US College Signings 2017 (and general college tennis chat)

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

US College Signings 2017 (and general college tennis chat)

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Final day of the PAC 12 tournament but penultimate of the Ojai tournament sees Emily playing the same opponent that she beat in three to clinch the PAC 12 regular season a week or so ago, Maya Jansen.

Maya managed to clinch it yesterday against USC, another no 5 seed should be a walk in the park but no! This young lady is genuinely pursuing academic activity at Cal as a grad student, she was previously NCAA doubles champion at Alabama twice as an undergrad, and ranked top 60 for singles, decent serve good overhead, genetic? mum played volleyball for Switzerland.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Stanford are both regular season and tournament champions after a second sweet "battle of the bay" victory over Cal. Emily played a full part securing the doubles point at number 1 with Taylor Davidson, and then her singles points winning in two, the second set going to a tie break after Emily had failed to serve it out twice.

Not having seen her play before until this week I was impressed, she stood out with her big ATP forehand constantly taking it to her opponent, very refreshing to see some aggression applied to Meagan Manasse's underarm serve in the doubles. She is a good athlete with excellent movement around the court putting everything into unleashing her ground strokes. Her touch is also good at the net and in defence.

On ocassions her rapidity of movement means her feet aren't set resulting in the occasional miss directed swipe. Very impressed by the understated coaching of the Stanford coaches who kept a close eye constantly encouraging her to get her feet set and stay forward finishing her shot out in front.

Having seen how Stanford function as a team I now understand why she is at 5, a bit more consistency and I think she will thrive at one or two but she will have to earn it, The head coach is immensely exprienced at preparing players for the WTA and I think she is in excellent hands in that respect. To win the PAC 12 and the Ojai tournament in her first year although not unexpected is a great start.

There are however bigger fish to fry in the NCAA tournament, there Florida are top dogs.

-- Edited by Oakland2002 on Sunday 30th of April 2017 01:57:23 PM

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Very interesting report, Oakie. Many thanks. And a real commendation to taking the College route.

Emily is certainly a brilliant athlete, as you say, it's about the first thing you notice. And not that tall. Which are the reasons I've always thought that she is often air-borne, or just not set, when she plays - her timing/arm is very good so she can (usually) get away with being not set, and trades off against the swiftness in court coverage, and she likes to jump and take it early to get some extra height. I think 'bouncy bunny' was the first thing I wrote against her name.
It'll be absolutely great for her to have constant, top-quality coaching, especially on-court coaching - so many of our players never have any experience of on-court coaching (whereas all the European players are well used to it - from constant team matches - and get a lot of benefits).

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

As per Oakie's reports of sitting in the California sunshine, the PAC-12 Conference Championships have just taken place

Women:

R16

Washington bt Colorado 4-0

3. Nour Abbes (Washington) bt Louise Ronaldson (Colorado) 6-4, 7-5

Dubs

1. Miki Kobayashi / Alexis Prokouik (Washington) bt Louise Ronaldson / Chloe Hule (Colorado) 6-2

QF

Stanford bt Utah 4-0

5. Emily Arbuthnott bt Whitney Turleu (Utah) 6-1, 6-2

Dubs

1. Emily Arbuthnott / Taylor Davison (Stanford) led Margo Pletcher / Brianna Turley (Utah) 5-4 susp

SF

Stanford bt Oregon 4-0

5. Daniela Nasser (Oregon) led Emily Arbuthnott (Stanford) 6-2, 2-3 susp

Dubs

1. Shweta Sangwan / Juliet Eshet (Oregon) led Emily Arbuthnott / Taylor Davidson (Stanford) 5-4 susp

F

Stanford bt California 4-1

5. Emily Arbuthnott (Stanford) bt Maya Jansen (California) 6-1, 7-5

Dubs

1. Emily Arbuthnott / Taylor Davidson (Stanford) bt Maegan Manasse / Maya Jansen (California) 6-3

Men:

