before moving to the next.
5-Mar-2009
February Aces
This February's honors go not only to the 14-and-under "Small Aces"
crowned in France, but also to Intercollegiate Tennis Association Team
Indoor stars and high-profile juniors making their mark in the pro
ranks.
26-Feb-2009
Nine Questions with Julia Boserup
Seventeen-year-old Julia Boserup played only two ITF tournaments in
2008, the U.S. Open and the Dunlop Orange Bowl. At Key Biscayne, the
5-foot-11 right-hander demonstrated her game's considerable potential
by overcoming a strong field to capture the title. I
spoke with her at length after her Orange Bowl win, and she reflected
on her Fed Cup experience a few months later via email.
19-Feb-2009
Virginia Claims Second Consecutive ITA Men's Team Indoor Championship
The University of Virginia put an end to a long losing streak against
the University of Georgia, and in the process defended their ITA Men's
Team Indoor title posting 4-1 victory over the No. 3 ranked Bulldogs
Monday at the Midtown Tennis Club in Chicago, Ill.
12-Feb-2009
USTA Junior Team Defeats University of Miami Men in Exhibition
No one knew what to expect - not the USTA, not its young players, not
the University of Miami team or its coach. It was uncharted territory
when a veritable all-star team of juniors met a top Division I men's
program in the standard college dual match format last week. So
perhaps the juniors' 6-1 win over the 23rd ranked and injury-riddled
Hurricanes couldn't really be considered a surprise.
5-Feb-2009
January Aces
The month opened with eight gold balls being presented to the USTA
Winter National champions and closed with the awarding of Australian
Open junior championship trophies accompanied by stuffed wombats. But
regardless of the prize, these 15 aces kicked off 2009 with impressive
performances.
29-Jan-2009
Top Prospect: Rhyne Williams
Rhyne Williams' tennis compass has always pointed in the direction of
the University of Tennessee. But as the 17-year-old senior turns his
attention to the collegiate phase of his tennis career, Tennessee is
currently one of five options he is considering, along with Illinois,
Texas A and M, Duke and Vanderbilt.
22-Jan-2009
Laurente and Fratangelo Earn Tennis Plaza Cup Championships
The 2009 Tennis Plaza Cup, a USTA Level 3 event in its third year on
the national junior schedule, saw considerably more sunshine than the
2008 version, and it shone brightly on two young unseeded champions in
the 18s division, played on the green clay courts of Coral Gables,
Florida's Salvadore Park.
15-Jan-2009
Britton Bolsters Ole Miss for Dual Season
The University of Mississippi is currently ranked No. 9 in the country and
has the nation's top-ranked doubles team in Jonas Berg and Bram ten
Berge. But the Rebels bolstered their roster considerably for the 2009
season when blue chip recruit Devin Britton received the necessary
NCAA clearances to join the team for the spring semester.
8-Jan-2009
Eight Intriguing Questions for 2009
Another year, another "Intriguing Questions" article from Colette Lewis.
Lewis takes a moment to ask eight questions for the coming year.
2-Jan-2009
December Aces
December's junior swing produces aces galore, as young players from
around the globe descend on Florida, dreaming of capturing Eddie Herr
and Orange Bowl titles. This year 15 different competitors earned
those prestigious titles to end 2008 on a high note.
29-Dec-2008
Richmond Wins 14s Junior Orange Bowl Title
The Junior Orange Bowl has always been proud of its international
stature, and in 2008, the Coral Gables, Florida-based event for the
12s and 14s age groups showcased Korea as a country on the rise.
18-Dec-2008
Color the Orange Bowl Red, White and Blue
The success of U.S. juniors continued at the Dunlop Orange Bowl last
week, where Americans captured six of the eight titles contested at
the prestigious international tournament.
11-Dec-2008
U.S. Players Dominate at 2008 Eddie Herr
The Eddie Herr International is a virtual United Nations of junior
tennis, but this year it was the United States dominating the
competition, taking four of the eight singles titles, including
victories in both the boys and girls 18s championships - the first time
in history that a country has swept both titles in the same year.
4-Dec-2008
November Aces
November marks the end of the fall season for college players and the
final U.S. Pro Circuit events of the year. The junior tennis carousel
never stops, so here are last month's aces from those three sectors
and other parts of the globe too.
28-Nov-2008
Eddie Herr: The Junior Tennis World Converges on Bradenton
Sixteen different tournaments - boys and girls, 12s, 14s, 16s and 18s,
singles and doubles - all taking place simultaneously on one piece of
very famous property, the IMG/Nick Bolliettieri Tennis Academy, puts
the Eddie Herr near the top of junior tennis competitions.
17-Nov-2008
Miseviciute Repeats, Koniecko Wins Battle of the Buckeyes at ITA Indoor
Arkansas's Aurelija Miseviciute handled the pressure of defending her
ITA Indoor title, downing Clemson's Ani Mijacika for the second
straight year, this time by a 1-6, 7-5, 6-4 score, while Ohio State's
Bryan Koniecko survived a different kind of tension, winning his first
national title by defeating teammate Justin Kronauge 6-2, 5-7, 6-3.
12-Nov-2008
Fall Signing Week '08: Turvy Joins Big Ten Powerhouse
It's no surprise that blue chip recruit Kate Turvy entertained serious
thoughts of becoming a Buckeye, since her hometown of Dublin, Ohio is
a just a few miles from Columbus. But a trip to Evanston, Ill. last
month made such an impression that Turvy chose Northwestern instead.
6-Nov-2008
One-Day Showdown at Michigan State
No umpires, no T-shirts, no trophies, no ranking points. Sound like
something new in junior tennis competition? It is. Called Campus Match
Play One-Day Tennis Showdowns, the initiative was created by the
Intercollegiate Tennis Association and USTA to provide both college
and junior players an opportunity to interact in a low-cost, highly
concentrated day of competition on college campuses across the
country.
