Brooksby wins USTA boys 18s for U.S. Open wild card

Jenson Brooksby practices at the Arden Hills Athletic and
Social Club in Sacramento in May. Photo by Paul Bauman

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   Five years ago, Collin Altamirano and Jenson Brooksby from the JMG Tennis Academy in Sacramento won USTA Boys National titles in the 18s and 12s, respectively.
   Today, Brooksby repeated Altamirano's feat to earn a wild card into the U.S. Open main draw later this month.
   The fourth-seeded Brooksby, 17, dominated third-seeded Brandon Nakashima of San Diego 6-4, 6-3, 6-1 in Kalamazoo, Mich. Brooksby, who's headed to Texas Christian in the fall of 2019 or in January 2020, did not lose a set in the tournament.
   The U.S. Open is scheduled for Aug. 27 to Sept. 9 in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.
   Altamirano lost to No. 22 seed Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany 6-1, 6-3, 6-1 in the first round of the 2013 U.S. Open. He turned pro in June 2017 after his junior year at Virginia, which won the NCAA title in all three of his years there.
   Now 22, Altamirano has soared from No. 761 at the beginning of the year to a career-high No. 347.
   WTA tour -- In a rematch of the French Open final, top-ranked Simona Halep outlasted third-seeded Sloane Stephens 7-6 (6), 3-6, 6-4 in 2 hours, 41 minutes to win the Rogers Cup in Montreal.
   Stephens, a 25-year-old Fresno product, led 4-0 in the tiebreaker and had four set points in the first set.
   Halep defeated Stephens 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 at Roland Garros for her first Grand Slam title after going 0-3 in major finals. Stephens won her only Grand Slam title in last year's U.S. Open, beating countrywoman and close friend Madison Keys.
   ITF Pro Circuit -- No. 3 seed Madison Brengle defeated unseeded fellow American Kristie Ahn 6-4, 1-0, retired in the final of the Koser Jewelers $60,000 Tennis Challenge in Landisville, Pa.
   Ahn, a 26-year-old Stanford graduate, suffered a heat-related illness.
   USTA NorCal -- No. 1 seeds Karue Sell of Los Angeles and Chanel Simmonds of South Africa defeated the No. 2 seeds to win the men's and women's singles titles, respectively, in the $25,000 Heritage Bank of Commerce Open Tennis Championships at the Moraga Country Club in the San Francisco Bay Area suburb of Moraga.
   Sell, a former UCLA standout from Brazil, routed Jianhui Li of West Harrison, N.Y., 6-1, 6-1 to repeat as the champion. Simmonds beat Jacqueline Cako of Brier, Wash., 6-0, 6-4.
   The top seeds also won the titles in men's doubles (Austin Rapp and Sell), women's doubles (Cako and Simmonds) and mixed doubles (Cako and Joel Kielbowicz of Scottsdale, Ariz.).

Anderson upsets another seed for Redding title

   Nobody can say Robin Anderson backed into the singles title of the $25,000 Ascension Project Women's Challenger.
   The unseeded Anderson, a 24-year-old former UCLA star from Matawan, N.J., upset four seeds to earn the second and biggest crown of her career.
   In today's final, the 5-foot-3 (1.61-meter) Anderson defeated No. 6 seed Chanel Simmonds of South Africa 6-1, 6-4. Anderson also knocked off No. 2 Ulrikke Eikeri of Norway in the first round, No. 5 Karman Kaur Thandi of India in the quarterfinals and No. 4 Jovana Jaksic, a Serbian living in Sacramento, in the semifinals.
   While Anderson had a tough road to the final, Simmonds' hardly could have been easier. After two straight-set victories, she received a walkover in the quarterfinals and a retirement at 4-1 in the semifinals.
   Anderson, the 2013 runner-up to Adriana Perez of Venezuela as a UCLA junior-to-be, pocketed $3,919 for the championship. Her other singles title came in a $10,000 hardcourt tournament in Landisville, Pa., in 2011.
   Simmonds, 25, collected $2.901. The 5-foot-5 (1.65-meter) left-hander was seeking her 17th singles crown and fourth in a $25,000 tournament. Her other titles came in smaller events.
   Both finalists will rise to about No. 302 in the Sept. 24 rankings, Anderson from No. 369 and Simmonds from No. 330. They have been ranked as high as No. 183 and No. 158, respectively.
   Unseeded players also won the doubles title as Daneika Borthwick of Great Britain and Ana Veselinovic of Montenegro beat third-seeded Harriet Dart of Great Britain and Maria Sanchez of the United States 6-3, 6-4.
   Veselinovic stunned top-seeded Sofya Zhuk, the 2015 Wimbledon girls champion at age 15, in the first round of singles en route to the quarterfinals. Sanchez, a 27-year-old Modesto product, won the 2011 Redding doubles title with since-retired Yasmin Schnack of Sacramento.
   Here are the complete singles and doubles draws.