R16

Stanford bt Arizona 4-1

5. Oliver Plaskett (Arizona) bt Brandon Sutter (Stanford) 6-4, 6-0

Utah bt Washington 4-1

2. Dan Little (Utah) bt Mitch Stewart (Washington) 6-4, 6-1

6. Joe Woolley (Utah) bt Piers Foley (Washington) 6-4, 5-7, 7-5

Dubs

1. Egbert Weverink / David Micevski (Utah) led Jake Douglas / Piers Foley (Washington) 6-5

2. Parker Mcguiness / Dan Little (Utah) bt Kawika Lam / Enzo Sommer (Washington) 6-2

3. Joe Woolley / Santiago Sierra (Utah) bt Amit Batta / Mitch Stewart (Washington) 6-4

QF

Southern California bt Utah 4-0

2. Dan Little (Utah) led Nick Crystal (S California) 2-6, 6-3, 5-3 susp

6. Riley Smith (S California) bt Joe Woolley (Utah) 6-1, 7-6

Dubs

2. Nick Crystal / Laurens Verboten led Parker Mcguiness / Dan Little (Utah) 54-3 susp

3. Rob Bellamy / Jack Jaede (S California) bt Joe Woolley / Santiago Sierra (Utah) 6-0

So Stanford Ladies team with Emily goes off the the NCAA national event

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

Summit Conference Championships

Women:

SF

South Dakota bt Oral Roberts 4-1

1. Ellie Burns (South Dakota) bt Caijeznia Cornelius (Oral Roberts) 6-3, 6-3

6. Maria Pandya (South Dakota) led Ximena Puentes (Oral Roberts) 6-2, 6-6 susp

Dubs

3. Ellie Burns / Hannah Wich (S Dakota) bt Brenda Mercado Jove / Ximena Puentes (Oral Roberts) 6-4

F

Denver bt South Dakota 4-0

1. Julia O'Loughlin (Denver) bt Ellie Burns (S Dakota) 6-3, 6-0

6. Grace Mboko (Denver) led Maria Panda (S Dakota) 6-2, 1-2 susp

Dubs

3. Claire Koke / Sonja Radosevic (Denver) led Hannah Wilson / Ellie Burns (S Dakota) 5-0 susp

Men:

SF

Denver bt Indiana-Purdue 4-0

1. Yannik James (Denver) led Jac Newis (Indiana-Purdue) 6-4, 5-3 susp

3. Alex Gasson (Denver) led David Beasley (Indiana-Purdue) 6-4, 5-2 susp

Dubs

1. Yannik James / Alex Gasson (Denver) bt Jac Newis / Kyle Whittaker (Indiana-Purdue) 6-4

F

Denver bt Omaha 4-1

3. Alex Gasson (Denver) led Matt Dunn (Omaha) 7-5, 5-3 susp

Dubs

1. Yannik James / Alex Gasson (Denver) led Razvan Grigorescu / Colin Buckley 5-4 susp

So Alex and team will also be going to the NCAA year end finals.

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

West Coast Conference Championships

Men:

QF

San Diego bt San Francisco 5-0

3. Josh Page (San Diego) led Ryan Marker (San Francisco) 1-6, 6-2, 2-1 susp

Dubs

1. Josh Page / Filip Vittek (San Diego) bt Johan Joenhagen Mert Zincirli (San Francisco) 6-2

SF

San Diego bt Portland 4-2

3. Josh Page (San Diego) bt Pierre Garcia (Portland) 6-0, 6-2

Dubs

1. Michail Pervolarakis / Alex Wallace (Portland) led Filip Vittek / Josh Page (San Diego) 6-5 susp

Pepperdine bt Santa Clara 4-1

Dubs

3. Andrew Gu /Kamran Khan (Santa Clara) led Lautaro Pare / Tom Hill (Pepperdine) 5-2 susp

F

San Diego bt Pepperdine 4-3

3. Josh Page (San Diego) bt Lautaro Pare (Pepperdine) 7-6(5), 1-6, 6-3

Dubs

1. Stefan Minichella / Jack Van Slyke (Pepperdine) bt Filip Vittek / Josh Page (San Diego) 7-6(7)

3. Lautaro Pare / Tom Hill (Pepperdine) bt Guus Koevermans / Pratt Keerasuntonpong (San Diego) 6-2

So Josh will finish college by going to the NCAA nationals with his team

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

Added Ceire M (who went in January) and Katie H to the list on P1

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

Atlantic Coast Conference Championships

Women:

