NorCal's Huang reaches National Winter semifinals

   No. 8 seed Austen Huang of Elk Grove defeated No. 14 Matthew Lord of Bloomfield, Conn., 6-2, 6-3 on Thursday in the boys 18 quarterfinals of the USTA National Winter Championships in Scottsdale, Ariz.
   Huang will meet No. 10 Jason Lui of Bellevue, Wash., today for a berth in the final. Lui beat unseeded Eric Morris of Corinth, Texas, 6-4, 6-3.
   Top-seeded William Genesen, a Tulsa, Okla., resident who's headed to Stanford, topped No. 17 Paul Barretto of Tiburon 6-2, 7-6 (7).
   Mac Kiger of Katonah, N.Y., outlasted Ajai Shekhera of Campbell 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 in a battle of unseeded players. Shekhera had eliminated the No. 17, No. 11 and No. 4 seeds in his previous three matches.
   Top seeds Sara Choy (girls 16s), Katie Volynets (girls 14s) and Stefan Leustian (boys 14s) also reached the semifinals. Volynets and Milpitas' Andrew Ton (boys 16s) advanced to doubles finals.
   The boys and girls 18s and 16s are being played in Scottsdale, and the 14s and 12s are being held in Tucson, Ariz.

USTA NATIONAL WINTER CHAMPIONSHIPS

(Northern California results only)

Boys

Singles quarterfinals

18 and under

   William Genesen (1), Tulsa, Okla., def. Paul Barretto (17), Tiburon, 6-2, 7-6 (7).
   Mac Kiger, Katonah, N.Y., def. Ajai Shekhera, Campbell, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.
   Austen Huang (8), Elk Grove, def. Matthew Lord (14), Bloomfield, Conn., 6-2, 6-3.

14 and under

   Stefan Leustian (1), Mather, def. Jerry Wang (9), Fayetteville, N.C., 6-3, 7-6 (3).

Doubles semifinals

16 and under

   Zummy Bauer, Suwanee, Ga., and Andrew Ton (1), Milpitas, def. Trey Hilderbrand, San Antonio, and Kevin Zhu (3), Pearland, Texas, 6-4, 1-6, 6-2.

14 and under

   Robert Cash and Joel Jose (4), New Albany, Ohio, def. Stefan Leustian, Mather, and Zachery Lim (7), Fairfield, 7-6 (3), 6-1.

Girls

Singles quarterfinals

16 and under

   Sara Choy (1), Palo Alto, def. Sophia Edwards (7), Sarasota, Fla., 6-1, 3-6, 6-2.

   Hannah Zhao (2), San Diego, def. Carolyn Campana (8), Hillsborough, 6-1, 6-1.

14 and under

   Katie Volynets (1), Walnut Creek, def. Elizabeth Goldsmith, Chula Vista, 6-2, 6-1.
   Amy Huang (5), San Diego, def. Jillian Taggart (2), Fair Oaks, 1-6, 6-4, 6-0.

12 and under

   Christine Canete (3), Los Angeles, def. Yuu Ishikawa (5), Mountain View, 6-0, 6-2.

Doubles semifinals

18 and under

   Annette Goulak, Oak Park, and Ena Shibahara (2), Rancho Palos Verdes, def. Hind Abdelouahid, San Jose, and Diana Wong, Hilo, Hawaii, 6-3, 6-4.

14 and under

   Gabriella Price, Montebello, N.Y., and Katie Volynets (2), Walnut Creek, def. Elizabeth Goldsmith, Chula Vista, and Rachel Wagner (9), Calabasas, 2-6, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (6).

NorCal's Shekhera ousts No. 4 seed in Winter Nationals

Ajai Shekhera, playing in Sacramento
in April, beat fourth-seeded Richard
Ciamarra to reach the boys 18 quarter-
finals in the USTA National Winter
Championships. Photo by Paul Bauman

