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Austin captures USTA title

ORLANDO, Fla. — Brooke Austin (16, Indianapolis) played well enough against collegians this weekend that she’ll get a chance to play against professionals.

Austin capped a perfect three days at the USTA Collegiate Invitational presented by Adidas at the Tualatin Hills Tennis Center in Portland, Ore., by defeating Georgia’s Maho Kowase, 10-4, in the Adidas Shootout final, earning a USTA Wild Card entry into a USTA Pro Circuit event to be determined.

The 2012 Easter Bowl finalist began Sunday by beating Georgia’s Kate Fuller, 6-2, 6-4, to go 3-0 in Group Play and claim a spot in the Adidas Shootout, used to determine the champion. Before taking down Kowase in the title match, Austin beat Michigan’s Brooke Bolender, 10-3, and Georgia’s Lauren Herring, 10-8.

The USTA Collegiate Invitational presented by Adidas was one of three events this fall combining juniors and collegians, which Austin said proved beneficial.

“You’re put in a totally different situation. It’s definitely one that us juniors don’t get put in as much, so it’s a really good experience, and I learned a lot,” Austin said. “I feel great. I mean, it was a really good experience. I played really well, and it was a lot a fun.”

Though Austin was the only USTA junior to advance beyond Group Play in Portland, the squad as a whole went 15-8 in Group Play, including 2-1 records from Kimberly Yee (16, Las Vegas), Dasha Ivanova (16, Beaverton, Ore.), Caroline Doyle (16, San Francisco), Gabrielle Andrews (15, Pomona, Calif.) and Jennifer Brady (17, Boca Raton, Fla.)

At the USTA Collegiate Clay Court Invitational at Disney World in Orlando, meanwhile, the USTA junior boys went 8-0 in singles matches on Sunday, the last day of competition. Chase Perez-Blanco (16, Miami) capped a 4-0 tournament by defeating Central Florida’s Kiku Aulina, 6-1, 6-0, to win the Spear Draw, one of the event’s three singles draws.

“I feel like I played really well - improved after every match. I knew the competition level was going to be really tough, and I knew I’d have to play my best, and I did. It was a great weekend. It was fun hanging out with the guys, and the practice was amazing,” Perez-Blanco said. “Just the level of competition from a junior to a college player is such a jump. Just coming out here and seeing how they play really shows you what level you have to be at when you play in college, so it makes you want to work harder and get to that level quicker so you’re ready.”

Consolation match victories on Sunday included: Martin Redlicki (17, Hawthorn Woods, Ill.) def. Bryan Welnetz, Penn State, 7-5, 6-4; Roy Lederman (17, Miami) def. Jonny Wang, Southern California, 6-7(4), 6-3 (10-7); Deiton Baughman (16, Carson, Calif.) def. vs. Kai-Wen Lai, Kentucky, 7-5, 6-1; George Goldhoff (17, Irvine, Calif.) def. Russel Bader, Penn State, 6-1, 4-6 (10-6); Gage Brymer (17, Irvine, Calif.) def. Nathan Rakitt, Georgia Tech, 6-2, 7-5; Ryan Smith (17, Weston, Fla.) def. Rich Meade, Florida Atlantic, 6-4, 6-2; and Ronnie Schneider (18, Bloomington, Ind.) def. Luke Johnson, Florida, 6-2, 6-0.

Overall, the USTA juniors went 19-8 in singles competition over the three days at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

“It’s always good to have your last match a win, because you leave the tournament with some more confidence than when you came in,” said Smith, a Vanderbilt recruit. “Plus, you’re working on different things and knowing they’re working out for you in the matches, which is also a good thing.”

“I just came here to really practice. I got my matches and got a little time on the court, so that was important for me,” Lederman said. “I wasn’t practicing much at home, and this was really helpful. I got in good shape. You’re playing outside in the sun. It’s hot, and it’s a grind all three days, and I feel I’m in better shape now than when I got here.”

In the Gold Draw singles final, Southern California’s Roberto Quiroz, who has practiced with Rafael Nadal in Roland Garos, defeated Duke’s Michael Redlicki, 6-1, 6-3.