R32

Notre Dame bt Pittsburgh 4-0

6. Rachel Chong (Notre Dame) bt Jovana Knezevic (Pittsburgh) 6-3, 6-4

Dubs

3. Jane Fenelly / Zoe Spence (Notre Dame) led Gabriela Rezende / Jovana Knezevic (Pittsburgh) 5-4 susp

Louisville bt Syracuse 4-2

2. Gabriela Knutsun (Syracuse) bt Elle Stokes (Louisville) 6-3, 6-2

Dubs

2. Dina Hegab / Anna Shkudun (Syracuse) led Elle Stokes / Jessie Paul (Louisville) 5-3

R16

Wake Forest bt Louisville 4-2

2. Elle Stokes (Louisville) bt Emma Davis (Wake Forest) 2-6, 6-4, 6-2

Dubs

2. Chandler Carter / Courtney Meredith (Wake Forest) bt Jessie Paul / Elle Stokes (Louisville) 7-6

QF

Duke bt Clemson 4-1

Dubs

3. Fernanda Navarro / Daniela Ruiz (Clemson) bt Rebecca Smaller / Ellyse Hamlin (Duke) 6-4

SF

Georgia Tech bt Duke 4-2

Dubs

3. Nami Otsaka / Luca Fabian (Georgia T) bt Rebecca Smaller / Ellyse Hamlin (Duke) 6-3

Men:

R32

Miami-Florida bt Boston College 4-1

3. Max Andrews (Miami-F) bt Hank Workman (Boston C) 6-2, 6-1

Dubs

1. Max Andrews / Jesse Flores (Miami-F) bt Aiden McNulty / Jeffrey Melvin (Boston C) 7-6

R16

Louisville bt Notre Dame 4-3

4. Guillermo Cabrera (Notre Dame) bt George Hedley (Louisville) 6-2, 6-1

Dubs

3. Christopher Morin-Kougoucheff / George Hedley (Louisville) bt Matt Gamble / Alex Lebedev (Notre Dame) 6-2

Duke bt Miami-Florida 4-1

3. Max Andrew (Miami F) led Robert Levine (Duke) 7-6, 4-4 susp

Dubs

1. Nick Stachowiak / Spencer Furman (Duke) bt Max Andrews / Jesse Flores (Miami-F) 6-1

QF

Virginia bt Louisville 4-0

3. George Hedley (Louisville) led Collin Altamirano (Virginia) 6-3, 4-5 susp

Dubs

3. Collin Altamirano / JC Aragone (Virginia) bt Christopher Morin-Kougoucheff / George Hedley (Louisville) 6-3

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

Atlantic 10 Conference Championships

Women:

QF

Massachusetts bt Duquesne 4-1

4. Anna Woosley (Massachusetts) bt Ally Miller (Duquesne) 6-2, 6-1

Dubs

1. Ruth Crawford / Anna Woosley (Massachusetts) v Kylie Isaacs / Julianne Herman (Duquesne) 4-4 susp

SF

Massachusetts bt Fordham 4-0

4. Anna Woosley (Massachusetts) bt Mayu Sato (Fordham) 6-3, 6-1

Dubs

1. Ruth Crawford / Anna Woosley (Massachusetts) bt Carina Ma / Estelle Wong (Fordhan) 6-0

F

Massachusetts bt Virginia Commonwealth 4-2

4. Anna Woosley (Massachusetts) bt Dara Berezhnaya (Virgina C) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3

Dubs

1. Janina Braun / Anna Rasmussen (Virginia C) bt Ruth Crawford / Anna Woosley (Massachusetts) 6-3

Men:

