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Adamson still in mix

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Since moving to Newport Beach in August, 2010, Corona del Mar High junior Alec Adamson has played the Southern California Junior Sectionals tennis tournament twice.

The first time, he lost to a seeded player in the first round of boys’ 18 singles.

Adamson has shown his improvement this year. Heading into the second weekend of the tournament, he is alive in both singles and doubles.

Adamson has won three boys’ 18 singles matches so far, including Monday’s 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 victory over Julian Ruffin of Northwood High. He plays again in the round of 32 on Friday at 2:30 p.m. at Los Caballeros Racquet & Sports Club, against Robbie Bellamy of Pacific Palisades.

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“I’m really excited,” Adamson said. “Now it’s the top 32 players in Southern California, so it feels really great.”

The win against Ruffin was great. Adamson split against him during the high school season. They are close in the boys’ 18s rankings, with Adamson at No. 34 in Southern California and Ruffin at No. 37.

“I found some good rhythm in the second set,” Adamson said. “I started mixing things up and coming to the net a little bit more.”

The round of 32 will bring a bigger challenge, as Bellamy is ranked No. 10 in Southern California. First, Adamson will team up with his Corona del Mar High teammate, sophomore Carson Williams, in doubles. The duo has a round of 16 match against No. 4-seeded Jayson Amos of Mission Viejo and Garrett Auproux of Studio City, on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. at Los Cab.

CdM freshman Henry Gordon and Newport Harbor freshman Reese Stalder also play at that time. They face No. 5-seeded Drew Dawson and Stefan Menichella of University High in the round of 16.

Also Thursday afternoon, Newport Beach resident Joseph Di Giulio has a round of 16 doubles match with his partner, George Goldhoff of Irvine. They play Alan Leahy of Claremont and Aaron Lizardo of Upland.

Di Giulio is also still alive in boys’ 18 singles. He plays Ernesto Escobedo of West Covina in a round of 32 match Friday at 4:45 p.m. at Los Cab.

Gordon, who is moving to Texas, is seeded No. 6 in boys’ 16 singles, has a round of 32 match against Ryan Shen of Newbury Park on Friday at 4:45 p.m. at Fountain Valley Tennis Center.

Newport Coast resident Max Pham is the No. 2 seed in boys’ 14 singles. He has a round of 32 match against Bryce Pereira of San Gabriel on Friday at 2:45 p.m., at Fountain Valley Tennis Center. Newport Beach resident Bjorn Hoffman is also still alive in boys’ 14 singles, and his round of 32 match is against No. 5-seeded Connor Hance of Torrance on Friday at 1 p.m. at Fountain Valley.

Newport Beach resident Austin Di Giulio, the No. 5 seed in boys’ 12 singles, has a round of 32 match against Tristan Boyer of Altadena on Friday at 11 a.m. at Los Cab.

The lone local girl left at the junior sectionals is Newport Coast resident Jenna Moustafa, in the 14s. Moustafa has a round of 32 match against No. 7-seeded Claire Liu of Thousand Oaks on Friday at 11 a.m., at Los Cab.

matthew.szabo@latimes.com

Twitter: @mjszabo

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