This week’s President’s Cup Junior Tournament at Capital Region was bigger and better than ever. The tournament featured 75 junior players from across the Eastern Section of the USTA. 10 and Under players used Green Low Compression balls. All other age groups used standard yellow balls. Most of the participants played doubles as well as singles. Doubles events counted towards both National rankings and Eastern Sectional rankings. Here is a recap of the events. Doubles events featured a best of three set format with the sets going to 4 games instead of 6 games. The shortened format allowed us to play two rounds of doubles a day with the two rounds of singles (rules do not allow for two full singles matches and two full doubles matches unless the doubles uses shorten formats).
10 and Unders
Niskayuna’s Elise Wagle upset top seeded Miriam Aziz of Statin Island in the Girls 10 finals. Both players will have over a year to improve their 10 and Under rankings. Miriam can play the 10’s for another year and a half, while Elise is just 8 years old. In the Boys 10’s, Robbie Werdiger – New York City – lived up to his top seeding by winning his two matches without losing a game. His victim in the finals was 2nd seed, West Orange native Justin Cadeau who got to the finals with a 6-0, 3-6, 10-6 win over Gloversville’s Damian Bruce. In the Boys 10 doubles , Robbie teamed with Parlin, New Jersey‘s Avi Jain for a 2-4, 4-0, 5-3 win. We will probably see Justin’s younger brother Elliot on the court for future President’s Cups.
12 and Unders
In the 12’s the top seeds beat the second seeds in both singles finals. For the girls, it was Shelly Yaloz (Little Neck, NY) over Merri Kelly (Oyster Bay, NY) 6-4, 6-3. In the boys, Max Benson – a Capital Region member – beat Patrick Sebastian of Fairport, NY 6-1, 6-2. Benson and Sebastian teamed up for a 4-0, 5-4(3) win in the doubles over Kemal Aziz of Staten Island and Ricky Savarik of Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Shelly Yaloz and Miriam Aziz took the Girls’ 10 doubles title with a 4-2, 4-1 win over Merri Kelly and Isabella Taushaj (Bronx, NY).
14 and Unders
Hannah Berg – the #2 seed from New City, NY beat Niskayuna’s Nisha Detchprohm 6-1, 6-0 to take the Girls 14 singles title. Nisha had beaten top seeded Tamara Comins in the semi finals in an exciting 7-6(4), 7-6(3) match. Nisha and Hannah paired up together in the doubles. The beat Sydney Siembida of Buffalo and Tamara Comins of Pittsford 4-0, 5-4(6) to take the doubles championship. Sean Mullins of Llyod Harbor, NY was a double winner in the Boys 14’s. He took the singles crown with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Harry Wang (Amherst, NY). and he took the doubles title 4-2, 4-1, pairing with Sean Patrick. Harry Wang was the losing doubles finalist along with Noah Reich of Westfield, NJ.
16 and Unders
While the 16 and Under Girls Doubles was won without a point being played due to an injury, the 16 and under Boys doubles may have been the most competitive doubles event in the tournament. The final was won by Matt Gamble and Jordan Benjamin. They beat Matthew Renzi and Bryant Born by a score of 5-4 (5), 5-4(1). Born is from Manhasset, NY – the other three players are from the Rochester area. Matt Gamble also took the Boys 16 singles title with an exciting 6-4, 7-6(6) win over Gabe Tishman of Bedford, NY. The Boys 16 events – both singles and doubles – were the largest draws in the tournament. Emma Willard’s Claire Schmitz was top seeded in the Girls 16’s and she won the finals by defeating second seeded Carlee Conway of Grand Island, NY 6-3, 6-0.
18 and Unders
Another draw that ended up with the top seeded player beating the 2nd seeded player in the finals was the Girls 18 and Under singles. Jamie Campisi of Mendham, NJ beat Nicole Torres of North Hills, NY in 3 sets by a score of 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-2. Torres had teamed with Avery Wagman of Rye, NY to take the doubles crown with a 4-2, 4-1 win over Olivia Messineo (Fayetteville, NY) and Shaker High School‘s Cat Crummey. Cat was the Section 2 high school singles champion. Colin Nardella and Jake Crawford won the Boys 18 doubles by beating Emerson Kelby of Oneonta and Rohin Bose of Slingerlands 4-3, 4-1. Colin (Manlius, NY) won the singles title with a 7-6(6), 4-1, withdrawal (illness) victory over Crawford. Jake is from Clinton, NY and he will be playing college tennis for the University of Chicago next year.
Thanx to all of those who played the tournament and congratulations to all who won matches and won points. Here are the other local players who won rounds at this tournament:
Boys 18’s – Nathan Wolf (Burnt Hills); Erwin Lin (Niskayuna); Brendan Service (Niskayuna)
Boys 10’s – Evan Wagle (Niskayuna)
Adirondack Tennis 