QF

Dayton bt Davidson 4-3

1. Jordan Benjamin (Dayton) bt Shamael Chaudhry (Davidson) 6-3, 6-4

Dubs

2. David Hager / Shamael Chaudhry (Davidson) bt Jordan Benjamin / Lorenzo Rollhauser (Dayton) 6-4

George Washington bt Saint Joseph's 4-0

3. Chris Reynolds (George Washington) bt Andre Fick (Saint J) 6-1, 6-2

Dubs

3. Dan Tan / Peter Dewitt (Saint J) led Christopher Reynolds / Jakub Behun (George Washington) 5-4 susp

SF

Virginia Commonwealth bt George Washington 4-3

3. Chris Reynolds (George Washington) bt Arvid Noren (Virginia Commonwealth) 6-1, 6-2

Dubs

3. Chris Reynolds / Jakub Behun (George Washington) bt Javier Amantegui / Louis Ishizaka (Virginia C) 6-4

So Anna is another finishing her college career at the NCAAs with her team

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

Big 12 Conference Championships

Women:

R16

Kansas State bt Iowa State 4-1

2. Maty Cancini (Iowa St) bt Millie Stretton (Kansas St) 6-1, 6-2

Dubs

1. Millie Stretton / Maria Panaite (Kansas St) b Maty Cancini / Samantha Budai (Iowa St) 6-4

QF

Texas Tech bt Kansas State 4-1

2. #62 Felicity Maltby (Texas T) bt Millie Stretton (Kansas St) 6-1, 6-3

4. Sabrina Federici (Texas T) led Ana Garcia Naves (Kansas St) 6-3, 4-1 susp

Dubs

1. #29 Sabrina Federici / Sarah Dvorak (Texas T) led Maria Panaite / Millie Stretton (Kansas St) 4-3 susp

SF

Texas Tech bt Texas 4-2

4. Sabrina Federici (Texas T) bt Anna Turati (Texas) 6-4, 6-0

F

Texas Tech bt Oklahoma State 4-2

4. #69 Vladica Babic (Oklahoma St) bt Sabrina Federici (Texas T) 7-5, 6-3

Dubs

1. #29 Sabrina Federici / Sarah Dvorak (Texas T) bt #10 Carla Tur Mari / Vladica Babic (Oklahoma) 6-2

Men:

QF

Texas Tech bt Baylor 4-2

2. Alex Sendegeya (Texas T) bt #59 Johannes Schretter (Baylor) 6-4, 6-3

Dubs

3. Jackson Cobb / Alex Sendegeya (Texas T) bt Constantin Frantzen / Max Tchoutakian (Baylor) 6-4

SF

Texas Christian bt Oklahoma 4-1

1. #1 Cameron Norrie (Texas C) bt #30 Andrew Harris (Oklahoma) 6-4, 6-4

Dubs

3. Jochen Bartsch / Adrian Hetzbach (Oklahoma) bt Trevor Johnson / Cameron Norrie (Texas C) 7-5

Texas Tech bt Oklahoma State 4-3

1. #29 Jolan Cailleau (Texas T) bt #24 Julian Cash (Oklahoma St) 6-7(8), 6-4, 6-1

3. Alex Sendegeya (Texas T) bt #110 Lucas Gerch (Oklahoma) 7-6(4), 1-6, 6-1

Dubs

1. #6 Julian Cash / Arjun Kadhe (Oklahoma St) bt #13 Connor Curry / Bjorn Thompson (Texas Tech) 7-6(6)

3. Jackson Cobb / Alex Sendegeya (Texas T) v Artur Dubinki / Tristan Meraut (Oklahoma St) 6-6(9-9) susp

F

Texas Christian bt Texas Tech 4-0

1. #1 Cameron Norrie (Texas C) bt #29 Jolan Cailleau (Texas T) 6-1, 6-3

3. Alex Sendegeya (Texas T) led #85 Guillermo Nunez (Texas C) 6-3, 3-3 susp

Dubs

3. Cameron Norrie / Trevor Johnson (Texas C) bt Alex Sendegeya / Jackson Cobb (Texas T) 6-2

So that Sabrina with Texas Tech and Cameron with Texas Christian heading off to the NCAAs

