No Djoke — Stanford coach has beaten Serb star

Stanford's Paul Goldstein became the first player
to compete on four NCAA title teams (1995-98).
 He played professionally for 11 years. File photo
courtesy of Stanford Sports Information

   He hardly needs it, but anytime Paul Goldstein wants additional credibility with his players, friends and acquaintances, he can play the Djoker card.
   Goldstein — the men's tennis coach at Stanford, his alma mater — defeated Novak Djokovic 10 years ago in the first round of the Australian Open.
   OK, so Djokovic was an obscure 18-year-old at the time. Goldstein, then 29, will take it.
   "It turned out to be a pretty good win for me, I guess," deadpanned Goldstein, who will turn 40 on Aug. 4.
   By winning the upcoming French Open, Djokovic of Serbia would become the eighth man to achieve a career Grand Slam in singles and tie Roy Emerson for fourth place all-time with 12 major singles titles. The year's second Grand Slam tournament begins Sunday, Djokovic's 29th birthday.
    Goldstein's playing credentials pale in comparison, of course, but are impressive nonetheless. He became the first player to compete on four NCAA championship teams (1995-98), a feat also accomplished by USC's Steve Johnson (2009-12).
   Only 5-foot-10 (1.78 meters) and 158 pounds (72 kilograms), Goldstein played professionally for 11 years. He attained career highs of No. 58 in the world in singles in 2006 and No. 40 in doubles in 2007.
   For much of his career, Goldstein was the highest-ranked singles player in the world with a college degree (human biology). In addition to Djokovic, Goldstein beat International Tennis Hall of Famer Patrick Rafter, future Hall of Famer Lleyton Hewitt and former top-10 players Greg Rusedski and Alex Corretja.
   In doubles, Goldstein reached the semifinals of the 2005 U.S. Open with former Stanford teammate Jim Thomas.

Goldstein became the
men's coach at his alma
mater two years ago.
Photo courtesy of Stan-
ford Sports Information

   Although Goldstein never won an ATP singles or doubles title, he captured a then-record 30 championships combined on the minor-league USTA Pro Circuit.  
   Goldstein's 6-2, 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Djokovic was the first of their three meetings, all within 13 months. Djokovic won 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (3) in the first round at Wimbledon in 2006 and 6-4, 7-5 in the Adelaide quarterfinals in January 2007.
   "Even though I beat him the first time, he obviously had a great deal of potential," Goldstein, a Washington, D.C., native who attended high school and college with Chelsea Clinton (although Goldstein is three years older), said recently by telephone. "I don't know that I could say I thought he would be one of the greatest ever to play the game.
   "The thing that strikes me the most is his level of improvement (in 13 months) was astronomical, more than anyone I had seen, and he's obviously continued that trend. When I played him in January '07, he was a different, much better player than he was a year prior, even six months prior.
   "His level of improvement specifically related to his movements and the force behind each of his balls. Every ball from both wings was just so huge one year later."
   Goldstein admitted there were extenuating circumstances in his first match against Djokovic.
   "The time I did beat him, I thought he was the better tennis player, but it was a three-out-of-five-set match, and it was hot," Goldstein recalled. "At that time, his conditioning wasn't a strength. In fact, you could argue that early in his career it was a bit of a weakness.
   "The incredible part there is I think I won that match because I was in better shape than him, and he's gone on to be so innovative with respect to his conditioning, his nutrition and his mindfulness. Now he can go six hours with the fittest guys in the world. If he's not the most physical player in the world, he's certainly one of them. That has become a very clear strength."

Novak Djokovic can complete a career Grand Slam in singles by winning
the French Open, which begins on his 29th birthday. It won't be easy.
2015 photo by Paul Bauman

