OVER the NET



OVER the NET By Zack ElliottSept/Oct 2012Welcome to the September/October edition of “Over the Net!” As the school year begins, and the frenzy of the summer tennis season dies down, these next few months are the final opportunity for juniors to boost their rankings before the 2012 season concludes. This edition will cover four of the top USTA/PNW tournaments in September and October- highlighting some of the top singles players as well as some of their closest matches. I also snagged an interview with Brian Hou, a fifteen-year-old junior ranked in the top ten of his age division and the number one seed in the Seattle-area KingCo 3A High School singles tournament.From September 14– 16, the Eastside Tennis Center in Kirkland, Wash., hosted a large Jr. Champs tournament with some very high-level competition. Starting in Boys’ 10U, Shrey Arora beat Thomas Paulsell 4-1, 4-1. In case you were wondering, it isn’t a typo, the 10U divisions sets only go to four games. In Boys’12U, Dominik Jakovljevic defeated Theodore McDonald 6-0, 6-4 to win the title. In Boys’ 14U, Zachary Fleischman defeated James Yu in an incredibly close match: 6-2, 2-6, 11-9. Moving onto Boys’ 16U, Alan Kwiatkowski beat Evan McNicol in another nail-biting final: 7-6, 5-7, 11-7. In Boys’ 18U, Jamie Thorp defeated Wyatt Demulling 6-2, 6-1.For the Girls’ draws, in 10U, Mia Ljubas defeated Isabella Bank in a split-set thriller: 3-4, 4-1, 7-5. In 12U, Thalia Tsai defeated Jade Lancaster 7-5, 6-3. In Girls’ 14U, Alli Valk beat Tasha Christ 6-3, 6-1, and in Girls’ 16U, Joyce Park defeated Sydney Wallace 7-6, 6-0. Lastly, in Girls’ 18U, Vivian Glozman defeated Michelle Wang 6-2, 6-1. Good job to everyone who participated in this tournament and congratulations to the victors!Only two weeks later, the Yakima Tennis Club hosted a Girls Dual Level 5. Level 5 tournaments are usually associated with a slightly higher level of play than normal tournaments as they give more points. In 12U, Lauren Li defeated Thalia Tsai 6-0, 6-1 and in 14U, Alli Valk beat Khadija Da-Silva in a close, split-set match: 3-6, 6-1, 10-7. In 16U, Sabrina Demerath beat Luna Crawford 6-1, 6-1, and in 18U, Samantha Hampton was beating Erin Larner 6-4, 4-2, upon which Larner retired. Congratulations to everyone who trekked out to participate in this tournament!Meanwhile, in Medford, Ore., the Rogue Valley Swim and Tennis Club hosted a Dual Level 5 for boys to complement the Yakima tournament the same weekend. In 14U, Nathan Hampton defeated Mark Vasat 6-1, 6-3. In 16U, Avinash Vemurihad had an extremely close match with Stepan Radus, winning 7-6, 4-6, 10-5. Lastly, in 18U, Rosen Ilchev defeated Igor Pissarenko 7-5, 6-1 to capture the singles title. Overall, not too many participants in this tournament, but still some incredible competition!Finally, for the last tournament in this “Over the Net,” the Club Green Meadows hosted its Ace Deuce Junior tournament, with over ninety total applicants! Starting with Boys’ 12U, Andrew Kabacy defeated Spencer Kang 6-4, 6-4. In Boys’ 14U, MacGregor Beatty beat Simon Homedes 6-0, 6-0, and in Boys’ 16U, Avinash Vemuri edged Dylan King 6-7, 6-4, 1-0. In Boys’ 18U, Goutham Sundaram defeated Sam Malech 6-4, 6-3. Moving on to the Girls’ draws, in 12U, Alex Walker defeated Jade Lancaster 6-2, 6-1. In Girls’ 14U, Kali McCollister beat Gabriela Kaneva 7-6, 6-1. In Girls’ 16U, Sabrina Ross Neergaard defeated Cassidy Chung 6-2, 2-6, 1-0, and in Girls’ 18U, Cam Kincaid defeated Samantha Hampton 5-7, 6-3, 1-0. Congratulations to everyone in this tournament!With the 3A KingCo District tournament only days away, top high school players push to squeeze in their last few hours of training before the fiery competition. The number one seed, Brian Hou of Mercer Island, Wash., (photo at right) is a favorite to win the tournament and expected to also perform well in the 3A State tournament in the spring. This last weekend, I tracked Brian down for an interview, focusing on his unique blend of tournament and high school experience.OVER the NET: When did you start playing tennis, and what was your favorite part about the sport when you were younger?Brian Hou: At the age of six, I began playing tennis. The head coach at Robinswood Tennis Center, Jason Chapman, first introduced me to the game of tennis. From an early age, I enjoyed all the aspects of tennis, whether it was practicing my ground strokes or even picking the balls up. However, I began realizing that