   Unseeded Ajai Shekhera of Campbell surprised No. 4 Richard Ciamarra of Southington, Conn., 7-6 (2), 2-6, 6-1 today to reach the boys 18 quarterfinals in the USTA National Winter Championships in Scottsdale, Ariz.
   Shekhera has beaten three straight seeds in the tournament. He knocked off No. 17 Keanu Ellen of Lahaina, Hawaii, in the second round and No. 11 Joseph Rotheram of Manhattan Beach in the third round.
   Joining Shekhera in the boys 18 quarters are No. 8 Austen Huang of Elk Grove and No. 17 Paul Barretto of Tiburon.
   The only other NorCal boy left in singles in the tournament is No. 1 Stefan Leustian of Mather in the 14s.
   Five NorCal girls reached the quarterfinals in their respective age groups: No. 1 Sara Choy of Palo Alto and No. 8 Carolyn Campana of Hillsborough in the 16s, No. 1 Katie Volynets of Walnut Creek and No. 2 Jillian Taggart of Fair Oaks in the 14s, and No. 5 Yuu Ishikawa of Mountain View in the 12s.
   Union City's Rachel Eason, seeded fourth in the girls 16s, lost to unseeded Sedona Gallagher of Henderson, Nev., 6-1, 1-6, 6-2.
  The boys and girls 18s and 16s are being played in Scottsdale, and the 14s and 12s are being held in Tucson, Ariz.

USTA NATIONAL WINTER CHAMPIONSHIPS

(Northern California results only)

Boys

Fourth-round singles

18 and under

   Paul Barretto (17), Tiburon, def. Brandon Lam (17), Westlake Village, 6-2, 6-1.
   Ajai Shekhera, Campbell, def. Richard Ciamarra (4), Southington, Conn., 7-6 (2), 2-6, 6-1.
   Austen Huang (8), Elk Grove, def. Jarod Hing (16), Paradise Valley, Ariz., 6-1, 6-2.

16 and under

   Jared Pratt (17), Daniel Island, S.C., def. Arjith Jayaraman, Gold River, 6-3, 7-5.

14 and under

   Stefan Leustian (1), Mather, def. Justin Mandell, Harrison, N.Y., 7-5, 6-2.

Doubles quarterfinals

16 and under

   Zummy Bauer, Suwanee, Ga., and Andrew Ton (1), Milpitas, def. Hayden Cassone, South Salem, N.Y., and Carson Haskins (5), Ballwin, Mo., 3-6, 6-0 [10-7].

14 and under

   Robert Cash and Joel Jose (4), New Albany, Ohio, def. Stefan Dostanic, Irvine, and Aditya Gupta (6), Los Altos, 6-3, 6-1.

   Stefan Leustian, Mather, and Zachery Lim (7), Fairfield, def. Connor Fu, Andover, Mass., and Hunter Heck (2), New Brighton, Minn., 7-5, 6-7 (6) [10-6].

12 and under

   Tali Jarmond, Charlotte, N.C., and Braden Shick, Greensboro, N.C., def. Max Fardanesh, Albany, and Jake Vassel, Danville, 3-6, 7-5 [10-8].

Girls

Fourth-round singles

16 and under

   Sara Choy (1), Palo Alto, def. Jayci Goldsmith (13), Dripping Springs, Texas, 6-2, 6-3.
   Sedona Gallagher, Henderson, Nev., def. Rachel Eason (4), Union City, 6-1, 1-6, 6-2.
   Carolyn Campana (8), Hillsborough, def. Emilee Duong, Placentia, 7-5, 6-3.

14 and under

   Katie Volynets (1), Walnut Creek, def. Rosie Garcia Gross (17), New York, 6-2, 6-2.

   Jillian Taggart (2), Fair Oaks, def. Olivia McIntosh-Adams, Los Angeles, 6-2, 6-0.

12 and under

   Yuu Ishikawa (5), Mountain View, def. Matilyn Wang (17), Scottsdale, Ariz., 6-1, 6-1.

   Katrina Scott (2), Woodland Hills, def. Vivian Ovrootsky (13), San Jose, 6-2, 7-5.

Doubles quarterfinals

18 and under

   Hind Abdelouahid, San Jose, and Diana Wong, Hilo, Hawaii, def. Jessica Anzo, Temecula, and Isabella Lorenzini, Clarendon Hills, Ill., 7-5, 6-3.

16 and under

   Daniela Bellini, Tierra Verde, Fla., and Imani Graham, Saint Johns, Fla., def. Carolyn Campana, Hillsborough, and Madison Hwang (1), Frisco, Texas, 2-6, 6-1 [10-6].

