TOP-SEEDED TIAFOE BEATS FRITZ TO ADVANCE TO ASICS EASTER BOWL SEMIFINALS

Written by: Staff on 11th April 2014

TOP-SEEDED TIAFOE BEATS FRITZ TO ADVANCE TO ASICS EASTER BOWL SEMIFINALS |

Retired tennis player Taylor Dent and top-seeded Francis Tiafoe standing next to the 10sballs logo.

In a match that had all the intensity of a final between two of the nation’s top 16-year-olds, top-seeded Francis Tiafoe of College Park, Md., came back to beat No. 7-seeded Taylor Fritz of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2, on Friday to advance to the ITF Boys’ 18s semifinals at the ASICS Easter Bowl.

At 4-all in the second set with Tiafoe serving down 15-40, Fritz had a golden chance to break and then serve for the match, but Tiafoe came up with a huge serve and then played another smart point to eventually hold serve, win a close tiebreaker and close out the match at the 47th annual tournament being played at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

“In the third set I really started to play my game and use the plan that my coach here Frank (Salazar) gave me,” Tiafoe said. “I knew if it was going to go three it would be mine because I knew he was getting tired. They asked if we wanted the 10-minute heat rule before the third set. I didn’t want it and I didn’t even let him get a chance to answer.”

Tiafoe has never faced his semifinal opponent Robert Levine, the No. 13-ranked player from Bedford, N.Y., who ended unseeded Michael Genender’s run in the tournament, 5-7, 7-5, 6-4.

Tiafoe said he knew Fritz would come out firing since he sorely needed to win this event to get straight into the junior French Open and Wimbledon later this spring. Tiafoe said he’s never had great results at all the past Easter Bowls he has played. “To me it’d be so huge if I won here because I’ve never done that great here,” he said. “I lost in the first round the first year, second round the next year and the third round last year. So I was thinking I might be leaving in the quarters after the first set and this would be it for me.”

In the other semifinal, Aron Hiltzik of Wilmette, Ill., will take on unseeded Nathan Ponwith of Scottsdale, Ariz. Hiltzik took out William Blumberg of Greenwich, Conn., 7-6 (7), 4-6, 6-3, and Ponwith eliminated No. 3-seeded Logan Smith of Carlsbad, Calif., 6-1, 6-4.

Hiltzik was an Easter Bowl Boys’ 16s finalist in 2012 where he lost to current UCLA Bruin Joseph DiGiulio in the final.

Hiltzik said he was down 5-2 in the first set and was down “about five set points,” winning each one and climbing back to take the first set, 7-6 (9-7). “I actually don’t know exactly how many set points it was, but just say it was a lot.”

Hiltzik, whose brother Jared is a current NCAA Top 10-ranked player at Illinois University, said his game has elevated since September when he moved to College Park, Md., and began training fulltime with the Junior Tennis Champions Center, a USTA Certified Regional Training Center.

“It’s been unbelievable there,” he said, citing coaches he’s been working with like Misha Kouznetsov, Frank Salazar and Kyle Bailey. “The level of coaching has been amazing.”

In the Girls’ 18s semifinals, it will be top-seeded Sofia Kenin of Pembroke Pines, Fla., facing No. 4 CiCi Bellis of Atherton, Calif. Kenin won her third three-set match on Friday to move on. No. 11 Katie Swan of Wichita, Kan., meets No. 7 Michaela Gordon of Saratoga, Calif., in the other semi.

In the Boys’ 16s, No. 9 John McNally of Cincinnati, Ohio; No. 3 Matthew Gamble of Webster, N.Y.; No. 2 Zeke Clark of Tulsa, Okla., and No. 11 Alex Keyser of Danville, Calif., will play semifinal singles matches on Saturday.

In the Girls’ 16s, top-seeded Katerina Stewart of Coral Gables, Fla.; unseeded Claire Liu of Thousand Oaks, Calif.; unseeded Maria Mateas of Braintree, Mass., and No. 7 Makenna Jones of Greenville, S.C., will play semifinal singles matches on Saturday.