Anderson beats Sacramento's Jaksic in Redding

   Robin Anderson will play for the singles title in Redding, Calif., again.
   The unseeded former UCLA star from Matawan, N.J., beat fourth-seeded Jovana Jaksic, a Serbian living in Sacramento, 6-4, 6-3 today in the $25,000 Ascension Project Women's Challenger at Sun Oaks Tennis & Fitness.
   The 24-year-old Anderson, only 5-foot-3 (1.61 meters), had eight aces and no double faults as she upset a seed for the third time in the tournament. She knocked off No. 2 Ulrikke Eikeri of Norway in the first round and No. 5 Karman Kaur Thandi of India in the quarterfinals.
   Anderson, the 2013 runner-up to Adriana Perez of Venezuela, will try to make it four seeds when she meets No. 6 Chanel Simmonds of South Africa on Sunday after the 1 p.m. doubles final.
   Simmonds, a 25-year-old left-hander, has played only 19 minutes total in the last two rounds. She led 4-1 today when eighth-seeded Katie Swan of Great Britain retired with an upper-leg injury. Qualifier Urszula Radwanska, the younger sister of 11th-ranked Agnieszka Radwanska, withdrew from her quarterfinal against Simmonds with foot blisters.
   Simmonds, 5-foot-5 (1.65 meters), and Anderson have met once. Simmonds won 6-1, 1-6, 7-5 in the first round of qualifying for the $50,000 Lexington (Ky.) Challenger on a hardcourt in 2015.
   In Sunday's doubles final, third-seeded Harriet Dart of Great Britain and Maria Sanchez from Modesto will play unseeded Daneika Borthwick of Great Britain and Ana Veselinovic of Montenegro. Sanchez won the 2011 doubles title with since-retired Yasmin Schnack of Sacramento.
   Admission to the tournament is free. Here are the singles and doubles draws and Sunday's schedule.

Defending champ beats top seed in $60K Sacramento

   GOLD RIVER, Calif. — The dream quarterfinal was turning into a nightmare for Sofia Kenin.
   Top-seeded Jennifer Brady, who has a big serve and powerful whipping forehand, steamrolled the defending champion in the first set on Friday night in the $60,000 FSP Gold River Women's Challenger.
   But Kenin, 18, rallied to defeat her fellow Floridian 1-6, 6-1, 6-3 at the Gold River Racquet Club in the Sacramento area and extend her winning streak to eight matches.
   Kenin, who swept the singles and doubles titles in last week's $60,000 Stockton (Calif.) Challenger, won the last three games in her first meeting against Brady.
   "She was obviously playing really well (in the first set), and I just told myself to keep fighting because I was right there. The games were close," said Kenin, seeded eighth and ranked No. 165. "I just told myself to fight for every point."
   That's more than you can say for Brady, who didn't try for two balls late in the match, including Kenin's forehand cross-court passing shot on her first match point.
   Kenin also became more aggressive, hitting harder and taking time away from Brady, after dropping the first set.
   "I started going for my shots," she said. "I already lost the first set, so I just tried to play my best."
   Brady, 22, reached the fourth round of the Australian Open as a qualifier in January and the second round at Wimbledon early this month. At No. 77, she is the highest-ranked player Kenin has beaten.
   Kenin's only other victory over a top-100 player came last month against No. 85 Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus in the first round of qualifying on grass in Mallorca.
   Brady will head to Stanford, where she is scheduled to play wild card Maria Sharapova in the first round in next week's Bank of the West Classic.
   Kenin, meanwhile, will meet unseeded Ajla Tomljanovic (pronounced EYE-la Tom-lee-on-o-vich), a 24-year-old Croatian based in Boca Raton, Fla., in a semifinal for the second consecutive week tonight.
   Kenin won 7-6 (3), 7-5 in Stockton to even her record against the 5-foot-11 (1.80-meter) Tomljanovic at 1-1. Tomljanovic won on clay in the first round of a $60,000 tournament in Charlottesville, Va., in April en route to the semifinals.
   Tomljanovic, ranked No. 270, beat Irina Falconi of Orlando, Fla., in the quarterfinals for the second straight week in a matchup of former top-100 players rebounding from surgery. After prevailing in three sets in the $60,000 Stockton Challenger, Tomljanovic won 6-1, 7-6 (2).
   Tomljanovic advanced to the fourth round of the 2014 French Open, had shoulder surgery in February 2016 and missed the rest of the year.
   In the other Gold River semifinal, second-seeded Kristie Ahn of Orlando will face 15-year-old phenom Amanda Anisimova of Hallandale Beach, Fla., after a 4 p.m. doubles semifinal.
   Ahn outlasted seventh-seeded Danielle Collins of St. Petersburg, Fla., 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in 2 hours, 21 minutes in a match that began at noon on another scorching day in the San Joaquin Valley.
   Anisimova, the most promising American with the initials "AA" since Andre Agassi, topped qualifier Chanel Simmonds, a 24-year-old left-hander from South Africa, 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 as the temperature soared to 103 degrees (39.4 Celsius) early in the second set at 5:15 p.m.
   In May, the 5-foot-10 (1.83-meter) Anisimova became the youngest player to compete in the women's main draw of the French Open since Alize Cornet, also 15, in 2005. Before the tournament, Anisimova was profiled in The New York Times.
   Ahn and Anisimova will meet for the second time. Ahn triumphed 1-6, 6-2, 6-2 on clay in the final of a $60,000 tournament in Dothan, Ala., in April. Anisimova pulled a groin muscle early in the second set. Still, Ahn was highly impressed.
   "Obviously, she's a very clean ball-striker," Ahn said. "She's young, she's raw, she's talented. I think we're going to see a lot more of her. The crazy part is she's only 15. She's really mature for her age, and it's really impressive to watch her dictate matches."
   Anisimova said last week in Stockton, where she lost to American Jamie Loeb in the quarterfinals, that her goal is to become No. 1 in the world and win all the Grand Slam tournaments. That's realistic, according to Ahn.
   "Yeah, yeah," Ahn said without hesitation. "Obviously you never know, but she is only 15. I imagine the time when Serena, Sharapova and Venus aren't playing anymore, so it's going to be interesting to see the new wave of players in 10 years when they're 25. There's a good group of Americans, especially. I think we're all pretty curious to see how they grow up."
   Anisimova is eager to avenge her loss in Dothan.
   "This time it's going to be on hardcourt, so it's going to be a little different," said Anisimova, adding that her favorite surface is clay because it gives her more time to haul off on her groundstrokes. "Last time I wasn't fully there because I pulled a muscle, but hopefully this time I'll be there 100 percent, so we'll see how it goes."
   Both Ahn, 25, and Collins, 23, are college graduates, a rarity in professional tennis. Ahn, along with Nicole Gibbs, led Stanford to the NCAA team title in 2013 and graduated the following year. Collins graduated from Virginia last year as a two-time NCAA singles champion (2014 and 2016).
   Ahn shook off a double fault on set point in the first set and Collins' rally from 1-4 (one service break) to 4-4 in the third set.
   "A lot of credit to her," said the 5-foot-5 (1.65-meter) Ahn, ranked No. 116. "She played well, she put a lot of pressure on me, and I was just trying to clear it out of my head and take each point one at a time.
   "Obviously, experience helps, but she's playing pretty well, and there were just a couple of key moments that —you're right — I was able to put out of my head at the right time."