14 and under 

   Gabriella Price, Montebello, N.Y., and Katie Volynets (2), Walnut Creek, def. AnneMarie Hiser, Acworth, Ga., and Winslow Huth (5), Brentwood, Tenn., 6-1, 6-2.

12 and under

   Soren Leichter, Carmel, Ind., and Madison Sieg (1), Greenwich, Conn., def. Vivian Ovrootsky, San Jose, and Makenna Thiel (9), Piedmont, 3-6, 7-6 (4) [10-2].

   Zoe Hammond, Edmond, Okla., and Caroline Wernli (3), Austin, Texas, def. Yuu Ishikawa, Mountain View, and Katja Wiersholm (5), Kirkland, Wash., 7-6 (4), 2-6 [10-8].  

NorCal's Favero falls in National Winter nail-biter

No. 6 seed Camille Favero, shown in June in Sacramento,
lost a heartbreaker in the third round of the girls 18s in
the USTA National Winter Championships.
Photo by Paul Bauman 

   No. 6 seed Camille Favero of Sacramento lost to No. 17 Annette Goulak of Oak Park 6-7 (3), 6-4, 7-6 (1) today in the third round of the girls 18s in the USTA National Winter Championships in Scottsdale, Ariz.
   Northern California's other remaining girl in 18 singles, No. 17 Darya Possokhova of San Francisco, fell to No. 9 Jessica Failla of Ramona 2-6, 6-2, 6-3.
   Three NorCal boys, however, reached the round of 16 in the 18s. Advancing were No. 8 Austen Huang of Elk Grove, No. 17 Paul Barretto of Tiburon and unseeded Ajai Shekhera of Campbell.
   Shekhera upset No. 11 Joseph Rotheram of Manhattan Beach 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.
   Barretto won the boys 18 title in the NorCal Junior Sectional Championships in Sacramento in June.
   The 18s and 16s are being played in Scottsdale, and the 14s and 12s are being contested in Tucson, Ariz.

USTA NATIONAL WINTER CHAMPIONSHIPS

(Northern California results only)

Boys
Third-round singles

18 and under

   Austen Huang (8), Elk Grove, def. Dylan King (17), Portland, Ore., 6-3, 6-1.
   Paul Barretto (17), Tiburon, def. Michael Lee, Tucson, Ariz., 6-2, 6-0.
   Ajai Shekhera, Campbell, def. Joseph Rotheram (11), Manhattan Beach, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.
   Connor Hance (2), Torrance, def. Jayson Fung, San Francisco, 6-1, 6-3.

16 and under

   Carson Haskins (1), Ballwin, Mo., def. Jenson Brooksby (17), Carmichael, 6-0, 6-4.
   Arjith Jayamaran, Gold River, def. Jack Katzman, Seattle, 6-2, 6-4.

14 and under

   Stefan Leustian (1), Mather, def. JC Roddick, San Antonio, 1-6, 7-5, 6-2.
   Justin Mandell, Harrison, N.Y., def. Mason Fung, San Francisco, 6-3, 6-2.
   Jerry Wang (6), Fayetteville, N.C., def. Brandon Aprill, Mountain View, 6-2, 6-2.
   Harry Yang (3), Arcadia, def. Aidan Mayo (17), Roseville, 7-5, 6-3.
   Andrew Dale (5), Leesburg, Va., def. Zachery Lim (17), Fairfield, 6-3, 6-1.
   Pierce Rollins, Tulsa, Okla., def. Aditya Gupta (17), Los Altos, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (6).
12 and under
   Nishesh Basavareddy (3), Carmel, Ind., def. Alexander Chang (17), Berkeley, 6-1, 6-1.

Third-round doubles

16 and under

   Zummy Bauer, Suwanee, Ga., and Andrew Ton (1), Milpitas, def. William Grattan-Smith and Garrett Johns, Atlanta, 6-0, 6-1.

14 and under

   Stefan Dostanic, Irvine, and Aditja Gupta (6), Los Altos, def. Logan Paik Chang, Old Westbury, N.Y., and Derek Raskopf (9), New York, 7-5, 6-1.
   Stefan Leustian, Mather, and Zachery Lim (7), Fairfield, def. Keshav Chopra, Marietta, Ga., and Alex Lee (9), Oak Brook, Ill., 6-4, 7-6 (6).