In the Boys’ 14s, top-seeded Steven Sun of Glen Cove, N.Y., Andrew Fenty of Washington, D.C.; No. 2 Keenan Mayo of Roseville, Calif., and unseeded Kento Perera of Santa Barbara, Calif., will play semifinal singles matches on Saturday.

In the Girls’ 14s, No. 5 Taylor Johnson of Redondo Beach, Calif.; unseeded Ashley Yeah of Los Gatos, Calif.; unseeded Hannah Zhao of San Diego, Calif., and No. 3 Rachel Lim Rachel of Briarcliff Manor, N.Y., will play semifinal singles matches on Saturday.

In the Boys’ 12s, Daniel Sharygin of Newburgh, Ind.; No. 2 Blaise Bicknell of Miami, Fla., No. 16 Ronan Jachuck of Slingerlands, N.Y., and No. 6 Jeremie Casabon of Flourtown, Pa., will play semifinal singles matches on Saturday.

In the Girls’ 12s, No. Amy Huang of San Diego, Calif.; No. 6 Katie Volynets of Walnut Creek, Calif., No. 12 Amanda Chan of Pasadena, Calif., and No. 9 Kacie Harvey of Braintree, Mass., will play semifinal singles matches on Saturday.

All eight singles finals are scheduled for Sunday.

Katie Swan was named the winner of Friday’s Jackie Cooper-Tory Fretz Sportsmanship Award selected by the tournament staff and presented with a medal and free pair of ASICS shoes. Winners for the week include Aron Hiltzik, Jean Thirouin, Nicole Kalhorn and Reilly Olpeka.

The Indian Wells Tennis Garden is located at 78-200 Miles Avenue. Exit off of Miles at Gate 7. Admission is free and open to the public.

Sponsors include: ASICS, Laurel Springs School, Indian Wells Tennis Garden, the Dent Tennis Academy, Tennis Warehouse, TennisPlayer.net Digital Magazine, the tennis website 10sBalls.com, USTA, The Old Spaghetti Factory, SCTA and Mind Matters.

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.

Taylor Dent & Francis Tiafoe

Friday’s Scores

Boys’ 18 Singles (Quarterfinal Round)

Tiafoe, Francis (1) (College Park, MD) def. Fritz, Taylor (7) (Rancho Santa Fe, CA) 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-2

Levine, Robert (13) (Bedford, NY) def. Genender, Michael (Los Angeles, CA) 5-7, 7-5, 6-4

Ponwith, Nathan (Scottsdale, AZ) def. Smith, Logan (3) (Carlsbad, CA) 6-1, 6-4

Hiltzik, Aron (Wilmette, IL) def. Blumberg, William (Greenwich, CT) 7-6(7), 4-6, 6-3

Boys’ 18 Doubles (Semifinal Round)

Arconada, Jordi (Rio Piedras, PR) / Kerznerman, Daniel (1) (Brooklyn, NY) def. Fritz, Taylor (Rancho Santa Fe, CA) / Kodali, Anudeep (3) (Durham, NC) 3-6, 7-6(5), 10-7

Paul, Tommy (Coconut Creek, FL) / Wiersholm, Henrik (2) (Kirkland, WA) def. Lebedev, Alexander (Island Park, NY) / Wasserman, James (New York, NY) 6-3, 6-3

Girls’ 18 Singles (Quarterfinal Round)

Kenin, Sofia (1) (Pembroke Pines, FL) def. Ho, Jessica (12) (Tampa, FL) 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-1

Bellis, Catherine (4) (Atherton, CA) def. McCarthy, Kaitlyn (8) (Cary, NC) 6-0, 6-3

Swan, Katie (11) (Wichita, KS) def. Dilorenzo, Francesca (New Albany, OH) 6-2, 6-2