   Collins, ranked No. 160 after only one year on the circuit full-time, crushes her serve, return of serve and groundstrokes. She blasted 11 aces, including three in a row twice.

   "She definitely took the initiative from the start — serves and returns," Ahn said with a laugh, "I think she had like eight aces or something, so definitely whenever I had a look, I tried to get into points as much as I could. "

   Anisimova trailed by a set and a service break for 0-1 in the second set when she suddenly stopped making unforced errors and started rifling passing shots. When the 5-foot-5 (1.65-meter) Simmonds pounded an ace at 0-4, 0-40, she raised her arms in mock triumph and smiled at the fans sitting behind the baseline.
   Said Anisimova: "I just didn't have a great day today. I think everyone doesn't always play great, but I got myself out of it, and I started playing my game again."
   Here are the Gold River singles and doubles draws and today's schedule. Live streaming is available.

Kenin, 17, capitalizes on Min meltdown for title

Sofia Kenin, left, upset second-seeded Grace Min 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 on Sunday
night to win the $50,000 FSP Gold River Women's Challenger in the
Sacramento area. Photo by Paul Bauman 

   GOLD RIVER, Calif. — Evonne Goolagong Cawley famously called them "walkabouts."
   The International Tennis Hall of Famer from Australia was referring to her lapses of concentration during matches.
   Grace Min had a mysterious walkabout for the ages on Sunday night, and it likely cost her the title in the $50,000 FSP Gold River Women's Challenger.
   Seventeen-year-old Sofia Kenin capitalized on Min's meltdown for a 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory in an all-American final at the Gold River Racquet Club in the Sacramento area.
   Min packs a punch at only 5-foot-4 (1.63 meters) and 140 pounds (64 kilograms). She outslugged Kenin — no easy feat — to lead 6-4, 1-1 in a baseline battle that began in 99-degree (37.2 Celsius) heat. Min, seeded second, was focused and pounding her groundstrokes into the corners.
   Then suddenly, the 22-year-old Min was listless and could hardly hit a ball in the court. The unseeded Kenin reeled off eight consecutive games to take the second set and lead 3-0 (two service breaks) in the third set.
   "I lost a bit of energy, pretty much a little of everything — a little objective and purpose with what I was trying to accomplish in the point," said Min, who saved two match points in the second round against former top-30 player Michaella Krajicek of the Netherlands. "Yeah, I lost my way."
   When asked why, Min mused, "I'm not sure."
   Fatigue? Unlikely. Both Min and Kenin train in the heat and humidity of Florida, Min's two previous matches were one-sided, and she regained her form after falling behind 3-0 in the third set.
   "I did everything I could to prepare (for the tournament)," Min said, "so I had that peace of mind, but conditioning is always something you can improve."
   Perhaps Min got nervous as she tries to earn her third main-draw berth in the U.S. Open, Aug. 29-Sept. 11 in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.
   Min broke Kenin at love for 1-3 in the final set and fought hard the rest of the match, but it was too late. Both players held serve from there, with Kenin converting her third championship point when a Min forehand sailed long.
    "I was just trying to ... control myself, move her and adjust to her game," Kenin said before rushing to the airport for a flight to Lexington, Ky., for the $50,000 Kentucky Bank Tennis Championships. "She was playing really well in the first set, but I was able to regroup well."
   Whereas Min inexplicably took the middle of the 2-hour, 8-minute match off, Kenin fought for every point in each set like her idol, Russia's Maria Sharapova. Kenin, a Moscow native who moved to Florida as a baby with her family, even walks to the wall behind the baseline between points and faces it while collecting her thoughts like Sharapova.
   Kenin, who has long legs but stands only 5-foot-6 (1.68 meters), became the second 17-year-old in the five-year history of the Gold River Challenger to win the singles title. She hopes to fare better than the first one.
   Mayo Hibi, a longtime resident of Irvine in the Los Angeles area who plays for her native Japan, defeated an ill Madison Brengle in the 2013 final. Hibi, only 5-foot-5 (1.65 meters) and 121 pounds (55 kilograms), then skipped college and turned pro. She is ranked No. 205.
   Kenin, a home-schooled high school junior, remains an amateur for now. Splitting her time between professional and junior tournaments, she was ranked No. 332 in the world entering the Gold River Challenger. Kenin will jump to about No. 252 when the new rankings are released on Monday. She is ranked 10th among juniors (18 and under).
    Min said Kenin has "a great deal" of potential.
   "She's very young, and obviously she's got a great tennis mind, so I think the world is hers," Min added.
   Does Kenin have top-10 potential?
   "I think anyone can reach the top 10 if they work hard enough," said Min, a former top-100 player who will improve from No. 158 to about No. 144.
   Kenin, who won her second and biggest ITF (minor-league) singles title, could play in the main draw of the U.S. Open for the second consecutive year. By winning the Gold River title, she took the lead in the U.S. Open Wild Card Challenge. The American who earns the most points in two of the three participating tournaments — Stockton two weeks ago, Sacramento and Lexington — will receive a wild card into the U.S. Open.