6-Nov-2008
Countdown: Evan King Goes Blue
Evan King can check off "learn school fight song" from his Things To
Do Before Heading To College list. His father taught him the
University of Michigan's famous fight song "Hail to the Victors" back
when King was many years away from being a much-pursued blue chip
recruit. This week, King made a verbal commitment to Bruce Berque's
Wolverine squad.
30-Oct-2008
October Aces
The month isn't even complete and already October's aces are as
abundant as campaign advertisements. Here are 16 achievers who get my
vote this month.
29-Oct-2008
Countdown: Kandath Casts Vote for Cardinal
Blue Chip Matt Kandath knew it wouldn't be easy. After official
recruiting visits to the University of Virginia, Duke, Princeton and
Stanford this fall, the Gansevoort, New York senior still had not made
a choice. But last week, he knew the time had come.
23-Oct-2008
Welcome Wins for Domijan and Capra at ITF Pan-American Closed
Alex Domijan and Beatrice Capra boosted their ITF world junior
rankings into the top 100 last week in Tulsa, capturing the
Pan-American B1 Closed titles. 11th-seeded Domijan defeated No. 4
seed Ryan Lipman 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 for the boys' title, while Capra scored
a 7-6(2), 6-2 victory over No. 1 seed Pamela Montez in the girls'
final.
16-Oct-2008
LSU's Venus Defeats Oklahoma State's Nedovyesov to Capture D'Novo All-American Title
The SEC has a reputation for outstanding football teams, but on a
breezy Sunday morning in Tulsa, it was tennis adding to the conference
glory, with Louisiana State's Michael Venus taking the singles crown
and Ole Miss's Jonas Berg and Bram ten Berge capturing the doubles
title at the D'Novo ITA All-American Championships at the Michael D.
Case Tennis Center on the campus of the University of Tulsa.
9-Oct-2008
A Look at the Grips Program
Southern California junior development coaches Craig Cignarelli and
Aaron Fox recognized a need for more structure and objectivity in
their teaching methods, which led them to create the Grips Program.
Colette Lewis explains the reasons for the program's popularity with
players, parents and coaches.
2-Oct-2008
September Aces
September began with an unexpectedly strong showing by Americans at
the U.S. Open junior championships and ended with the 16-and-under
teams capturing the Junior Davis Cup and Junior Fed Cup. So it's no
surprise that most of last month's dozen aces are either from the U.S.
or have strong connections here.
25-Sep-2008
Zsilinszka's Vietnam Experience
Reka Zsilinszka, a sophomore on the Duke tennis team, spent three
weeks this summer in Vietnam, as an ambassador for the newly created
Coach For College Program. Today, Zsilinszka provides this photo
album of her experience there.
18-Sep-2008
Top Prospect: Matt Kandath
Matt Kandath's two-handed forehand is like a two-dollar bill - it's
rarely encountered, but provides the value of more conventional
methods. The 16-year-old from Gansevoort, New York accrued noteworthy
results earlier this month at the U.S. Open junior championships and
in the next few weeks will circulate the country, taking the official
visits that will help determine his college choice.
11-Sep-2008
Americans Thrive in New York
The US Open Junior Championships proved to be a coming out party for
the two Americans finalists, with Coco Vandeweghe capturing the title
with a 7-6(3), 6-1 victory over Gabriela Paz of Venezuela and Devin
Britton reaching the end of his magical run, suffering a 6-4, 6-3
defeat to Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov.
4-Sep-2008
August Aces
August is the month when the U.S. Open gets the country's sports fans
talking tennis. It's also the month when USTA national champions are
crowned, and the aces below, whether 12 or 18 years old, are all
hoping to someday make their names on the blue courts of the USTA
Billie Jean King National Tennis Center
28-Aug-2008
US Open Junior Preview
The year's final Junior Grand Slam has no Rafael Nadal looming over
the field, but in the boys event, all three 2008 major winners will be
in Flushing Meadows, hoping to secure a second title and front-runner
status for the honor of finishing the year as the ITF Junior World
Champion.
21-Aug-2008
Top Prospect: Evan King
Evan King of Chicago has a number of high-profile accomplishments to
his name, including titles at the 2006 Easter Bowl 14s, 2006 USTA
Winter 16s and 2007 Illinois state high school championships. Now the
Blue Chip senior is surveying his many college options.
14-Aug-2008
Krajicek and Cox Head to New York with Kalamazoo Titles
For Boys 18s champion Austin Krajicek, a semester of college tennis
played an important role in preparing for the physical and mental
rigors of Kalamazoo. For 16s champion Jordan Cox, a change in attitude
between the quarterfinals and the semifinals resulted in an impressive
ability to regroup when adversity struck.
7-Aug-2008
July Aces
The aces of July are many, from the Wimbledon Junior winners to
Challenger victors, with the eight Clay Court champions and other Pro
Circuit and Tour standouts in between.
31-Jul-2008
Kalamazoo Welcomes Stellar Field for 2008 National Championships
Texans Ryan Harrison and Harry Fowler hope to follow in the footsteps
of last year's No. 1 seeds Michael McClune and Tennys Sandgren in
fighting off all challengers for titles at the USTA Boys 18 and 16
National Championships, which begin tomorrow in Kalamazoo, Mich.
30-Jul-2008
Top Prospect: Jacqueline Cako
Three years ago, Jacqueline Cako didn't win a match at her first
national tournament, the 14s Easter Bowl. But now, the rising senior
from Brier, Wash. is one of the most coveted recruits in the nation,
and she has the voice mails to prove it.
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.