   Added Goldstein: "I have so much respect for him. I use him as a model (for Stanford players) — how to approach the game and focus on process over outcome — all the time."
   With four titles in the last five Slams, Djokovic is rapidly gaining on Roger Federer (17), Rafael Nadal and Pete Sampras (14 each).   Goldstein hedged when asked where Djokovic, who's still in his prime, will go down among the all-time greats.
   "That's a difficult question to answer, but I think he's in the conversation," said Goldstein, who never played Federer or Nadal. "That's the ultimate compliment. I think it's important for Novak to get the French to complete the career Grand Slam."
   Goldstein considers Djokovic the favorite at Roland Garros this year. He has reached the French Open final three times, losing in four sets to Nadal in 2012 and 2014 and to Stan Wawrinka last year.
   Djokovic "is playing the best tennis right now, and he'll be highly motivated," Goldstein offered.
   Still, Djokovic faces a big challenge on the slow clay.
   "I think it's the hardest Slam to win in general," Goldstein asserted, "and it's certainly the hardest for a guy like him. He hits the ball pretty flat on both wings and likes to take the ball early. (On hardcourts), the ball gets through the court and does a little more work for you.
   "The thing also overlooked on clay is the movement. It's a different strategy than movement on hardcourts. A lot of it is instinctive. He's very comfortable on clay — don't get me wrong — but he's probably a little more comfortable on hardcourts."
   Goldstein, in his second year as the Stanford men's coach, has the Cardinal in the NCAA round of 16 for the first time since a quarterfinal finish in 2012. Stanford will face Pacific-12 Conference rival UCLA, seeded third, today in Tulsa, Okla.
  The Cardinal players are aware that their coach has beaten Djokovic.
  "They think it's pretty cool," Goldstein noted. "He's the standard right now."

Young and restless highlight top stories of 2014

CiCi Bellis, 15, meets the press after stunning Australian Open runner-up Dominika
Cibulkova in the first round of the U.S. Open in August. Photo courtesy of USTA

   It will be remembered as the year of youth in Northern California.
   Everywhere you looked -- in the professional, college and junior ranks -- teenagers either from NorCal or playing in the region starred in 2014. And no one shone brighter than 15-year-old CiCi Bellis of Atherton.
   Bellis became an overnight sensation in the U.S. Open, overshadowing the rest of her phenomenal year.
   Naomi Osaka, 16, of Japan pulled off a major upset in the Bank of the West Classic on the elite WTA tour at Stanford.
   Stefan Kozlov, Jared Donaldson and Michaela Gordon broke through in NorCal Challengers. Kozlov, 16, and Donaldson, who turned 18 on Oct. 9, are pros from Florida and Rhode Island, respectively. Gordon is a 15-year-old amateur from Saratoga, near San Jose.
   Unseeded Lynn Chi reached the NCAA women's singles final in May as a 19-year-old Cal sophomore.
   Sacramento's Collin Altamirano gained the final of the USTA Boys 18 National Championships for the second straight year.
   Sam Riffice, 15, of Roseville achieved a rare double. His neighbor, 14-year-old Keenan Mayo, and Katie Volynets, 12, of Walnut Creek won USTA national titles.
   Marring an otherwise glorious year were the depravity of Deepal Wannakuwatte, the demise of the Sacramento Capitals in World TeamTennis and the loss of the legends tournament in Sacramento.
   Here are the czar's top 10 stories of the year, followed by honorable mentions, in NorCal tennis: 
   1. Bellis stuns Cibulkova in U.S. Open -- Bellis shocked 12th-seeded Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 in the first round at Flushing Meadows.
   Bellis, then the second-ranked junior in the world, overcame a 3-1 deficit in the third set to become the youngest player to win a main-draw match in the U.S. Open since Anna Kournikova, also 15, in 1996.
   Cibulkova, only 5-foot-3 (1.61 meters), was the runner-up to Li Na in the Australian Open in January and won last year's Bank of the West Classic at Stanford.
   Bellis' hometown of Atherton is adjacent to Stanford, and she grew up attending the tournament.

Mike, left, and Bob Bryan of the visiting Texas Wild and their
father, Sacramento Capitals coach Wayne Bryan, watch
players warm up before a World TeamTennis match in 2013.
Photo by Paul Bauman

   2. Bryans win U.S. Open for 100th career title -- Appropriately, top-seeded Bob and Mike Bryan outclassed 11th-seeded Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez of Spain 6-3, 6-4 at Flushing Meadows for their 100th men's doubles title.
   The Bryans, 36-year-old identical twins and ex-Stanford stars from Southern California, extended their record to 16 Grand Slam men's doubles crowns. Five have come in the U.S. Open, tying Richard Sears and James Dwight in the 1880s. The Bryans surpassed Bob Lutz and Stan Smith for the record in the Open era, which began in 1968.
   3. Wannakuwatte sentenced -- Wannakuwatte, the Capitals' owner, was sentenced in November to 20 years in prison for orchestrating a massive Ponzi scheme. Wannakuwatte, a 64-year-old native of Sri Lanka, will be eligible for parole in 17 years.
   Wannakuwatte was arrested on Feb. 20 in Sacramento on charges of defrauding banks and individual investors in his medical supply business of more than $100 million.
   4. Bellis ends year as world's top junior -- Bellis clinched the year-end No. 1 ranking by reaching the quarterfinals of the prestigious Orange Bowl in Plantation, Fla., this month after previously top-ranked Shilin Xu of China lost in the first round.
   The second-seeded Bellis fell to 13th seed and eventual champion Sofia Kenin, 16, of Pembroke Pines, Fla., in the Orange Bowl semifinals.
   Bellis, however, won the doubles title with Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic.
   5. Bellis wins USTA 18 title -- Bellis, seeded second, drubbed fifth-seeded Tornado Alicia Black, 16, of Boca Raton, Fla., 6-3, 6-1 in San Diego to become the youngest winner of the USTA Girls 18 National Championships since Lindsay Davenport, also 15, in 1991.
   Bellis, who won 12 of the last 13 games after trailing 3-0 in the first set, earned an automatic wild card in the women's main draw of the U.S. Open.

