Saturday, August 8th
The ITA National Summer Championships got underway this Saturday at Indiana University. All seeded players in the men’s singles draw were able to advance to the second round, but Maxime Armengaud of Indiana University and Corey Smith of Montana State University (both seeded ninth) took their exits there. After coming back from a 6-4 loss in the first set, Armengaud took the second set 6-0, only to lose the match in a super tie breaker for the third. Smith also lost in a close (11-9) super tie breaker. Third round matches are being played on Sunday.
The women’s side saw a few more surprises. Second-seeded Jackie Wu of Vanderbilt withdrew without playing a match. Kristen Rafael (Notre Dame) and Ashley Murdock (University of Memphis) joined the group of defeated ninth seeds in the second round. Fifth-seeded Denise Muresan (Univeristy of Michigan) was also defeated in the second round. Both Rafael’s and Muresan’s losses were in super tie breakers for the third set. The women’s third round is also taking place on Sunday.
Sunday’s third round yielded some great matches. On the men’s side, three of the four fifth seeds were upset as well as Kallim Stewart (UCLA), the fourth seed. Stewart lost an incredible match to Milo Johnson of University of Virginia. Johnson won the match 5-7, 7-6, and 10-8 in the super tie breaker. Second-seeded Lee Singer, also of Virginia, had a tough match as well, but was able to make it through over Mathew Johnson of Notre Dame. The score was 7-6, 4-6, and 10-4 in the super tie breaker. First-seeded Alex Clayton (Stanford) has yet to see much of a challenge and third-seeded Shuhei Uzawa (Ohio State) has been sailing smoothly as well. Men’s doubles has started and all but one of the top four seeded teams have made it to the quarter finals. Third-seeded Lee Singer and Drew Courtney of University Virginia lost 8-6 to Geoff Embry and Jason Zafros of University of Arizona in the third round. In the women’s singles draw, the first, third and fourth seeds have made it to the fourth round without much trouble. First-seeded Kristy Frilling of Notre Dame has only given up five games in the two matches she has played so far. Her teammate, fifth-seeded Kali Krisik, lost a close match to Elizabeth Kilborn of Georgia Tech. Kilborn lost the first set 6-4, but came back to win the second 6-4. She won the third set with a marathon super tie breaker. The score in the super breaker was 13-11. Frilling and Krisik have been playing great tennis in the doubles draw as well. The team has only surrendered four games en route to the semifinals. They face fifth-seeded Rosalia Alda and Maria Sorbelo of University of Tennessee next.
Sunday, August 9th
Monday, August 10th
Monday was a day of upsets and surprises in the Men’s singles draw. Heading into the semifinals, first-seeded Alex Clayton (Stanford) is the only of the top four seeds still in the draw. It wasn’t easy getting there, however. Zach Nichols (Texas Christian University) played a tough match in the quarterfinals against University of Virginia’s Drew Courtney, winning with a score of 5-7, 6-3, and 10-8 in the super tie breaker. He went on to give Clayton his first challenge. Clayton won the match 6-3, 6-7(9), and 10-8 in the super tie breaker. Clayton’s opponent in the semifinals is another surprise. Milo Johson of University of Virginia is unseeded, but after five matches, two of which went to a third set, he is in the semis.Third-seeded Shuhei Uzawa (Ohio State University) was upset in the quarterfinals by Wake Forest’s Jonathan wolf, 7-5, 6-4. Lee Singer (University of Virginia), the second seed, also saw his tournament end in the quarterfinals. He lost 6-2, 6-2 to Alex DiValerio of Vanderbilt. DiValerio is unseeded, yet hasn’t lost a set since the third round. He awaits Matt Brewer (University of Tennessee) in the semifinals.
The Men’s doubles final is in place. Fourth-seeded Stephen Havens and Daniel Stahl (Notre Dame) defeated the first-seeded team of Adam Baker and Alex Zotov (Vanderbilt) in the semifinals 8-4. They will be playing second-seeded Matt Alare and Shuhei Uzawa of Ohio State University. Alare and Uzawa defeated the unseeded team of Geoff Embry and Jason Zafros (University of Arizona) 8-1 in the semifinals.
The women’s singles draw saw several upsets. First-seeded Kristy Frilling (Notre Dame) was defeated in the quarterfinals by fifth-seeded Natalie Pluskota (University of Tennessee) in a super tie breaker for the third. The score was 7-6, 4-6, and 10-6 in the super tie breaker. In the fourth round, fourth-seeded Kirsten Flower (Ohio State University) was defeated by Alexa Guarachi (Alabama University) 6-3, 6-1. Guarachi was then defeated by Christine McGaffigan (Notre Dame) in three sets. The score was 4-6, 6-2, and 10-5 in the super tie breaker. The only one of the top four seeds left in the draw is University of Virginia’s Jennifer Stevens. After two three-setters, she’s into the semifinals where she will face Marisa Lambropoulos of University of Illinois. Unseeded Lambropoulos has fought hard to make it this far, playing three straight three set matches to reach the semifinals.
The women’s doubles championship finished today. Notre Dame’s Kristy Frilling and Kali Krisik continued to show why they were seeded first, defeating their teammates Christine McGaffifan and Kristen Rafael 8-2 in the final. The pair lost only seven games in the entire doubles tournament.
Tuesday, August 11th
The ITA National Summer Championships came to a close on Tuesday. In the men’s singles draw, two unseeded players made it to the semifinals, but both were bested. First-seeded Alex Clayton (Stanford) beat Milo Johnson (University of Virginia) 6-4, 6-4 and ninth-seeded Matt Brewer (University of Tennessee) beat Alex DiValerio (Vanderbilt) 6-1, 6-0. In the final Clayton defeated Brewer 6-1, 6-0.
In the men’s doubles final, second-seeded Matt Allare and Shuhei Uzawa (Ohio State University) defeat fourth-seeded Stephen Havens and Daniel Stahl of Notre Dame 8-2.
There were some great matches played today to finish the women’s draw. Third-seeded Jennifer Stevens (University of Virginia) had an easy time of it in the semifinals, defeating unseeded Marisa Lambropoulos (University of Illinois) 6-1, 6-1. In the other semifinal, Fifth-seeded Natalie Pluskota (University of Tennessee) beat Christine McGaffigan of Notre Dame in a super tie breaker for the third set. The score was 6-1, 5-7, and 10-3 in the super breaker. Despite playing a more difficult semifinal, Pluskota prevailed over Stevens in the final. After losing the first set 6-1, Pluskota took the second 6-2 and won the super tie breaker 10-4.