Hibi, Black to Battle in Girls’ 18s
Final At ASICS Easter Bowl
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (April 12, 2013) – Mayo Hibi has had quite an impressive run in her return to junior tennis over the past two weeks.
The Irvine 17-year-old is just one win away from taking the impressive back-to-back ITF double of winning Carson and the ASICS Easter Bowl as she takes on 14-year-old Tornado Ali Black in the Girls’ 18s final on Saturday at the 46th annual event taking place at the Sunrise Country Club.
Hibi, who has played just ITF Pro Circuit Futures events this year, has had just one day off over the past 12 days. Only Melanie Oudin (2008) and Krista Hardebeck (2010) have been able to pull off the Carson-Easter Bowl double.
“Yeah, I’m pretty tired,” said Hibi, who had another convincing win on Friday over 13-year-old Michaela Gordon of Los Altos Hills, Calif., 6-2, 6-0. Later in the day she fell in the doubles semifinals with Brooke Austin.
Hibi and Black have played just once before last summer in the quarterfinals of an ITF $10,000 Futures event at Hilton Head, S.C., with Hibi dropping just one game. Hibi said Black didn’t play her best match and expects a tough final on Saturday.
“I’m sure she’s going to be ready to go,” Hibi said.
Black fell down 3-1 in the first set for the second consecutive match, but was able to battle back against a tough player in Louisa Chirico in a match that was just short of three hours as the No. 6-seed recorded a tense 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5) win.
Unseeded Gage Brymer of Irvine continued his impressive run advancing to the semifinals in the Boys’ 18s division. He next meets Martin Redlicki, the No. 5-seed from Boca Raton, Fla. Redlicki upset defending champion and No. 2 seeded Mackenzie McDonald of Piedmont, Calif., in three sets, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2. In the other half of the draw, No. 3 Luca Corinteli takes on top-seeded Noah Rubin.
In the boys’ 14s final on Saturday, the seedings held almost perfect as No. 1 John McNally of Cincinnati beat No. 5 Nathan Perrone of Mount Laurel, N.J., and No. 2 Connor Hance toppled No. 3 Zeke Clark of Tulsa, Okla., also in straight sets setting up a finals matchup on Saturday between the top two seeds.
McNally is aware he would be in some impressive company if he could pull out the win in the final Saturday. “I haven’t look back at the past winners in the 14s,” he said. “I just know how prestigious a tournament this is.”
Aaron Krickstein, Justin Gimelstob and Donald Young are past 14s ASICS Easter Bowl winners.
McNally and Hance have never played each other, but did square off in a doubles match on Thursday won by Hance and his partner.
“I learned he had a gigantic forehand,” Hance said. “I have a plan, I think.”
Hance and Clark had some extremely long rallies. “The average rally was like 20 shots,” Hance said. “I was just trying to keep it deep. He doesn’t give you a lot of balls to put away. He’s a great player and I had to do a lot to keep him off balance and to throw him off. It’s hard to pass him because he’s so fast. I was just grinding with him.
“There were lots of breaks in the second set. It was just break, break, break. It’s hard to serve when you’re having 40-ball rallies because you lose your legs.”
Ashley Lahey continued what she called her “breakthrough” tournament, advancing to the final for the first time in a Supernational event. Her and her mother moved to the South Bay from Colorado a year ago to be closer to the USTA Training Center – West where she trains with best friend Ryan Peus, who she beat on Friday, 6-2, 6-2.
“I practice with Ryan every day,” the No. 11 seeded Lahey said. “We are best friends. We are inseparable. It’s tough to play your best friend but eventually you get over that barrier. Hopefully I can play one more good match.”
Her finals opponent is No. 3 Jaeda Daniel of Port Charlotte, Fla. She beat Alexa Graham of Garden City, N.Y. 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-1.
“It feels great to be in the final,” said Daniel, who trains part of the year near her hometown of Philadelphia. “It’s been a long tournament.”
Sightings on Thursday and Friday: Former ATP pros Tim Mayotte, Eliot Teltscher and former NCAA women’s singles champion Beth Herr Bellamy.
The 18s singles draws can be found here: http://tennislink.usta.com/Tournaments/TournamentHome/Tournament.aspx?T=122977
For 16s and 14s go to TennisLink here:
http://tennislink.usta.com/Tournaments/TournamentHome/Tournament.aspx?T=122896
To keep up with all the ASICS Easter Bowl news, visit the website at www.easterbowl.com and check out the tournament on Facebook (www.facebook.com/EasterBowl) and Twitter (@easterbowl). For more information on ASICS, check out: www.ASICSAmerica.com and follow on Twitter @ASICSAmerica.