(Left to right) doubles runners-up Jamie Loeb and Chanel Simmonds,
Freight Solution Providers CEO Lielani Steers and doubles champions
Ashley Weinhold and Caitlin Whoriskey pose after the trophy presenta-
tion. Photo by Paul Bauman

   Kenin won the USTA Girls 18 National Championships last August in San Diego to earn an automatic wild card into the main draw of the U.S. Open. She lost to then-No. 96 Marina Duque-Marino of Colombia 6-3, 6-1 in the first round but reached the junior girls final.
   Min has played in the main draw of five Grand Slam tournaments but is still looking for her first victory in one. She won junior titles in U.S. Open singles and Wimbledon doubles (with Eugenie Bouchard) in 2011.

   Kenin and Min met in an official match for the first time, but they've played practice matches against each other at the USTA Training Center in Boca Raton, Fla., where both are based.
   This was the second all-American final in the Gold River Challenger. Maria Sanchez defeated Jessica Pegula in the inaugural tournament in 2012. Sanchez was born and raised in nearby Modesto. Pegula's parents, Terry and Kim, own the NFL's Buffalo Bills and NHL's Buffalo Sabres,

   Min, who played in the tournament for the first time this year, has an appropriate first name. During the awards ceremony, she warmly thanked the fans for attending and the club staff for making her feel at home. She then was cooperative in an interview with a reporter, to whom she had said "Nice to meet you" on Saturday.
   As for Min's walkabout, at least she's in good company.

   Second-seeded Ashley Weinhold of Spicewood, Texas, and Caitlin Whoriskey of East Sandwich, Mass., won the doubles title for the second consecutive year, beating third-seeded Jamie Loeb of Ossining, N.Y., and Chanel Simmonds of South Africa 6-4, 6-4.
   Loeb and Simmonds played together for the first time in the tournament. Loeb turned pro last year after winning the NCAA singles title as a North Carolina sophomore.
   Here are the complete Gold River Challenger singles and doubles draws.

No. 2 seed Pliskova falls listlessly in 50K Stockton

Kristyna Pliskova, who set a record for most aces in a WTA
match in January, committed seven double faults in the second
set of her loss to qualifier Chanel Simmonds today. Photo by
Paul Bauman

   STOCKTON, Calif. -- In January, Kristyna Pliskova set the record for most aces in a WTA match.
   At times today, it seemed the 24-year-old Czech was trying to set the record for most double faults in a Challenger.
   Committing seven double faults in the second set and nine overall, the second-seeded Pliskova lost to qualifier Chanel Simmonds of South Africa 7-5, 6-3 in a first-round matchup of left-handers in the second annual University of the Pacific $50,000 USTA Pro Circuit Challenger.
   After serving at 5-5 in the first set and falling behind 0-30, Pliskova -- ranked No. 116, 100 places lower than her twin sister Karolina -- received a warning for racket abuse and essentially tanked the rest of the match.
   Here are more gory details of Pliskova's pathetic performance that sullied the new $4 million Eve Zimmerman Tennis Center:
   --After leading 5-2 in the first set, she lost eight straight games and 10 of 11.
   --Pliskova double-faulted at least once in each of her last four service games, including twice in a row on two occasions.
   --She double-faulted three times overall at 1-5 in the second set but saved three match points and won the game. On the third match point, Pliskova pounded a second-serve ace.
   "I couldn't believe it, because she obviously just doesn't care," Simmonds said. "She's just swinging, so it made it harder for me."
   --Pliskova converted only 34.5 percent of her first serves (10 of 29) in the second set and 52.8 percent overall (38 of 72).
   The listless Pliskova also stopped chasing balls and often hit random, flat-footed drop shots. On some points, however, Pliskova flashed her powerful serve and groundstrokes. She finished with seven aces.
   It was the sixth loss in seven matches for the 6-foot (1.84-meter) Pliskova, who pounded a record 31 aces in the second round of the Australian Open but blew five match points and lost to Monica Puig of Puerto Rico 4-6, 7-6 (6), 9-7.
   Pliskova, who was not available for comment at the tournament and did not return calls to her hotel room, was the highest of three seeds to lose today. No. 5 Grace Min of Boca Raton, Fla., and No. 7 Lin Zhu of China fell to Americans Jamie Loeb and Caitlin Whoriskey, respectively. After the first round, only half of the eight seeds but three of the top four remain.
   No. 3 seed Alison Van Uytvanck of Belgium defeated Melanie Oudin of Marietta, Ga., 7-5, 6-2 in a matchup of former Grand Slam quarterfinalists. Van Uytvanck accomplished the feat in last year's French Open and Oudin in the 2009 U.S. Open. Oudin also reached the Stockton quarterfinals last year; Van Uytvanck is making her first appearance in the tournament.

