Boys’ Tennis: National All-American Tournament begins Friday
The Corona del Mar All-American Invitational boys’ tennis tournament is now as old as many of the student-athletes competing in it.
The prestigious 16-team tournament, hosted by CdM, hits its 16th year as it begins Friday at CdM and Costa Mesa Tennis Center.
Menlo School of Atherton is the top-seeded team, followed by Torrey Pines, Los Alamitos and San Marino.
The tournament has also become known for hosting many top teams from around the country. Out-of-state schools involved this year include Horace Mann School of Riverdale, N.Y.; Haverford High of Pennsylvania; Brophy Jesuit Prep of Phoenix; Iolani School of Hawaii; Gilman School of Baltimore; Greenhill High from Texas; and The Beacon School of New York.
The Beacon School is defending tournament champion, as it edged University last year in the tournament championship match.
Corona del Mar will play The Beacon School in the first round Friday at 8:30 a.m., at CdM. Should the Sea Kings win, they would play either No. 2-seeded Torrey Pines or Greenhill in a tournament quarterfinal Friday at 1 p.m., also at CdM.
“It’s going to be tough,” CdM Coach Jamie Gresh said. “All 16 teams in it are very, very strong … but I feel like this tournament helps us get better for the rest of the season. We’ll kind of take it as it goes. It’s just a great tournament to be a part of, because it’s right on our courts. It’s two good days of tennis, and a lot of times you play different teams from all over, and that’s the most exciting aspect of it.”
Host CdM has won the tournament three times, but has lost in the quarterfinals for eight consecutive years.
Tim Mang, the former longtime CdM coach, remains the National All-American Invitational tournament director. The format is five singles sets and three doubles sets, and players are allowed to play both singles and doubles.
The tournament semifinals are scheduled for Saturday at 10 a.m. at Costa Mesa Tennis Center, with the championship match at 4 p.m. at Palisades Tennis Club.
— Matt Szabo