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

Big East Conference Championships

Women:

QF

DePaul bt Villanova 4-0

6. Florence Abbot (DePaul) bt Linley Busby (Villanova) 6-3, 6-3

Dubs

3. Ana Vladutu / Florence Abbot (DePaul) bt Carina Burdick / Connor Brewer (Villanova) 6-3

SF

DePaul bt Seton Hall 4-1

6. Florence Abbot (DePaul) bt Kristin Cerpina (Seton H) 6-2, 6-2

Dubs

3. Michal Matson / Melody Taal) Seton H) bt Ana Vladutu / Florence Abbot (DePaul) 6-4

F

DePaul bt St John's 4-3

6. Irina Preotescu (St John's) bt Florence Abbot (DePaul) 6-4, 6-3

Dubs

3. Ana Vladutu / Florence Abbot (DePaul) bt Olaya Inclan Solis / Zofia Stanisz (St John's) 6-2

So Flo is another one off to the NCAA year end champs with her team

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Optimist; thank you. A fantastic job, what is exciting is that a few of our players stand a chance of going very deep with their teams in the NCAA. Texas Tech and Stanford on the women's side are strong programmes with depth, Cam's run of the mill victories at no.1 are very impressive, I don't know what order TCU finished in but Andrew Harris is a decent player with a very decent junior pedigree. The finals will be fun.

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

Presumably as it's way over in Georgia, we'll have to do without your live reports from the finals Oakie.

Big Sky Conference Championships

Women:

QF

Idaho State bt Northern Colorado 4-3

1. Anna Battersby (N Colorado) bt Hrstina Cvetkovic (Idaho St) 3-6, 6-1, 6-2

3. Louise-Mare Botes (Idaho St) bt Beth Coton (N Colorado) 6-1, 6-0

5. Rafaella Mora (N Colorado) bt Megan Poe (Idaho St) 6-4, 7-6(3)

Dubs

1. Huibre-Mare Botes / Louise-Mare Botes (Idaho St) led Beth Coton / Remi Immler (N Colorado) 5-3 susp

2. Anna Battersby / Marissa Baca (N Colorado) bt Hrstina Cvetkovic / Megan Poe (Idaho St)

3. Lily-Ana Kreutzer / Rafaella Mora (N Colorado) bt Melissa Coburn / Madison Fenske (Idaho St) 6-3

Men:

QF

Sacramento State bt Montana State 4-1

5. Christopher Clayton (Sacramento St) bt Kasper Parlklo (Montana St) 6-3, 2-6, 6-1

Dubs

3. Kasper Parlklo / Dylan Harvala (Montana St) bt Christopher Clayton / Dom Miller (Sacramento St) 6-1

SF

Montana bt Northern Arizona 4-3

2. Yannick Schmidl (Montana) bt Lucas Taylor (N Arizona) 6-2, 3-6, 7-5

Dubs

3. Lucas Taylor / Tom Fisher (N Arizona) bt Victor Casadevall / Ludvig Hallgren (Montana) 6-2

Idaho bt Sacramento State 4-0

5. Lucas Coutinho (Idaho) led Christopher Clayton (Sacramento St) 7-6(4), 3-2 susp

Dubs

3. Felipe Fonseca / Guilherme Scarpelli (Idaho) bt Christopher Clayton / Dom Miller (Sacramento State) 6-3

Oakland2002 · All-time great

The first rounds are regional Stanford Women are likely to host the opening weekend of their bit of the bracket (? Quarter) May 12-14. Men's bracket come out tomorrow. I will be back in the motherland before any more excitement kicks off.

I was just extremely lucky in that I was able to make some ducks line up and plan to be in California during the Ojai tournament for other reasons. It's the same time every year and bar the travelling costs, cheap and accessible, it is arguably the biggest amateur tournament in the world with venues across three towns a 128 qualifying draw with success leading to Ojai where the main venue has the feeling of a garden fete. Thoroughly recommend it for tennis nerds.