   Also advancing were fourth-seeded Urszula Radwanska, the younger sister of fourth-ranked Agnieszka Radwanska, and 17-year-old CiCi Bellis of Atherton in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Chanel Simmonds recorded the second-biggest
win of her career. Photo by Paul Bauman

   Simmonds, 23, recorded the second-biggest victory of her career. She beat then-No. 85 Klara Koukalova, another Czech, in the opening round at Johannesburg in 2010.
   "I definitely think coming through qualifying helped me because I had to go through three matches there, whereas (Pliskova) didn't have any," the 5-foot-5 (1.65-meter) Simmonds said. "Actually, my first match in qualifying was against Alexandra Stevenson, and she's also a tall player and plays very similar (to Pliskova). That also could have helped me today."
   Simmonds ousted the No. 2 seed in the opening round for the second consecutive tournament. She upset Arina Rodionova, an Australian citizen from Russia, en route to the semifinals of a $25,000 tourney in El Paso, Texas, two weeks ago.
   Simmonds, though, has tumbled to No. 409 after reaching a career-high No. 158 in May 2013.
   "I just struggled defending some points, and maybe my scheduling was a little bit incorrect at that stage, so my ranking did drop 200 or 300 spots," she explained. "I'm trying my best to get it back. That's obviously a lot easier said than done."
   Simmonds has played in the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament once, qualifying for the 2013 U.S. Open before losing in the first round to the No. 1 South African at the time, Chanelle Scheepers (pronounced Skippers).
   "Only two South African women in the draw, and we drew each other," Simmonds lamented.
   In addition to her strong groundstrokes, Simmonds is notable for her tattoos. There are more stars on her back than in the Milky Way. Twenty-four, to be exact, although she said the number has no significance.
   "Rihanna has stars on her back, and I wanted something similar," Simmonds said. "People are going to ask me (how many), so I might as well count."
   Simmonds also has a tattoo of a big red rose on the outside of her upper right thigh.
   "My mom also has a tattoo of a rose, so it's kind of a symbol of my relationship with her," Simmonds said.

   With considerable help from Pliskova, everything came up roses for Simmonds today.  

   UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC

$50,000 USTA PRO CIRCUIT CHALLENGER

In Stockton, Calif.

Singles

First round

   Caitlin Whoriskey, United States, def. Lin Zhu (7), China, 6-1, 6-1.
   Alison Van Uytvanck (3), Belgium, def. Melanie Oudin, United States, 7-5, 6-2.
   Sachia Vickery (8), United States, def. Desirae Krawczyk, United States, 7-5, 6-3.
   Urszula Radwanska (4), Poland, def. Priscilla Hon, Australia, 7-6 (4), 7-5.
   Jamie Loeb, United States, def. Grace Min (5), United States, 6-2, 6-1.
   Chanel Simmonds, South Africa, def. Kristyna Pliskova (2), Czech Republic, 7-5, 6-3.
   CiCi Bellis, Atherton, def. Zhaoxuan Yang, China, 6-2, 7-6 (4).
   Anastasia Pivovarova, Russia, def. Asia Muhammad, United States, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.
   Jennifer Elie, United States, def. Ashley Kratzer, United States, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.

Doubles

First round

   Ashley Weinhold and Caitlin Whoriskey (2), United States, def. Victoria Kan, Russia, and Sabina Sharipova, Uzbekistan, 6-3, 6-1.
   Robin Anderson and Maegan Manasse, United States, def. Kaitlyn Christian and Sabrina Santamaria, United States, 2-6, 6-3 [11-9].
   Priscilla Hon and Storm Sanders, Australia, def. Desirae Krawczyk and Ena Shibahara, United States, 5-7, 7-6 (3) [10-6].

Thursday's schedule

(Starting at 10 a.m.)

Court 1

   Caitlin Whoriskey, United States, vs. Michelle Larcher de Brito, Portugal.
   Nicole Gibbs (1), United States, vs. Arina Rodionova, Australia (not before 11:30 a.m.).
   Asia Muhammad and Taylor Townsend (1), United States, vs. Sanaz Marand and Melanie Oudin, United States (not before 1 p.m.).

Court 2 

   Storm Sanders, Australia, vs. Urszula Radwanska (4), Poland.
   CiCi Bellis, Atherton, vs. Sachia Vickery (8), United States (not before 11:30 a.m.).
   Greet Minnen, Belgium, and Riko Sawayanagi, Japan, vs. Robin Anderson and Maegan Manasse, United States (not before 1 p.m.).

Court 3

   Alison Van Uytvanck (3), Belgium, vs. Riko Sawayanagi, Japan.
   Anastasia Pivovarova, Russia, vs. Chanel Simmonds, South Africa (not before 11:30 a.m.).
   Kristyna Pliskova, Czech Republic, and Alison Van Uytvanck (4), Belgium, vs. Yuki Kristina Chiang, United States, and Elizaveta Ianchuk, Ukraine (not before 1 p.m.).