“It was a great tournament - great players, great universities here. I think I played my best tennis this week, so I’m pretty happy about that,” Quiroz said. “I’m pretty happy to be part of this successful tennis tournament, and I really want to play this next year.”

In the Garnet Draw final, Cristian Gonzalez Mendez of the host school Florida State scored a 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(2) win over The Citadel’s David Orces. In the final of the doubles Gold Draw, Duke’s team of Redlicki and Jason Tahir beat Kentucky’s Tom Jomby and Kai-Wen Lai, 8-6. In the Garnet Draw doubles final, Tulsa’s Alejandro Espejo Sanchez and Martin Kirby beat Florida State’s Andres Bucaro and Michael Rinaldi, 8-1.

For complete information on the USTA Collegiate Invitational presented by Adidas, visit http://collegiateinvite.com. For more information on the USTA Collegiate Clay Court Invitational at Disney, visit http://www.seminoles.com/sports/m-tennis/spec-rel/103112aab.html.

See below scores and attached documents for complete and final results and draws.

USTA COLLEGIATE CLAY COURT INVITATIONAL AT DISNEY HOSTED BY FLORIDA STATE (Orlando, Fla.)

Sunday, November 4, 2012 Gold Draw Singles Finals Quiroz (USC) def. Redlicki (Duke) 6-1, 6-3

Garnet Draw Singles Finals Gonzalez Mendez (FSU) def. Orces (CIT) 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (2)

Spear Draw Singles Finals Perez-Blanco (USTA) def. Aulina (UCF) 6-1, 6-0

Gold Draw Doubles Finals Redlicki/Tahir (Duke) def. Jomby/Lai (UK) 8-6

Garnet Draw Doubles Finals Espejo Sanchez/Kirby (Tulsa) def. Bucaro/Rinaldi (FSU) 8-1

Gold Draw Doubles Semifinals Jomby/Lai (UK) def. Quiroz/Hanfmann (USC) 8-4 Redlicki/Tahir (Duke) def. Lock/Cotrone (FSU) 8-3

Garnet Draw Doubles Semifinals Espejo Sanchez/Kirby (Tulsa) def. Gauer/Gonzalez Mendez (FSU) 8-2 Bucaro/Rinaldi (FSU) def. Neuner/Fantova (FAU) 8-5

Gold Draw Consolations Melian (GT) def. Federhofer (UF) 6-4, 6-4 Lederman (USTA) def. Wang (USC) 6-7 (4), 6-3, 10-7 DeVroome (USC) def. Ive (Tulsa) 6-2, 4-6, 10-4 Hanzlik (PSU) def. Watson (UF) 6-2, 2-6, 10-1 Redlicki (USTA) def. Welnetz (PSU) 7-5, 6-4 Baughman (USTA) def. Lai (UK) 7-5, 6-1 Espejo Sanchez (Tulsa) def. Blasco (UCF) 6-2, 6-2

Garnet Draw Consolations Levine (Duke) def. Grant (USC) 6-4, 6-1 Goldhoff (USTA) def. Bader (PSU) 6-1, 4-6, 10-6 Rinaldi (FSU) def. Neuner (FAU) 6-1, 2-6, 10-7 Fantova (FAU) def. Segura (GT) 2-6, 6-3, 11-9 Brymer (USTA) def. Rakitt (GT) 6-2, 7-5 Rubin (COL) def. Bucaro (FSU) 7-5, 6-1

Spear Draw Consolations Smith (USTA) def. Meade (FAU) 6-4, 6-2 McCall (Duke) def. Bacha (FAU) 6-4, 6-2 Proisy (UF) def. Trkulja (PSU) 7-5, 6-1 Gladstone (UCD) vs. Sharma (GT) NO SCORE REPORTED

Mixed Draw Consolations Schenider (USTA) def. Johnson (UF) 6-2, 6-0 Reed (FSU) def. Jackson (Tulsa) 6-4, 6-2

Posted on November 4, 2012
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