Gordon, Michaela (7) (Saratoga, CA) def. Daniell, Andie (Douglasville, GA) 6-1, 6-4

Girls’ 18 Doubles (Semifinal Round)

Haffey, Mary (Naples, FL) / McCarthy, Kaitlyn (7) (Cary, NC) def. Dilorenzo, Francesca (New Albany, OH) / Kenin, Sofia (Pembroke Pines, FL) 6-3, 7-6(4)

Ruder-Hook, Mira (Denver, CO) / Smith, Gabrielle (Henderson, NV) def. Larner, Erin (Portland, OR) / Letzt, Alexandra (Scottsdale, AZ) Wo (inj)

Boys’ 16 Singles (Round of 16)

McNally, John (9) (Cincinnati, OH) def. Loeb, Robert (Hilton Head, SC) 7-6(5), 6-0

Phillips, Alex (5) (Peachtree City, GA) def. Wood, Chase (15) (Heath, TX) 6-1, 6-1

Clark, Zeke (2) (Tulsa, OK) def. Ross, Gianni (10) (Burr Ridge, IL) 2-6, 6-3, 6-2

Gamble, Matthew (3) (Webster, NY) def. Rowe, Billy (12) (Coronado, CA) 7-6(4), 6-0, 6-2

Kypson, Patrick (Greenville, NC) def. Ayeni, Alafia (San Diego, CA) 6-2, 6-2

Genesen, William (4) (Tulsa, OK) def. Holt, Brandon (Rolling Hills, CA) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2

Keyser, Alexander (11) (Danville, CA) def. Joshi, Abhijeet (Millington, NJ) 6-2, 6-0

Howells, William (Richmond, VA) def. Downing, Chaz (Newport Coast, CA) 6-2, 6-3

Boys’ 16 Singles (Quarterfinal Round)

McNally, John (9) (Cincinnati, OH) def. Howells, William (Richmond, VA) 6-1, 6-4

Gamble, Matthew (3) (Webster, NY) def. Kypson, Patrick (Greenville, NC) 2-6, 7-5, 6-1

Clark, Zeke (2) (Tulsa, OK) def. Phillips, Alex (5) (Peachtree City, GA) 3-6, 6-0, 7-5

Keyser, Alexander (11) (Danville, CA) def. Genesen, William (4) (Tulsa, OK) 2-6, 7-5, 6-2

Girls’ 16 Singles (Round of 16)

Stewart, Katerina (1) (Coral Gables, FL) def. Soli, Kalani (Carson, CA) 6-0, 7-5

Sanford, Alexandra (2) (Westerville, OH) def. Pothoff, Maddie (11) (Tucson, AZ) 6-1, 6-4

Mateas, Maria (Braintree, MA) def. Waldram, Bess (3) (Portland, OR) 6-2, 6-1

Meredith, Madeline (14) (Vestavia, AL) def. Livianu, Jessica (Brooklyn, NY) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4

Peus, Ryan (8) (Palos Verdes Estates, CA) def. Spence, Zoe (12) (Chicago, IL) 3-6, 6-3, 6-1

Liu, Claire (Thousand Oaks, CA) def. Corse, Cameron (Baltimore, MD) 6-2, 6-1

Jones, Makenna (7) (Greenville, SC) def. Quevedo, Danielle (Tyler, TX) 4-1 Ret (inj)

Miller, Alaina (Saratoga, CA) def. Van Alphen, Sydney (Laguna Beach, CA) 6-3, 6-4

Girls’ 16 Singles (Quarterfinal Round)

Stewart, Katerina (1) (Coral Gables, FL) def. Meredith, Madeline (14) (Vestavia, AL) 6-0, 6-3

Liu, Claire (Thousand Oaks, CA) def. Miller, Alaina (Saratoga, CA) 6-2, 4-6, 6-3

Mateas, Maria (Braintree, MA) def. Peus, Ryan (8) (Palos Verdes Estates, CA) 6-3, 1-6, 7-5