Sabine Lisicki uncorks a record 131-mph (210.8-kph)
serve in the Bank of the West Classic at Stanford.
Photo courtesy of Bank of the West Classic.

   6. Lisicki blasts world's fastest women's serve -- Sabine Lisicki of Germany unleashed a 131-mph (210.8-kph) rocket in a 7-6 (2), 6-1 loss to fifth-seeded Ana Ivanovic in a first-round day match in the Bank of the West Classic.
   Venus Williams, who held the previous mark of 129 mph (207.6 kph), overpowered qualifier Paula Kania of Poland 6-3, 6-2 in the featured night match at Stanford.
   7. Serena wins BOW again -- Top-seeded Serena Williams captured her third Bank of the West title, beating third-seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany 7-6 (1), 6-3.
   Williams, who overcame a 5-1 deficit in the first set and two set points at 5-2, also won the tournament in 2011 and 2012. She did not return last year.
   8. Kozlov reaches Challenger final -- Kozlov, a wild card, stunned No. 2 seed Tim Smyczek of Tampa, Fla., 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (1) in the semifinals of the $100,000 Sacramento Pro Circuit Challenger at the Natomas Racquet Club.
   Kozlov recorded his first victory over a top-100 player -- Smyczek (pronounced SMEE-check) was No. 99 -- and reached his first Challenger final in only his third attempt.
   Top-seeded Sam Querrey ended Kozlov's amazing run in the final, 6-3, 6-4, but predicted his young countryman eventually would crack the top 10 in the world.

Serena Williams won her third Bank of the West title, beating
Angelique Kerber. Tri Nguyen/TriNguyenPhotography.com

   9. Riffice wins back-to-back major junior titles -- Riffice joined Grigor Dimitrov as the only players to sweep the boys 16 singles titles in the Eddie Herr International Championships and the Orange Bowl. The tournaments were held back-to-back this month in Bradenton, Fla., and Plantation, Fla., respectively.
   Dimitrov, a 23-year-old Bulgarian and the boyfriend of Maria Sharapova, is ranked 11th in the world after ascending to a career-high No. 8 in August.
   10. Capitals move after 28 years, then fold -- The Capitals, the longest-running and most successful WTT franchise, announced in February that they were moving to Las Vegas. However, the team disbanded five weeks later after Wannakuwatte was charged.
   The Capitals won a record six WTT titles during their 28 years in Sacramento. Kolleen McNamee, the team's general manager, cited the lack of a permanent tennis facility as the reason for the move.
   Honorable mention -- Davenport, a former Capital, was inducted in the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
   -- Northern California was omitted from the 2015 PowerShares Series schedule after a stop in Sacramento last February. Recently retired James Blake won the four-man Champions Shootout over Hall of Famers John McEnroe, Pete Sampras and Jim Courier.

Stefan Kozlov, 16, falls onto his back to celebrate his victory
over No. 2 seed Tim Smyczek in the semifinals of the
$100,000 Sacramento Challenger. Photo by Paul Bauman

   -- Raquel Kops-Jones, a San Jose resident and former NCAA doubles champion from Cal, reached the doubles semifinals in the Australian Open with regular partner Abigail Spears of San Diego.
   -- Osaka, a qualifier playing in her first WTA main-draw match, shocked unseeded Samantha Stosur, the 2011 U.S. Open champion, 4-6, 7-6 (7), 7-5 in the first round of the Bank of the West Classic. Stosur held a match point at 7-6 in the tiebreaker and led 5-3 in the third set.
   -- Maria Sanchez, who was born and raised in Modesto, won her first WTA title. Unseeded Sharon Fichman of Canada and Sanchez edged third-seeded Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic and Michaella Krajicek of the Netherlands 2-6, 6-0 [10-4] in the doubles final of the $250,000 ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand.
   -- Querrey swept the singles titles of the Napa, Sacramento and Tiburon Challengers in consecutive weeks in late September and early October.
   -- Bellis won back-to-back $25,000 Challenger singles crowns in Rock Hill, S.D., and Florence, S.C., reached the girls doubles final in the French Open (with Vondrousova), helped the United States win the Junior Fed Cup in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, and captured the girls 18 singles title in the prestigious Easter Bowl in Indian Wells.
   -- Donaldson reached the semifinals of the $50,000 Napa Challenger and quarterfinals of the Sacramento Challenger at 17.

