For Tennis Parents by a Tennis Parent

The regional events are complete for qualifying to play in this year’s Oracle/ITA Junior Masters Championship. Sixteen boys and 16 girls, including qualifying tournament winners and wildcards, will travel to Malibu, California, for the Masters Championships at the Malibu Racquet Club.

Here are the boys and girls who will be playing:

BOYS

Eddie Griesedieck, Mount Pleasant, SC
Mason Beiler, Palm Harbor, FL
Tommy Edwards, Aloha, OR
Garrett Johns, Atlanta, GA
Carlos Hassey, Surprise, AZ
Brady Draheim, Prairie Village, KS
Alec Baskerville, Austin, TX
Ryan Seggerman, Coronado, CA
Cody Lin, Thousand Oaks, CA
Robert Baylon, Buena Park, CA
Eric Hahn, Fullerton, CA
Karapet Vardanyan, Granada Hills, CA
Jacob Bullard, Calabasas, CA
Benjamin Gollin, Solana Beach, CA
Jourdan Kast, Boca Raton, FL
Matthew Terry, Alpharetta, GA

GIRLS

Kiana Rizzolo, Jacksonville, FL
Esther Lovato, Austin, TX
Elizabet Verizova, Suwanee, GA
Anya Lamoreaux, Mesa, AZ
Ellee Dryer, Olathe, KS
Jennifer Kida, Wilmington, CA
Christie Wan, Fullerton, CA
Sydney Van Alphen, Laguna Beach, CA
Anessa Lee, San Marino, CA
Josie Frazier, Scottsdale, AZ
Julia Deming, Fallbrook, CA
Jennifer Richards, San Diego, CA
Gianna Pielet, El Paso, TX
Elizabeth Goldsmith, Chula Vista, CA
Rena Lin, Northridge, CA
Dominique Stone, N. Hollywood, CA

As you can see, there are quite a few players from Southern California who will be competing. I asked about that, since the regional qualifying tournaments were held across the US, and was told that the majority of the Wildcards with the highest UTR happened to be from SoCal.  It’s such a strong section. UTR decided to stick to its policy of selecting the Wildcards with the highest UTR even if it meant an unbalanced sectional representation. It’s yet another way that UTR events differ from those put on by USTA. There are no sectional quotas to fulfill.

I will be covering this event, as well as the College Masters, and am looking so forward to it! If you’re there, please come say hello!