12 and under

   Nishesh Basavareddy, Carmel, Ind., and Alan Jesudason (1), Berwyn, Pa., def. Alexander Chang, Berkeley, and Luke Neal, Oakland, 3-6, 6-3 [11-9].
   Max Fardanesh, Albany, and Jake Vassel, Danville, def. Noah Zamora, San Diego, and Learner Tien, Irvine, 6-2, 5-7 [10-7].

Girls

Third-round singles

18 and under

   Annette Goulak (17), Oak Park, def. Camille Favero (6), Sacramento, 6-7 (3), 6-4, 7-6 (1).
   Jessica Failla (9), Ramona, def. Darya Possokhova (17), San Francisco, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3.

16 and under

   Sara Choy (1), Palo Alto, def. Maia Sung, Rolling Hills, 2-6, 6-3, 6-1.
   Rachel Eason (4), Union City, def. Vivian Cheng (17), Santa Monica, 6-2, 6-2.
   Sedona Gallagher, Henderson, Nev., def. Ashley Yeah (16), Los Gatos, 6-1, 6-7 (6), 6-3.
   Carolyn Campana (8), Hillsborough, def. Somer Henry, Franklin, Tenn., 6-2, 7-6 (6).

14 and under

   Katie Volynets (1), Walnut Creek, def. Audrey Boch-Collins (17), Las Vegas, 7-6 (6), 6-3.
   Gabriella Price (4), Montebello, N.Y., def. Stephanie Nguyen (17), Fremont, 6-2, 6-2.
   Jillian Taggart (2), Fair Oaks, def. Macey Miller (17), Norman, Okla., 6-1, 6-1.
12 and under
   Christine Canete (3), Los Angeles, def. Angelica AksdalJansen, San Francisco, 6-0, 6-0.
   Yuu Ishikawa (5), Mountain View, def. Sonya Macavei, Loveland, Ohio, 6-1, 6-0.
   Bridget Stammel (4), Dallas, def. Makenna Thiel (17), Piedmont, 6-3, 6-4.
   Vivian Ovrootsky (13), San Jose, def. Filippa Bruu-Syversen (17), Chatham, N.J., 6-3, 7-5.

Third-round doubles 

18 and under

   Hind Abdelouahid, San Jose, and Diana Wong, Hilo, Hawaii, Alyssa Hahn, Richmond, Va., and Nina Sorkin, Glen Allen, Va., 6-4, 2-6 [10-7].

16 and under

   Carolyn Campana, Hillsborough, and Madison Hwang (1), Frisco, Texas, def. Page Freeman, Ashland, Mass., and Cayla Koch, Weston, Conn., 6-3, 7-5.

   Dasha Kourkina, Brooklyn, N.Y., and Michelle Sorokko (3), Little Neck, N.Y., def. Sara Choy, Palo Alto, and Salma Ewing, Long Beach, 7-5, 6-1.

   Abigail Forbes, Raleigh, N.C., and Alexis Merrill (10), Fairfax, Va., def. Julia Lilien, Scottsdale, and Niluka Madurawe (9), Sunnyvale, 6-4, 6-3.

   Julia Haynes, San Diego, and Rena Lin, Northridge, def. Jessica Aragon, Plano, Texas, and Rachel Eason (13), Union City, 6-1, 7-5.

14 and under

   Gabriella Price, Montebello, N.Y., and Katie Volynets (2), Walnut Creek, def. Fiona Crawley, San Antonio, and Kiana Graham (9), Austin, Texas, 6-2, 3-6 [10-8].

12 and under 

   Vivian Ovrootsky, San Jose, and Makenna Thiel (9), Piedmont, def. Whitley Pate, Winston-Salem, N.C., and Sophia Strugnell (7), Summerfield, N.C., 7-6 (2), 7-5.

   Yuu Ishikawa, Mountain View, and Katja Wiersholm (5), Kirkland, Wash., def. Kailey Evans, Ennis, Texas, and Katherine Wurster, Wichita Falls, Texas, 4-6, 6-2 [11-9].