Lindsay Davenport, a former Sacramento
Capital, was inducted in the International Tennis
Hall of Fame. 2012 photo by Paul Bauman

   -- Gordon advanced to the quarterfinals of the $25,000 Redding Challenger before losing to Alexandra Stevenson, a 1999 Wimbledon semifinalist and the daughter of basketball legend Julius Erving, in a third-set tiebreaker.
   -- Chi fell to Danielle Collins of Virginia 6-2, 7-5 in a matchup of unseeded sophomores in the NCAA women's singles final in Athens, Ga.
   -- Paul Goldstein, a Stanford alumnus and former pro who climbed to No. 58 in the world in singles and No. 40 in doubles, was named the Cardinal's third men's coach since 1967. Goldstein, who turned 38 in August, replaced John Whitlinger, who announced his retirement at age 60 after Stanford's second consecutive first-round exit from the NCAA Tournament. The Cardinal has won 17 NCAA men's team titles, second to USC's 21, but none since 2000.
   -- The injury-plagued Sacramento State women suffered their first Big Sky Conference losses in 13 years.   
   -- Jessica Willett, a junior at San Jose State, saved 11 match points in a 6-2, 0-6, 7-5 victory over Suzy Tan at No. 5 singles to clinch the Spartans' 4-2 victory over Dartmouth in San Jose.
   -- Altamirano, the fifth seed and defending champion, lost to third-seeded Noah Rubin of Rockville Centre, N.Y., 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 in the final of the USTA Boys 18 National Championships in Kalamazoo, Mich. Rubin had won the Wimbledon boys singles title the previous month.
   -- Riffice, Mayo and Milpitas' Andrew Ton won boys titles in the USTA National Clay Court Championships. Riffice captured the 16 doubles in Delray Beach, Fla., Mayo the 14 singles in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Ton the 14 doubles in Fort Lauderdale.
   -- The top-seeded Volynets won the USTA Girls 12 National Championships, dominating sixth-seeded Sedona Gallagher of Henderson, Nev., 6-0, 6-3 in Alpharetta, Ga.   

Good as Goldstein: Stanford tabs alum as coach

Paul Goldstein helped Stanford win the NCAA
team title in all four years on the Farm.
Photos courtesy of Stanford University

   It's official.
   Paul Goldstein, a former Stanford star who reached the top 60 in the world in singles and doubles, was named the Cardinal men's coach on Tuesday. Terms were not disclosed.
   Goldstein succeeds John Whitlinger, who announced his retirement at age 60 on May 29 after Stanford's second consecutive first-round exit from the NCAA Tournament.
   Although Goldstein is Stanford's 10th men's tennis coach, he is only the third since 1967.
   Whitlinger went 160-85 (.653) in his 10-year stint, but the Cardinal never advanced past the NCAA quarterfinals. In contrast, Stanford won 17 NCAA team titles in 38 years under Whitlinger's predecessor, Dick Gould (776-148 overall, .840). The last one came in 2000.
   Stanford went 14-6 (5-2 in the Pacific-12 Conference) this season but finished No. 32 in the national rankings. The Cardinal was 5-6 against ranked teams and 9-0 against others.
   “I am humbled, honored, but most of all inspired by the opportunity to lead a program with such a strong intergenerational legacy of athletic and academic excellence,” Goldstein, a 37-year-old native of Washington,

PAUL GOLDSTEIN

D.C., said in a news release. “I have been a proud member

of the Stanford tennis family since I first arrived on campus in 1994 and am thrilled to be returning to the Farm. I look forward to working with our student-athletes and the broader Stanford community to drive success both on and off the court.”