Jones, Makenna (7) (Greenville, SC) def. Sanford, Alexandra (2) (Westerville, OH) 2-6, 7-5, 6-1

Boys’ 14 Singles (Round of 16)

Sun, Steven (1) (Glen Cove, NY) def. Woodall, William (16) (Washington, DC) 6-1, 7-5

Mayo, Keenan (2) (Roseville, CA) def. Duo, Bill (Portage, MI) 6-4, 6-4

Baylon, Robert (8) (Buena Park, CA) def. Oscislawski, Adam (Scottsdale, AZ) 6-3, 6-3

Bellamy, Roscoe (Pacific Palisades, CA) def. Huang, Austen (6) (Elk Grove, CA) 6-3, 6-3

Frye, Bradley (14) (Overland Park, KS) def. Fresen, RJ (7) (Short Hills, NJ) 6-2, 6-4

Fenty, Andrew (Washington, DC) def. Nakashima, Brandon (4) (San Diego, CA) 6-4, 6-4

Perera, Kento (Santa Barbara, CA) def. Croyder, Blake (Marietta, GA) 7-5, 6-2

Barretto, Paul (Tiburon, CA) def. Mukherjee, Josh (Bloomfield Hills, MI) 6-2, 6-1

Boys’ 14 Singles (Quarterfinal Round)

Sun, Steven (1) (Glen Cove, NY) def. Bellamy, Roscoe (Pacific Palisades, CA) 7-5, 7-5

Fenty, Andrew (Washington, DC) def. Frye, Bradley (14) (Overland Park, KS) 6-4, 6-4

Mayo, Keenan (2) (Roseville, CA) def. Baylon, Robert (8) (Buena Park, CA) 6-1, 6-2

Perera, Kento (Santa Barbara, CA) def. Barretto, Paul (Tiburon, CA) 6-4, 6-4

Girls’ 14 Singles (Round of 16)

Zhao, Hannah (San Diego, CA) def. Van Linge, Elena (Menlo Park, CA) 6-3, 6-1

Henry, Somer (Franklin, TN) def. Clark, Mackenzie (College Park, MD) 2-6, 6-1, 6-2

McNally, Caty (Cincinnati, OH) def. Kowalski, Meg (9) (La Grange, IL) 1-6, 6-1, 6-3

Lim, Rachel (3) (Briarcliff Manor, NY) def. Eason, Rachel (14) (Union City, CA) 6-2, 6-3

Subhash, Natasha (Fairfax, VA) def. Hwang, Madison (Frisco, TX) 4-6, 6-0, 6-3

Yeah, Ashley (Los Gatos, CA) def. Paulus, Kate (13) (Leawood, KS) 7-6(4), 6-4

Joyce, Grace (1) (Newton, MA) def. Decoste, Emma (15) (Stuart, FL) 6-2, 6-1

Johnson, Taylor (5) (Redondo Beach, CA) def. Jones, Sydney (10) (Carrollton, TX) 7-5, 4-6, 6-2

Girls’ 14 Singles (Quarterfinal Round)

Johnson, Taylor (5) (Redondo Beach, CA) def. Joyce, Grace (1) (Newton, MA) 2-6, 6-4, 6-3

Yeah, Ashley (Los Gatos, CA) def. Subhash, Natasha (Fairfax, VA) 6-2, 6-3

Zhao, Hannah (San Diego, CA) def. Henry, Somer (Franklin, TN) 7-6(4), 6-3

Lim, Rachel (3) (Briarcliff Manor, NY) def. McNally, Caty (Cincinnati, OH) 6-2, 6-3

Boys’ 12 Singles (Round of 16)

Yang, Harry (1) (Rancho Cucamonga, CA) def. Yu, James (Bellevue, WA) 7-5, 6-3

Bicknell, Blaise (2) (Miami, FL) def. Fradkin, Jeffrey (9) (New York, NY) 7-6(7), 4-6, 10-7

