Advertisement

Xepoleas moves into final 16

Share

Corona del Mar High senior Lynda Xepoleas, seeded No. 3 in the girls’ 18s draw, is the lone Newport-Mesa player still alive at the United States Tennis Assn. Winter National Championships (16s and 18s) at cities throughout central Arizona.

Xepoleas moved into the round of 16 at the national Level 1 tournament Tuesday by topping Karyn Guttormsen of Wisconsin, 6-2, 6-2. Xepoleas, bound for Purdue, plays against Stephanie Vlad of Arizona at 8:30 a.m. today with a quarterfinal spot on the line.

Xepoleas, who advanced to the CIF Individuals semifinals earlier this month, is also in the girls’ 18s doubles draw with Melissa Kopinski of Illinois. They’re the No. 2 seeds and begin their tournament today in the round of 32.

Advertisement

CdM senior Shane Korber scored an upset Monday in his first boys’ 18 singles match, topping No. 5-seeded Jose Martinez of Houston, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7). Martinez is ranked No. 19 in the country. Korber, a Georgetown commit, went on to fall in the round of 64 to Augie Bloom of Illinois, 6-3, 6-4.

Korber also lost his first consolation match, as well as Tuesday’s boys’ 18s doubles opener with Colin Edwards of Florida.

Newport Beach resident Dante Saleh and partner Andrew Malozsak of Woodside fell in their first boys’ 18s doubles match to No. 15-seeded Zach McCourt and Taylor Shamshiri, 6-1, 6-2. Saleh previously lost his first boys’ 18s singles match to Sam Bloom of Illinois, 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-3, and also lost his first consolation match to No. 17-seeded Max Schnur, 6-4, 6-1.

Newport Beach resident Mazy Watrous was seeded No. 13 in the doubles with Manon Peri of Los Angeles, but they were upset in their opening match by Smith Hinton of North Carolina and Nicole Laduca of Georgia, 6-3, 6-2. Watrous lost her first girls’ 16s singles match to Elizabeth Stewart of Virginia, 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3, before falling in a consolation match to No. 17 Dena Tanenbaum of New Jersey, 1-6, 7-6 (3), 6-1.

The tournament continues through New Year’s Day.

— Matt Szabo

Two move on

Newport Coast resident Max Pham and Newport Beach resident Meredith Xepoleas have both advanced to the round of 32 at the United States Tennis Assn. Winter National Championships (12s and 14s) in Tucson, Ariz.

Pham is seeded No. 17 in boys’ 12s singles in the national Level 1 tournament. He defeated Conrad Russell of Palo Alto, 6-3, 6-0, in his round of 64 match and is scheduled to take on No. 2 Noah Schachter of Washington in a round of 32 match today.

Pham and partner Jacob Brumm of Rancho Santa Fe are seeded No. 9 in boys’ 12s doubles and they’re also into the round of 32, where they’ll face William Barry and Charlie Sharton of Massachusetts today.

Xepoleas is also seeded No. 17 in girls’ 14s singles. She defeated Rachel Chong of Dublin, 6-2, 6-3, in her round of 64 match and is set to play No. 15-seeded Alexandra Letzt of Arizona in a round of 32 match today.

Xepoleas and partner Maia Magill are seeded No. 7 in girls’ 14s doubles and played in a round of 64 match Tuesday, results of which were unavailable.

Corona del Mar resident Henry Gordon fell in his opening boys’ 14s singles match but came back to upset No. 17 Nikolas Cable of Washington, 6-3, 6-3, in his first consolation match. Gordon also played his first doubles match Tuesday with partner Austin Rapp of Rancho Mirage.

Newport Coast resident Jenna Moustafa fell to top-seeded Sofia Kenin of Florida, 6-1, 6-1, in a round of 128 girls’ 12s singles match, and also lost her first consolation match. Moustafa and partner Jessica Anzo of Temecula fell in their round of 64 doubles match, 6-3, 6-1, to No. 9-seeded Nadia Gizdova of Maryland and Kylie McKenzie of Arizona.

The tournament continues through New Year’s Day.

— Matt Szabo

Advertisement