   Stanford athletic director Bernard Muir said Goldstein “has enjoyed success at every level of his career, and his noticeable passion for our men’s tennis program makes him a great fit to be our next head coach. Paul’s infectious enthusiasm and ability to cultivate and sustain positive relationships stood out as dynamic qualities during the search process, which attracted both national and international candidates. Throughout the search, Paul’s name continued to rise above an extremely deep, talented and distinguished pool.”
    Goldstein has impeccable playing and leadership credentials, as well as outstanding character, but little coaching experience. He has worked part-time with juniors while serving in sales and business development roles for a clean energy company in the San Francisco Bay Area since retiring from pro tennis in 2008.
   Goldstein was ranked among the top 10 juniors in the world and became the first player to capture three consecutive boys national championships (16s in 1992, and 18s in 1993 and 1994) in Kalamazoo, Mich.
    He then became the first player in college tennis history to compete on four NCAA championship teams (1995-98), a feat also accomplished by USC's Steve Johnson (2009-12).
   An All-American for all four years, Goldstein reached the NCAA singles final as a senior before losing to teammate Bob Bryan.
   Goldstein was named All-Pac-10 three times and the Pac-10 Player of the Year as a senior. He ranks fifth in school history with 84 career dual-match singles victories.
   The first two-time recipient of the ITA/Arthur Ashe Jr. Award for Sportsmanship and Leadership (1997 and 1998), Goldstein also earned the ITA's Rafael Osuna Sportsmanship Award in 1997.
   He was inducted in the ITA Men's Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame last year.
   Goldstein attended high school and college with Chelsea Clinton, who's three years younger, and graduated from Stanford in 1998 in human biology.
   Only 5-foot-10 (1.77 meters) and 160 pounds (72.6 kilograms), Goldstein went on to an 11-year career as a pro player. He attained career highs of No. 58 in singles in 2006 and No. 40 in doubles in 2007. For much of his career, Goldstein was the highest-ranked singles player in the world with a college degree.
   Goldstein never won an ATP singles or doubles title but captured a record 30 championships combined on the minor-league USTA Pro Circuit. In 2006, he earned the singles crown in the second Sacramento Challenger.
   At the top level of men's tennis, Goldstein owns singles victories over International Tennis Hall of Famer Patrick Rafter, future Hall of Famers Novak Djokovic (when the Serb was 18) and Lleyton Hewitt, and former top-10 players Greg Rusedski and Alex Corretja.
   In doubles, Goldstein reached the semifinals of the 2005 U.S. Open with former Stanford teammate Jim Thomas and was a two-time runner-up in San Jose (2003 with Robert Kendrick and 2006 with Thomas).
   During his pro career, Goldstein was elected by his peers to serve on the 10-member ATP Player Council for a two-year term, representing the interests of more than 1,000 players while acting as a liaison between the ATP Board of Directors and senior management.
   Goldstein is familiar with the current collegiate landscape, having served as a Pac-12 Networks color analyst for the previous two seasons.
   He resides in San Francisco with his wife, Abbie, and their three children: Sadie (7), Maggie (5) and Charlie (18 months). Goldstein met Abbie at Stanford.

Sources: Goldstein likely to take over at Stanford

Stanford coach John Whitlinger, above with Maciek Romanowicz, left,
and Trey Strobel during a match in April and below, announced his
retirement at age 60 on May 29. Photos courtesy of Stanford University.

    Former Stanford star and professional player Paul Goldstein has emerged as the front-runner to succeed John Whitlinger as the Cardinal men's coach, sources indicated.
   "I think it's already decided," one source said, although there has been no official announcement. "I'd be shocked if they didn't name him."
   Stanford spokesman Kurt Svoboda declined to discuss the search, including the timetable for hiring a new coach.
   Whitlinger announced his retirement at age 60 on May 29 after Stanford's second consecutive first-round exit from the NCAA Tournament.