Court 4

   Mayo Hibi, Japan, vs. Robin Anderson, United States.
   Jamie Loeb, United States, vs. Jennifer Elie, United States (not before 11:30 a.m.).
   Ashley Weinhold and Caitlin Whoriskey (2), United States, vs. Priscilla Hon and Storm Sanders, Australia (not before 1 p.m.).

Top three seeds ousted in Redding Challenger

Fifth-seeded Adriana Perez, a Venezuelan shown
on Thursday, beat top-seeded Olivia Rogowska
of Australia in the Redding quarterfinals.
Photo by Paul Bauman

   The top three seeds lost on Friday in the quarterfinals of the $25,000 The Ascension Project Women's Challenger at Sun Oaks Tennis & Fitness in Redding, Calif.
   Fifth-seeded Adriana Perez of Venezuela knocked off top-seeded Olivia Rogowska of Australia 7-6 (4), 5-7, 6-0.
   Second-seeded Ksenia Pervak of Russia retired with a back injury while trailing unseeded Julia Boserup, the 2011 champion from Newport Beach, 6-4, 2-2.
   And seventh-seeded Allie Kick, 18, of Plantation, Fla., ousted third-seeded Chanel Simmonds of South Africa 6-4, 6-4.
  The only quarterfinal that held form was unseeded Robin Anderson of Matawan, N.J., beating Christina Makarova, a 17-year-old qualifier from San Diego, 6-1, 7-5.
   Rogowska eached the second round of last year's Australian Open in her hometown of Melbourne. She's ranked No. 138 in the world.
   Pervak climbed to a career-high No. 37 in 2011 after advancing to the fourth round at Wimbledon and winning the title in Tashkent on the WTA tour, the major leagues of women's tennis. Hampered by injuries this year, the 22-year-old left-hander has fallen to No. 142.
   In today's first semifinal at 11 a.m., Boserup will face Anderson for the first time.

Unseeded Julia Boserup, shown on Thursday,
advanced when No. 2 seed Ksenia Pervak retired
with a back injury. Boserup, the 2011 Redding
champion, led 6-4, 2-2 at the time. Photo by
Paul Bauman 

   Boserup, a hard hitter at 5-foot-11 (1.80 meters), missed the first six months of the year with a bulging disc. She did not have surgery.
   Anderson, only 5-foot-3 (1.61 meters), reached the round of 16 in singles and the final in doubles at the NCAA Championships in May as a UCLA sophomore.
   After the Boserup-Anderson match, Perez will take on Kiick. They have met once, with Kiick winning 7-6 (10), 6-2 on a hardcourt in the first round of the $25,000 Rock Hill (S.C.) Challenger last October. The Redding Challenger also is played on hardcourts.
   Kiick's father, Jim, was the starting halfback on the 1972 Miami Dolphins, the only team in NFL history to go undefeated. Jim Kiick and his '72 teammates were honored last month at the White House.
   Macall Harkins, who moved from the Los Angeles area to Redding in March, lost in the doubles semifinals. Unseeded Jacqueline Cako and Kiick topped fourth-seeded Harkins and Sanaz Marand 6-4, 7-6 (4) in an all-American matchup.
   Cako and Kiick will meet unseeded Anderson and Lauren Embree of Marco Island, Fla., in Sunday's final. Cako and Marand won last year's title.
   The Ascension Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to the development of local youth, collegiate and professional athletes through a team approach.
   Here are links to the singles and doubles draws:
   http://assets.usta.com/assets/1/15/singles_draw283.PDF
   http://assets.usta.com/assets/1/15/doubles_draw284.PDF

Aussie Rogowska heads field in Redding Challenger

   Olivia Rogowska of Australia is seeded first in this week's The Ascension Project Women's Challenger in Redding, Calif.
   Main-draw play in the $25,000 tournament begins today at 10 a.m. at Sun Oaks Tennis & Fitness. The temperature is predicted to reach 103 degrees Fahrenheit (39.4 Celsius) later in the day.
   Rogowska reached the second round of last year's Australian Open in her hometown of Melbourne. Now ranked No. 137, she will face 19-year-old Montserrat Gonzalez of Paraguay on Wednesday in the first round at a time to be determined.
   Seeded second is Ksenia Pervak, who climbed to a career-high No. 37 in 2011 after advancing to the fourth round at Wimbledon and winning the WTA tournament in Tashkent. Hampered by injuries this year, the 22-year-old left-hander from Russia has fallen to No. 142.
   Pervak will take on American qualifier Rosalia Alda today at 10 a.m.
   Also seeded, in order, are Channel Simmonds of South Africa, Veronica Cepede Royg of Paraguay, Adriana Perez of Venezuela, and Americans Samantha Crawford, Allie Kiick and Sanaz Marand.
   Simmonds, a 21-year-old left-hander, qualified for the recent U.S. Open before losing to countrywoman Chanelle Scheepers in the first round.
   Crawford won the U.S. Open girls singles title last year. Kiick reached the USTA girls 18 singles final and won the doubles title with Sachia Vickery last month in San Diego. Both Crawford and Kiick are 18.
   Kiick's father, Jim, was a running back on the 1972 Miami Dolphins, the only undefeated team in NFL history. He scored a touchdown in Miami's 14-7 victory over Washington in the 1973 Super Bowl.
   President Barack Obama honored the 1972 Dolphins, including Kiick, last month at the White House.
   See below for today's full schedule in the Redding Challenger.

