The top juniors from across the United States and Puerto Rico will compete in the USTA Girls’ 16s & 18s National Championships scheduled for August 3-11 at the Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego.
Nearly 400 girls aged 16 and 18 and under will play for the title of National Champion, as well as a Wild Card entry into the singles main draw of the US Open Women’s Championships (for the 18s Champion) and a Wild Card into the US Open Junior Championships (for the 16s Champion). The 18s Doubles Champions will also receive a Wild Card into the main draw of the US Open Women’s Doubles competition.
The Girls’ 18s field will feature players such as defending tournament champion Victoria Duval, who has been playing World TeamTennis, 2012 US Open girls’ singles champion Samantha Crawford and Krista Hardebeck an All-America at Stanford. Other notable entries in the include Sachia Vickery, currently ranked 241 in the WTA singles rankings, Jamie Loeb who won her third career USTA Pro Circuit singles title this past May in Sumter, S.C., and Louisa Chirico of Harrison, N.Y., a girls’ singles semifinalist at Wimbledon and the French Open this year.
Tournament directors will grant a total of 24 singles wild cards (12 in the Girls’ 18s and 12 in the Girls’ 16s) on a date to be determined next week.
“We have an unbelievable tournament field this year. The depth of the player field in the Girls’ 16s and 18s is pretty amazing,” said co-tournament director Lisbeth Blum. “The competition is going to be fierce throughout the tournament. If you want to see the best players in junior tennis, this is the place to be.”
The opening ceremony guest speaker will be Gretchen Magers, a former No. 1 junior who reached the singles quarterfinals at the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open.
In addition to the Barnes Tennis Center, early round matches are also scheduled at San Diego State University and University of San Diego.
©Daily Tennis News Wire
Topics: American tennis news, Junior Girls, Junior Tennis, Sports, USTA Girls’ 16s & 18s National Championships
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