there was much more to the game of tennis than just chasing down balls. Tennis instills valuable traits in children and adults, such traits include integrity, honesty, and a “never say die” attitude. I enjoy the fact that while out on the courts, it’s just you and your opponent. The game of tennis isn’t anything like baseball, basketball, or even football. Tennis is an individual sport where one deserves all the glory or all the blame.OTN: What is your best tennis memory?BH: Last year, during my first year on the Mercer Island Varsity tennis team, my team and I brought back the state title to Mercer Island once again. After going through the entire season with my teammates, and eventually hoisting the state title, it was definitely a special moment for my teammates and I. Although we had to part with one of our great team leaders, Jordan Smith (may have heard the name…), I believe that another state title is within reach for Mercer Island this year.OTN: What does your training look like?BH: For the past few years, I trained at Central Park Tennis Club, but just recently, I began taking lessons at the Mercer Island Country Club. Aside from all the group lessons, I try to fit at least two practice matches into my schedule each week. Typically, on the weekends, I go to the tennis club for conditioning, and serve a couple baskets here and there. I stay true to the notion that, “you’re only as good as your second serve.”OTN: If you could give one tip to young juniors aspiring to be as successful as you are, what would it be?BH: Fight, Fight, Fight. Coaches and parents alike cannot stress this idea enough. Tennis teaches one the mentality of playing each point to the best of one’s ability, while also teaching one the importance of never giving up. In tennis, and life in general, one should always stay aggressive, and never be satisfied with their outcome, whether it’s a win or loss.OTN: What do you think is the one most important part about becoming a successful junior tennis player?BH: Like I said earlier, always stay aggressive and never be satisfied. I don’t care if you’re a football player, basketball player, or even a businessman. These two bits of information will surely help you succeed in life. At the end of the day, it’s not necessarily how many baskets you’ve served, or even how many ground strokes you’ve hit. After practice, every tennis player should set at least five minutes aside to recall the “positives and the negatives” of your play that day. This method will help serve players on and off the court, in regards to ensuring a deeper innate understanding for every aspiring tennis players’ game.OTN: This is now your second year on the MIHS varsity tennis team. What is your favorite part about high school tennis, and how is it different from the regular competitive tournament mentality?BH: Wholeheartedly, I disagree with the notion that high school tennis is a waste of time because the level of competition is lower than USTA tournaments. High school tennis teaches an individual the importance of a team, and the central lessons it provides, unlike what USTA sanctioned tournaments offer. When playing high school tennis, individuals are exposed to a team atmosphere, in the form of social interaction with teammates and other teens, while other junior players who participate in USTA tournaments travel with either one parent or coach. Most notably, teens that play high school tennis are given the opportunity to represent their school, which is highly regarded by many.OTN: You are the number one seed of the 3A State singles tournament, what are your goals for you and your team?BH: From my standpoint, winning state will always be at the back of my mind. I believe I can go all the way, even with the addition of a strong field of players in the respective singles draws. From a team perspective, we are all hoping to repeat last year’s near insurmountable performance of winning state by a couple dozen points, the biggest margin in the history of the tournament. Our high school coach, Jamie Dieveney, deserves much of the credit for our team’s overall success. From the beginning of the season to the end, he guides and supports us with positive reinforcement every step of the way.Thank you to Brian for taking the time to give some incredible answers! As always, any questions, comments, or general feedback (rant or rave) can be emailed to hubridnoxx@. ................
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