$25,000 THE ASCENSION PROJECT WOMEN'S CHALLENGER

At Sun Oaks Tennis & Fitness

In Redding, Calif.

Final-round qualifying

   Catherine Harrison, United States, def. Piia Suomalainen, Finland, 5-7, 6-2, 6-2.
   Anne-Liz Jeukeng, United States, def. Leila Hodzic, United States, 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-4.
   Michelle Sammons (3), South Africa, def. Maia Magill, United States, 6-1, 6-3.
   Denise Muresan (4), United States, def. Trelsie Sadler, United States, 6-0, 6-1.
   Christina Makarova (5), United States, def. Jessica Perez, United States, 6-3, 6-2.
   Rosalia Alda (11), United States, def. Wendy Qi-Wen Shang (6), Canada, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
   Anamika Bhargava (7), United States, def. Sophia Bursulaya, United States, 6-1, 7-6 (4).
   Beatrice Capra, United States, def. Emily Harman (9), United States, 6-1, 6-2.

 Today's schedule

(Starting at 10 a.m.)

Court 1

   Anne-Liz Jeukeng, United States, vs. Allie Kiick (7), United States.
   Sanaz Marand (8), United States, vs. Christina Makarova, United States.
   Denise Muresan and Caitlin Whoriskey, United States, vs. Veronica Cepede Royg, Paraguay, and Adriana Perez (2), Venezuela.

Court 2

   Denise Muresan, United States, vs. Jacqueline Cako, United States.
   Krista Hardebeck, United States, vs. Robin Anderson, United States.
   Maria-Fernanda Alves, Brazil, and Olivia Rogowska (1), Australia, vs. Emily Harman and Elizabeth Lumpkin, United States.

Court 3

   Elizabeth Lumpkin, United States, vs. Veronica Cepede Royg (4), Paraguay.
   Jelena Pandzic, Croatia, vs. Despina Papamichail, Greece.
   Rosalia Alda, United States, and Montserrat Gonzalez, Paraguay, vs. Jacqueline Cako and Allie Kiick, United States.

Court 4

   Rosalia Alda, United States, vs. Ksenia Pervak (2), Russia.
   Lauren Embree, United States, vs. Ashley Weinhold, United States.
   Erin Clark, United States,and Despina Papamichail, Greece, vs. Jessica Perez and Katelyn Ross, United States.

Stevenson's big win: Just what the Doctor ordered

Alexandra Stevenson, the daughter of basketball legend Julius
Erving, lunges for a forehand during her 6-2, 6-0 victory over No. 2
seed Chanel Simmonds of South Africa. Photo by Paul Bauman

   GOLD RIVER, Calif. – Alexandra Stevenson said it in all seriousness.

   “My goal is to win Wimbledon,” she asserted with a straight face after demolishing second-seeded Chanel Simmonds of South Africa 6-2, 6-0 today in the first round of the $50,000 FSP Gold River Women’s Challenger at the Gold River Racquet Club. “This is just the beginning. I’m healthy and ready to go.”

   At one time, Stevenson's bold statement wouldn’t have raised eyebrows.

   At age 18 in 1999, a lifetime ago in tennis terms, she became the first female qualifier in Wimbledon history to reach the semifinals and the second overall after John McEnroe in 1977.    

   In 2002, Stevenson beat International Tennis Hall of Famer Jennifer Capriati three times, reached finals in Memphis and Linz on the elite WTA tour, and ascended to No. 18 in the world.

   But now?

   The daughter of basketball legend Julius Erving is 32 years old, ranked No. 446 and, at 6-foot-1 (1.85 meters), appears considerably heavier than her listed weight of 156 pounds (71 kilograms).

   Stevenson, though, is undeterred.

   “Kimiko Date is 42,” Stevenson noted, referring to Kimiko-Date Krumm, a Japanese veteran who reached No. 4 in the world in 1995, retired from the end of 1996 until May 2008 and reached the third round at Wimbledon last week. “I lost seven years, so take off seven years from 32, and that’s my tennis age.”

Simmonds lost the last 11 games against Stevenson.
Photo by Paul Bauman

   Not exactly. 
   Stevenson, a right-hander, underwent surgery for torn cartilage in her right shoulder in September 2004.
   Her mother and coach on the road, a former free-lance sportswriter named Samantha Stevenson, said today that Alexandra missed the following three years and was "basically retired" for the next four years.
   Records show that Stevenson actually sat out for nine months. She played nine tournaments in 2005 and 17 in 2006. Since then, she has played a full schedule of at least 22 tournaments a year.

   “I was ready to break through, and unfortunately I had a tragedy happen to my shoulder,” said Stevenson, one of two former top-20 players, along with Alisa Kleybanova, in the Gold River draw. “So that’s the breaks, that’s the past, and I’m ready to go. I’m healthy, I love playing tennis, and age doesn’t matter.”

   Also falling today was sixth-seeded Storm Sanders of Australia, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (5) to American qualifier Mary Weatherholt, the runner-up to Stanford's Nicole Gibbs in the NCAA Championships in May.  

   Top-seeded Maria Sanchez, a Modesto native who trains under Hall of Famer Chris Evert in Boca Raton, Fla., opened her title defense with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Lauren Embree, ranked No. 1 in college this past season as a senior at Florida.