Friday’s Scores
Boys’ 18s Singles (Quarterfinals)
Gage Brymer, Irvine, CA def. Michael Mmoh (8), Temple Hills, MD 5-7, 6-4, 6-3
Martin Redlicki (5), Boca Raton, FL def. Mackenzie McDonald (2), Piedmont, CA 6-2, 3-6, 6-2
Luca Corinteli (3), Alexandria, VA def. Ernesto Escobedo, West Covina, CA 6-1, 6-4
Noah Rubin (1), Rockville Centre, NY def. Alexandru Gozun, Sarasota, FL 6-4, 6-0
Boys’ 18s Doubles (Quarterfinals)
JC Aragone / Mackenzie McDonald (4) def. AJ Catanzariti / Dennis Uspensky (7) 6-4, 6-0
Luca Corinteli / Martin Redlicki (1) def. Justin Butsch / Tommy Mylnikov (5) 6-3, 6-3
Robbie Bellamy / Joseph Di Giulio def. Michael Mmoh / Francis Tiafoe (3) 6-2, 6-4
Jordi Arconada / Spencer Papa (2) def. Gregory Garcia / Tyler Lu 7-5, 6-4
Girls’ 18s Singles (Semifinals)
Tornado Ali Black (6), Miami, FL def. Louisa Chirico (14), Harrison, NY 7-6(5), 7-6(5)
Mayo Hibi (13), Irvine, CA def. Michaela Gordon, Los Altos Hills, CA 6-2, 6-0
Girls’ 18s Doubles (Semifinals)
Josie Kuhlman / Katerina Stewart def. Brooke Austin / Mayo Hibi (6) 6-2, 6-2
Spencer Liang / Peggy Porter def. Maegan Manasse / Jamie Loeb 3-6, 6-4, 10-6
Boys’ 16s Singles (Quarterfinals)
Kalman Boyd (17), Rancho Santa Fe, CA def. Kyle Seelig (2), Hatfield, PA 6-0, 6-1
Sameer Kumar (1), Carmel, IN def. Jake DeVine (17), Boca Raton, FL 7-5, 6-4
Taylor Fritz (3), Rancho Santa Fe, CA def. Victor Pham (9), Saratoga, CA 6-1, 6-0
Emil Reinberg (17), Atlanta, GA def. Chase Colton (4), Davie, FL 4-6, 6-1, 6-2
Boys’ 16s Doubles (Semifinals)
Jake DeVine / Catalin Mateas (7) def. Henry Gordon / Austin Rapp (6) 6-2, 3-6, 6-3
Chase Colton / Alfredo Perez (12) def. Grayson Broadus / Jean Thirouin (5) 6-3, 3-6, 7-5
Girls’ 16s Singles (Quarterfinals)
Hanna Chang, Fontana, CA def. Meredith Xepoleas (3), Huntington Beach, CA 6-4, 6-3
Catherine Bellis (8), Atherton, CA def. Francesca Dilorenzo (1), New Albany, OH 7-5, 6-2
Emma Higuchi (4), Los Angeles, CA def. Emma Davis (17), Cohasset, MA 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
Caroline Dolehide (7), Hinsdale, IL def. Meghan Kelley (11), Falmouth, ME 6-3, 7-5
Girls’ 16s Doubles (Quarterfinals)
Jada Hart / Stephanie Hazell def. Jessica Livianu / Alexandra Sabe 6-4, 6-2
Caroline Dolehide / Brienne Minor (1) def. Ena Shibahara / Savannah Slaysman (7) 4-6, 6-4, 10-8
Emma Higuchi / Rebecca Weissmann (3) def. Kenadi Hance / Risa Nakagawa (8) 7-5, 7-6(4)
Jessie Aney / Alexis Nelson (6) def. Katharine Fahey / Jacqueline Urbinati (2) 6-3, 6-1
Boys’ 14s Singles (Semifinals)
John McNally (1), Cincinnati, OH def. Nathan Perrone (5), Mount Laurel, NJ 7-5, 6-3
Connor Hance (2), Torrance, CA def. Zeke Clark (3), Tulsa, OK 6-4, 6-4
Boys’ 14s Doubles (Semifinals)
Bryce Pereira / Michael Zhao (5) def. Jonathan Dollahite / Dylan Levitt (16) 6-2, 6-3
Jake Van Emburgh / JJ Wolf (6) def. Connor Hance / Sam Riffice (14) 7-6(1), 6-4
Boys’ 14 Singles (Gold Draw Quarterfinal Losers, Semifinal Round)
Max Pham, Newport Coast, CA def. Robert Baylon, Buena Park, CA 6-1, 6-0
Justin Lee, Cos Cob, CT def. Jacob Brumm, Rancho Santa Fe, CA Wo (ill)
Boys’ 14 Singles (Gold Draw Quarterfinal Losers, Final Round)
Max Pham, Newport Coast, CA def. Justin Lee, Cos Cob, CT 6-2, 6-2
Boys’ 14 Singles (Silver Draw 4th Round Losers, Final Round)
Conrad Russell, Palo Alto, CA def. Michael Zhao, Princeton Jct, NJ 6-2, 6-2
Girls’ 14s Singles (Semifinals)
Ashley Lahey (11), Hawthorne, CA def. Ryan Peus (9), Caprinteria, CA 6-2, 6-2
Jaeda Daniel (3), Port Charlotte, FL def. Alexa Graham (17), Garden City, NY 7-6(4), 2-6, 6-1
Girls’ 14s Doubles (Finals)
Hada Chang / Abigail Chiu (1) def. Kelly Chen / Annette Goulak (2) 6-2, 6-2
Girls’ 14 Singles (Gold Draw Quarterfinal Losers; Final Round)
Kylie McKenzie, Anthem, AZ def. Claire Liu, Thousand Oaks, CA 6-4; 7-6(7)
Girls’ 14 Singles (Gold Draw Quarterfinal Losers, Semifinal Round)
Claire Liu, Thousand Oaks, CA def. Ellie Douglas, McKinney, TX Wo (inj)
Kylie McKenzie, Anthem, AZ def. Janice Shin, Houston, TX 6-3, 6-3
Girls’ 14 Singles (Silver Draw 4th Round Losers, Final Round)
Riley McQuaid Tustin, CA def. Abigail Desiatnikov, Gates Mills, OH 7-6(4), 1-6, 14-12
Girls’ 14 Doubles (Playoff)
Darya Possokhova / Katya Tabachnik (8) def. Samantha Martinelli / Delaney Nothaft (3) 6-4, 6-4
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