   The Cardinal won 17 NCAA team titles in 38 years under Whitlinger's predecessor, Dick Gould (776-148 overall, .840), but never advanced past the quarterfinals in 10 years under Whitlinger (160-85, .653).
   "Being able to coach at a place you've played is really a dream come true," Whitlinger, a native of Neenah, Wis., who was inducted in the ITA Men's Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame in 1999, said in a news release. "It's been a great ride, and I want to thank everyone that's been a part of it, especially the players and coaches I've worked with over the years.
   "It has been an honor to coach at such an outstanding university and athletic program, and while it is difficult to step away, I'm looking forward to new beginnings."
   Added Stanford athletic director Bernard Muir: "John has been an integral part of our tennis family for more than 40 years, and we have benefited from his accomplishments as an NCAA champion student-athlete and coach. We appreciate his service over these past 10 years as our head coach and wish him luck in this next chapter of his life."
   Goldstein, a 37-year-old native of Washington, D.C., has impeccable playing credentials but little or no coaching experience. He has worked as an account manager for a clean energy company in the San Francisco Bay Area since retiring from pro tennis in 2008. Efforts to reach Goldstein have been unsuccessful.
   Goldstein became the first player in college tennis history to compete on four NCAA championship teams (1995-98), a feat also accomplished by USC's Steve Johnson (2009-12).
   An All-American four times in doubles and once in singles, Goldstein reached the NCAA singles final as a senior before losing to teammate Bob Bryan.
   Goldstein was named All-Pacific-10 Conference three times and the Pac-10 Player of the Year as a senior. He also received the ITA/Arthur Ashe Jr. Award for Sportsmanship and Leadership in 1997 and 1998.
   Goldstein ranks fifth in school history with 84 career dual-match singles victories and was inducted in the ITA Men's Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame last year. He attended high school and college with Chelsea Clinton, and graduated from Stanford in 1998 in human biology.
   Only 5-foot-10 (1.77 meters) and 160 pounds (72.6 kilograms), Goldstein went on to an 11-year career as a pro player. He attained career highs of No. 58 in singles in 2006 and No. 40 in doubles in 2007.
   Goldstein never won an ATP singles or doubles title but captured a record 30 championships combined on the minor-league USTA Pro Circuit. In 2006, he earned the singles crown in the second Sacramento Challenger.
   At the top level of men's tennis, Goldstein owns singles victories over International Tennis Hall of Famer Patrick Rafter, future Hall of Famers Novak Djokovic (when Djokovic was 18) and Lleyton Hewitt, and former top-10 players Greg Rusedski and Alex Corretja.
   In doubles, Goldstein reached the semifinals of the 2005 U.S. Open with former Stanford teammate Jim Thomas and was a two-time runner-up in San Jose (2003 with Robert Kendrick and 2006 with Thomas).
   Stanford went 14-6 (5-2 in the Pacific-12 Conference) this season but finished No. 32 in the national rankings. The Cardinal was 5-6 against ranked teams and 9-0 against others.
   Stanford won all four of its 4-3 decisions, prevailing at unranked UNLV, No. 52 Utah and unranked Arizona and at home against No. 43 Washington.  

    As a player, Whitlinger helped Stanford win its first two NCAA men's team titles (1973 and 1974). In 1974, he became only the fourth player in program history to capture the NCAA singles and doubles crowns in the same year.
   Under Gould, Stanford won four straight NCAA team titles (1995-98), five in six years (including 2000) and 10 in 15 years (1986-2000). The 2000 crown is the Cardinal's last.
   Making Stanford's decline all the more galling is that USC, known as the "University of Spoiled Children" on the Farm, has replaced the Cardinal as the top program in the nation. The Trojans have won five NCAA team championships in the last six years.
   The Stanford women, meanwhile, remain a national power under longtime coach Lele Forood. The Cardinal won its 17th NCAA team title last year and reached the semifinals this year.

Brooksby wins national title; Altamirano eyes one

   Northern California players had a spectacular day in the USTA Boys Nationals.
   Top-seeded Jenson Brooksby of Sacramento won the 12s singles title on Saturday in Little Rock, Ark., routing fourth-seeded Thomas Yu of Bellevue, Wash., 6-3, 6-1.
   Unseeded Collin Altamirano of Yuba City crushed top-seeded Gage Brymer of Irvine 6-0, 6-1 to reach the final of the boys 18s in Kalamazoo, Mich.
   Altamirano will play 14th-seeded Jared Donaldson of Cumberland, R.I., today for the title. Donaldson surprised second-seeded Noah Rubin of Rockville Centre, N.Y., 7-6 (4), 7-5.
   Brooksby and Altamirano train under Joseph Gilbert at Arden Hills, the former home of Olympic swimming champions Mark Spitz and Debbie Meyer, in Sacramento.
   Altamirano became the second unseeded finalist in tournament history. Cecil Mamiit lost to Paul Goldstein in 1993. They went on to star at USC and Stanford, respectively, and enjoy long professional careers as undersized players.
   Mamiit in 1996 became the first freshman to win the NCAA singles title since John McEnroe at Stanford in 1978. Goldstein became the first player to help his team win four NCAA team crowns while earning All-America honors each year. 
   The 5-foot-10 (1.78-meter) Goldstein reached a career-high No. 58 in the world in 2006, and the 5-foot-8 (1.73-meter) Mamiit peaked at No. 72 in 1999.
   The news on Saturday wasn't all good for players with NorCal ties.
   In the boys 18 doubles semifinals, the unseeded team of William Griffith of Fresno and J.T. Nishimura of San Jose lost to fourth-seeded Henry Craig of Murrieta and George Goldhoff of Irvine 3-6, 6-2, 6-4.
   Taylor Townsend, who played for the Sacramento Capitals of World TeamTennis last month, fell in the girls 18 singles semifinals and doubles final in San Diego.
   Seeded fourth in singles, the Boca Raton, Fla., resident succumbed to second-seeded Alexandra Kiick of Plantation, Fla., 1-6, 6-4, 6-1. Kiick is the daughter of former Miami Dolphins running back Jim Kiick.
   The top-seeded pair of Gabrielle Andrews of Pomona and Townsend came up short against second-seeded Kiick and Sachia Vickery of Boca Raton, 6-3, 6-4.