Labrador, Daniel (8) (Tampa, FL) def. McKennon, Maxwell (Newport Beach, CA) 6-1, 6-0

Whitaker, Spencer (3) (Richmond, VA) def. Nava, Emilio (Woodland Hills, CA) 2-6, 6-2, 10-5

Jachuck, Ronan (16) (Slingerlands, NY) def. Vallabhaneni, Niroop (5) (Paradise Valley, AZ) 6-2, 7-6(4)

Casabon, Jeremie (6) (Flourtown, PA) def. Arimilli, Nathan (14) (Austin, TX) 6-2, 2-6, 10-3

Lunin, Alexey (Irvine, CA) def. Smith, Ivan (4) (Chula Vista, CA) 6-3, 6-2

Sharygin, Daniel (Newburgh, IN) def. Mayo, Aidan (7) (Roseville, CA) 6-1, 6-1

Boys’ 12 Singles (Quarterfinal Round)

Sharygin, Daniel (Newburgh, IN) def. Yang, Harry (1) (Rancho Cucamonga, CA) 6-1, 6-1

Bicknell, Blaise (2) (Miami, FL) def. Labrador, Daniel (8) (Tampa, FL) 6-3, 6-4

Jachuck, Ronan (16) (Slingerlands, NY) def. Whitaker, Spencer (3) (Richmond, VA) 6-3, 6-2

Casabon, Jeremie (6) (Flourtown, PA) def. Lunin, Alexey (Irvine, CA) 6-2, 6-3

Girls’ 12 Singles (Round of 16)

Volynets, Katie (6) (Walnut Creek, CA) def. Lee, Anessa (San Marino, CA) 6-1, 6-0

Price, Gabriella (1) (Montebello, NY) def. Gallagher, Sedona (Henderson, NV) 6-4, 6-1

Harvey, Kacie (9) (Braintree, MA) def. Pielet, Gianna (2) (El Paso, TX) 7-6(1), 6-3

Gulbransen, Nina (15) (Boca Raton, FL) def. Hu, Victoria (3) (Northborough, MA) 4-6, 6-4, 11-9

Huang, Amy (11) (San Diego, CA) def. Anzalotta, Lauren (7) (Trujillo Alto, PR) 6-2, 6-1

Chan, Amanda (12) (Pasadena, CA) def. Goldsmith, Elizabeth (Chula Vista, CA) 6-0, 6-3

Canete, Mae Fmar (Los Angeles, CA) def. Garcia Gross, Rosie (13) (New York, NY) 7-5, 3-6, 11-4

Osuigwe, Whitney (5) (Bradenton, FL) def. Stein, Lauren (16) (Paradise Valley, AZ) 6-3, 6-1

Girls’ 12 Singles (Quarterfinal Round)

Huang, Amy (11) (San Diego, CA) def. Gulbransen, Nina (15) (Boca Raton, FL) 6-4, 6-1

Volynets, Katie (6) (Walnut Creek, CA) def. Price, Gabriella (1) (Montebello, NY) 6-3, 6-0

Chan, Amanda (12) (Pasadena, CA) def. Canete, Mae Fmar (Los Angeles, CA) 6-1, 6-0

Harvey, Kacie (9) (Braintree, MA) def. Osuigwe, Whitney (5) (Bradenton, FL) 7-5, 6-2

About ASICS America: Anima Sana In Corpore Sano, meaning “A Sound Mind in a Sound Body,” is an old Latin phrase from which ASICS is derived and the fundamental platform on which the brand still stands. The company was founded more than 60 years ago by Kihachiro Onitsuka and is now a leading designer and manufacturer of running shoes, as well as, other athletic footwear, apparel and accessories. For more information, visit www.asics.com.

Editor’s Note : 10sBalls.com is a proud sponsor of the Easterbowl.

Topics: Aron Hiltzik, ASICS Easter Bowl, Francis Tiafoe, Itf, Logan Smith, Taylor Dent, Taylor Fritz, Tennis, Tennis News, Usta