   Stevenson played for the first time since retiring with a sprained ankle in the first round at Raleigh, N.C., almost two months ago. She hardly looked rusty, though, pounding her first serve, ripping forehand passing shots, displaying a beautiful one-handed backhand and chasing down balls.

   “I’ve been training hard, and I’m ready to go,” said Stevenson, who lost in the first round of last year’s inaugural Gold River Challenger to then-No. 358 Lena Litvak, a 5-foot-4 (1.63-meter) former Harvard standout. “When you come into a tournament, you come to win the tournament. So I’m ready to win each match each day, and I’m going to play the best tennis I can each day.”

   Stevenson facially resembles her high-flying father, known as “Dr. J,” and clearly inherited great athletic ability from him. When asked whether she’s in touch with Erving, Stevenson said, “I don’t answer those questions. Sorry.”

   After trailing 2-1 in the first set against Simmonds, Stevenson reeled off the last 11 games of the 1-hour, 11-minute match. It mercifully began at 10:13 a.m. on a day when the high temperature actually dropped to 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 Celsius).

   Simmonds, a 20-year-old left-hander, won only seven points in the second set and none on the first nine points.

   Stevenson, who will meet 2012 Gold River quarterfinalist Ashley Weinhold of Spicewood, Texas, in the second round, finished with six aces and five double faults. In the first set, she doubled-faulted twice at 0-1 and at 5-2 but held serve each time.    
   “She was a good player a few years ago, she does hit the ball hard, and she can serve well,” said the 5-foot-3 (1.6-meter) Simmonds, ranked No. 164. “I think it was a combination of those things, and I didn't play so well. The points were very short, so I didn't have much rhythm. I've played much better tennis than that, so it was just one of those days.”

   Stevenson’s mobility surprised Simmonds.

   “She moved better than I thought she would,” Simmonds said. “She's a big girl, and other players said, 'Get her on the stretch, get her on the run,' but she actually managed that pretty well. I was surprised she could get the stretching balls.”

   Simmonds, trying to end an 0-5 skid, switched to a different Babolat racket last week and used it in a match for the first time.

   “I’m playing with a more powerful racket because I was struggling with pace before,” said Simmonds, the runner-up in a $50,000 tournament in Johannesburg in May before slumping. “I was being overpowered a lot before. So now with this one, even though I’m making mistakes, I’m not being overpowered as much.”
   It didn't help against Stevenson.

$50,000 FSP GOLD RIVER WOMEN'S CHALLENGER
At Gold River Racquet Club
 In Gold River, Calif.

First-round singles

   Heidi El Tabakh (7), Canada, def. Asia Muhammad, United States, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.

   Alexandra Stevenson, United States, def. Chanel Simmonds (2), South Africa, 6-2, 6-0.

   Mai Minokoshi, Japan, def. Sally Peers, Australia, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.

   Petra Rampre (4), Slovenia, def. Jan Abaza, United States, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.

   Mary Weatherholt, United States, def. Storm Sanders (6), Australia, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (5).

   Allie Will, United States, def. Robin Anderson, United States, 5-7, 6-2, 6-2.
   Julie Coin (3), France, def. Naomi Broady, Great Britain, 7-6 (5), 6-1.

   So-Ra Lee, South Korea, def. Jelena Padzic, Croatia, 6-2, 6-4.

   Jessica Lawrence, United States, def. Angelina Gabueva, Russia, 6-1, 3-6, 6-1.

   Alisa Kleybanova, Russia, def. Brooke Austin, United States, 6-4, 6-1.

   Maria Sanchez (1), United States, def. Lauren Embree, United States, 6-1, 6-3.

First-round doubles

   Jacqueline Cako and Natalie Pluskota (2), United States, def. Anamika Bhargava, United States, and Mayo Hibi, Japan, 6-2, 6-4.

   Jan Abaza and Allie Will, United States, def. Chanel Simmonds, South Africa, and Emily Webley-Smith (4), Great Britain, 6-2, 7-5.

   Elizabeth Lumpkin, United States, and Sally Peers, Australia, def. Diana Ospina and Mary Weatherhold, United States, 6-2, 6-2.

   Naomi Broady, Great Britain, and Storm Sanders, Australia, def. Yasmin Schnack and Kelly Wilson, Sacramento, 3-6, 6-0 (10-8).

Wednesday's schedule

Stadium

(Beginning at noon)

   Petra Rampre (4), Slovenia, vs. Allie Kick, United States.
   Allie Will, United States, vs. Julie Coin (3), France.
   Maria Sanchez (1), , United States, vs. Ivana Lisjak, Croatia.

(Beginning at 7 p.m.)

   Alisa Kleybanova, Russia, vs. Mary Weatherholt, United States.
   Asia Muhammad and Maria Sanchez (1), United States, vs. Sanaz Marand and Ashley Weinhold, United States.   

Court 3

(Beginning at noon)

   Ashley Weinhold, United States, vs. Alexandra Stevenson, United States.
   Heidi El Tabakh (7), Canada, vs. Mai Minokoshi, Japan.
   Brooke Austin and Nicole Robinson, United States, vs. Madison Brengle and Kristy Frilling, United States.

Court 4

(Beginning at noon)

   So-Ra Lee, South Korea, vs. Madison Brengle (5), United States.
   Mayo Hibi, Japan, vs. Jessica Lawrence, United States.