Ex-Stanford star Goldstein enters college Hall of Fame

   Stanford men's tennis has fallen on hard times, but its glorious past is being recognized this year with two Hall of Fame inductions.
   Paul Goldstein entered the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Men's Hall of Fame during last month's NCAA Tournament in Urbana, Ill., and Jared Palmer will join the USTA Northern California Hall of Fame on July 25 during the Bank of the West Classic at Stanford.
   Goldstein, a high school and college classmate of Chelsea Clinton, became the first player in college tennis history to compete on four NCAA championship teams (1995-98). USC's Steve Johnson (2009-12) also accomplished the feat.
   Goldstein, a four-time All-American in singles and doubles, reached the NCAA singles final as a senior and lost to teammate Bob Bryan. The Washington, D.C., native was named All-Pacific-10 Conference three times and the Pac-10 Player of the Year as a senior.
   He also received the ITA/Arthur Ashe Jr. Award for Sportsmanship and Leadership in 1997 and 1998. Goldstein ranks fifth in school history with 84 career dual-match victories.
   Only 5-foot-10 (1.77 meters) and 160 pounds (72.6 kilograms), Goldstein went on to an 11-year professional career. He reached the doubles semifinals at the 2005 U.S. Open with former Stanford teammate Jim Thomas, climbed to a career-high No. 58 in singles in 2006 and later that year won the singles title of the second Sacramento Challenger.
   Stanford has won 17 NCAA men's team titles but none since 2000. Last month, the Cardinal lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 35 appearances. 
   Also inducted in the ITA Men's Hall of Fame were just-retired Notre Dame men's coach Bobby Bayliss, former Kentucky coach Dennis Emery, two-time NCAA doubles champion and former doubles world No. 1 Kelly Jones, ex-Tyler (Texas) Junior College men's and women's coach John Peterson, former USTA chairman of the board and president Alan Schwartz, and 1976 French Open runner-up Harold Solomon from Rice.
    Palmer won the 1991 NCAA singles title as a sophomore and reached No. 1 in the world in doubles in 2000. He captured four Grand Slam doubles titles, two in men's doubles (the 1995 Australian Open with Richey Reneberg and Wimbledon in 2001 with Donald Johnson) and two in mixed doubles (the 2000 Australian Open with Rennae Stubbs and 2000 U.S. Open with Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario).
   Joining Palmer in the Northern California Tennis Hall of Fame will be longtime coach and volunteer Phil Cello, women's pioneer Barbara Scofield Davidson and the late Mark Manning, a teaching pro, mentor and community activist.
   UC Davis fundraiser -- Ben Combs, a former co-owner of the Sacramento Capitals in World TeamTennis, collected slightly more than $4,000 for the UC Davis men's team at last month's fundraiser at his clay court in the Sacramento suburb of Orangevale.

PRO RANKINGS

   Following are this week's world rankings of professional players with Northern California ties (change from last week in parentheses):

Men

   Bob Bryan, 1998 NCAA doubles champion from Stanford -- Career-high No. 1 in doubles (no change), unranked in singles.

   Mike Bryan, 1998 NCAA doubles champion from Stanford -- Career-high No. 1 in doubles (no change), unranked in singles.
   Mardy Fish, Sacramento Capitals of World TeamTennis (2012-13) -- No. 43 in singles (-2), No. 343 in doubles (-7).
   Bradley Klahn, 2010 NCAA singles champion and 2011 NCAA doubles runner-up from Stanford -- Career-high No. 180 in singles (+4), career-high No. 279 in doubles (+67).
   Scott Lipsky, 2002 NCAA doubles runner-up from Stanford -- Career-high No. 22 in doubles (no change), unranked in singles.
   Sam Querrey, San Francisco native, Capitals (2012-13) -- No. 19 in singles (+1), No. 101 in doubles (no change).
   Ryan Sweeting, Capitals (2012-13) -- No. 269 in singles (-2), No. 865 in doubles (-6).
   Dmitry Tursunov, Folsom resident from Russia -- No. 64 in singles (-4), No. 143 in doubles (+6).

Women

   Mallory Burdette, NCAA singles runner-up in 2012 and NCAA doubles champion in 2011 and 2012 from Stanford -- Career-high No. 69 in singles (+11), No. 352 in doubles (no change). 
   Raquel Kops-Jones, 2003 NCAA doubles champion from Cal -- No. 14 in doubles (no change), No. 1,135 in singles (no change).

   Megan Moulton-Levy, Capitals (2013) -- Career-high No. 62 in doubles (no change), unranked in singles.

   Maria Sanchez, Modesto product -- No. 116 in singles (no change), No. 120 in doubles (no change).

   Taylor Townsend, Capitals (2013) -- Career-high No. 333 in singles (no change), No. 533 in doubles (no change).

TV SCHEDULE

(All times PDT)

Thursday

   Halle (men), early rounds, Tennis Channel, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (delay).

Friday

   Halle (men), quarterfinals, Tennis Channel, 3 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (live), 2-11:30 p.m. (repeat). 

Saturday

   Halle (men), semifinals, Tennis Channel, 4-9 a.m. (live), 1-11 p.m. (repeat).
   Birmingham, England (women), semifinals, Tennis Channel, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. (delay).

Sunday

   Halle (men), final, Tennis Channel, 5-8 a.m. (live), 8-11 a.m. (repeat), 1-4 p.m. (repeat), 6-9 p.m. (repeat).
   Birmingham, England (women), final, Tennis Channel, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (delay), 4-6 p.m. (repeat).

  CALENDAR

   June 24-July 7 -- WIMBLEDON, www.wimbledon.com. 2012 champions: Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Jonathan Marray-Frederik Nielsen, Serena Williams-Venus Williams.
   June 29-July 6 -- $50,000 Gold River Women's Challenger, Gold River Racquet Club, Gold River, Calif. Saturday, June 29-Sunday, June 30, qualifying; Monday, July 1 (main draw), 10 a.m.; Tuesday, July 2-Thursday, July 4, noon and 6:30 p.m.; Friday, July 5 (semifinals), 4 p.m.; Saturday, July 6 (finals), 7 p.m. www.usta.com, www.sparetimeclubs.com. 2012 champions: Maria Sanchez, Asia Muhammad-Yasmin Schnack.
   July 6-8 -- West Coast Junior Championships, Rio del Oro Racquet Club, 119 Scripps Dr., Sacramento 95825, www.norcal.usta.com.
   July 7 -- Sacramento Capitals open season vs. Texas in World TeamTennis, Capitals Stadium at Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights, Calif., 7:35 p.m., www.saccaps.com.   
   July 8 -- Capitals vs. Philadelphia, Capitals Stadium at Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights, Calif., 7:35 p.m., www.saccaps.com. 
   July 10 -- Capitals (with Mardy Fish) vs. Orange County, Capitals Stadium at Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights, Calif., 7:35 p.m., www.saccaps.com. 
   July 12 -- Capitals (with Mardy Fish) vs. Boston, Capitals Stadium at Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights, Calif., 7:35 p.m., www.saccaps.com. 
   July 13 -- Capitals (with Mardy Fish) vs. Washington, Capitals Stadium at Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights, Calif., 7:35 p.m., www.saccaps.com.  
   July 17 -- Capitals vs. Texas (with Bob and Mike Bryan), Capitals Stadium at Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights, Calif., 7:35 p.m., www.saccaps.com.
   July 22 -- Capitals (with Sam Querrey) vs. Orange County, Capitals Stadium at Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights, Calif., 7:35 p.m., www.saccaps.com.  
   July 22-28 -- Bank of the West Classic, Stanford, www.bankofthewestclassic.com. 2012 champions: Serena Williams, Marina Erakovic-Heather Watson. 
   July 25 -- World TeamTennis conference championships at highest seeds, www.wtt.com.

   July 28 -- World TeamTennis Finals at Eastern Conference champion, www.wtt.com.
   Aug. 5-11 -- $100,00 Comerica Bank Challenger, Seascape Sports Club, Aptos, Calif., www.seascapesportsclub.com/challenger. 2012 champions: Steve Johnson, Rik de Voest-John Peers.