One of those players is Joao Lucas Reis Da Silva, the top seeded Brazilian teenager who won his first title earlier this year and appeared in the US Open junior draw this month. He joins familiar American names like Americans Henry Craig, Martin Redlicki, Gage Brymer, and Timothy Sah as those expected to compete at the Claremont Club beginning on September 7 with the qualifying rounds (main draw begins September 11).

The tour continues September 14-23 at Laguna Niguel Racquet Club for the USTA Pro Futures. Those scheduled to appear include Craig, Redlicki, and newly minted SoCal Open Sectionals champion Isaiah Strode. Juniors Govind Nanda, Emilio Nava, and Stefan Dostanic – all of whom competed in US Open Juniors – are slated to appear in the qualifying rounds with a chance at the main draw.

All eyes then turn to Fountain Valley and Los Caballeros Racquet & Sports Club for the Los Cab Men’s Pro Futures, September 21-30. An event featuring a decidedly more international flair, top seed Peter Heller of Germany is the top seed in a draw featuring Evan Song (USA), Czech Republic’s Petr Michnev, and Takuto Niki of Japan. The nation’s top collegiate prospect, Brandon Nakashima of San Diego, is also expected to compete out of the qualifier after an impressive showing at Flushing Meadows.

As the men compete in Fountain Valley, the women’s tour arrives in Templeton for the Central Coast Pro Tennis Open at Templeton Tennis Ranch. Local names including Ashley Kratzer and Asia Muhammad join Naomi Broady (San Diego Aviators of World TeamTennis) and a host of international up and comers from Brazil, Russia, Switzerland, Argentina, and many more.

To learn more about the USTA Pro Circuit, visit usta.com or socalprocircuit.com. All events are free to the public and feature community events and opportunities for Pro-Am competition and more.

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When you think of team sports, do you think of tennis? USTA Junior Team Tennis is ideal for competitive young players, bringing kids together to play singles, doubles, and mixed doubles against other Southern California teams.

Junior Team Tennis promotes values you would expect from any other team sport by fostering a spirit of cooperation, unity, and self-growth. It’s a fun environment for kids to learn that succeeding is not just win or lose – it’s how you play the game.

“I THINK TEAM SPORTS PROBABLY TEACH YOU MORE ABOUT GIVING – ABOUT BEING UNSELFISH AND BEING FLEXIBLE.”

– Chris Evert

Junior Team Tennis is designed for kids age 6 to 18 at any skill level: Entry, Intermediate, and Advanced Play.

The new JTT season (Sept-Jan) is about to begin, and registration is now underway. Don’t miss out on fall season Junior Team Tennis, developing skills and making new friends along the way. Plus, the season-ending tournament and player party is not one to be missed – over 700 kids convene for one of the most anticipated weekends of junior tennis nationwide!

Want to learn more about Junior Team Tennis in Southern California? Complete the form below, and our JTT Manager will reply directly to you.

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Not unlike the top seeds in the #USOpen50 main draw, doubles competition has witnessed the depletion of seeded tandems, with only a few remaining in the hunt for the year’s final Grand Slam trophies – and chances are pretty strong that Southern California will have home grown talent to root for in the final days of action at Flushing Meadows.

Both Coco Vandeweghe and Mike Bryan are alive in doubles semifinals, with Vandeweghe and Ashleigh Barty facing the biggest hurdle – top seeded Krejcikova/Siniakova (CZE). The Czechs cruised into the quarterfinals but finally broke a sweat in a three-setter to set up their semifinal, while Vandy/Barty have been unscathed as yet and have dominated most of their opposition. The teams meet on Louis Armstrong Stadium after 12 noon today.

Preceding the women’s semis will the the men’s draw, and the closest Bryan and Jack Sock have come to reaching a third set was quarterfinal tiebreaker, which they won with ease. The Wimbledon champs have kept their hopes of Grand Slam success are very much alive, and that journey continues today when the Wimbledon champions face Cabal/Farah (COL), the #5 seed, in the semis. Other than dropping a set in the third round, the Colombians have been solid throughout.

Dana Mathewson (San Diego) opens her quest for a Women’s Wheelchair title with a match against Sabine Ellerbrock of Germany. A win would put her in line to likely face the tournament’s top seed, Netherlands’ Diede de Groot, in the semifinals.

This is not to say that only the pros are keeping SoCal hopes alive. Junior Brandon Nakashima (San Diego), the #14 seed, will be on court today in the third round of Boys’ Juniors. He’s won his previous two matches in straight sets, and today faces Hugo Gaston, the #3 seed from France. Gaston has been rock solid and will give Nakashima all he can handle, but the young American will bring his full arsenal to hurdle the Frenchman and move forward.

Emilio Nava (Woodland Hills) has reached the quarterfinals of Boys’ doubles with his teammate, Axel Nefve. The road the quarters hasn’t been a cakewalk, but the tandem has played consistent tennis and will face their next challenge from Alvarez Varona/Soares Klier later today.

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It wouldn’t be a doubles tournament without the Bryan name, and Mike Bryan (Camarillo) continues tradition this week as he and Jack Sock – subbing for the ailing Bob Bryan – represent the highest remaining seed in the men’s draw. They meet unseeded Jarry/Gonzalez in the quarterfinals.

Despite a quick exit from the singles draw, Coco Vandeweghe (Rancho Santa Fe) and her partner Ashleigh Barty (AUS), the #13 seeds, return to action in the quarterfinals against unseeded Jakupovic/Khromacheva, and a potential meeting looms with the top seeds in the next round.

It’s been a tough road for SoCal Boys Juniors, with only Brandon Nakashima (San Diego) and Emilio Nava (Woodland Hills) advancing to the second round. The #14 seed Nakashima faces Finland’s Otto Virtanen in the second round. Nava fell in straight sets earlier today.

Govind Nanda (Cerritos) put up a fight after losing the first set of his opening round match. Opposite Nick Hardt (Dominican Republic), Nanda fought through a second set but ultimately fell in a 10-8 tiebreak.

Tristan Boyer (Altadena) and Stefan Dostanic (Irvine) also fell in the opening round. Both Nava and Boyer remain active in doubles competition, with Boyer/Hardt on to the second round as the #6 seed.  

On the Girls side, Salma Ewing (Long Beach) took a surprising first round loss in singles, and young star Katrina Scott (Woodland Hills) won her first doubles match with teammate Robin Montgomery to advance.

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The tournament is the first of three consecutive $15,000 USTA Pro Circuit hard-court men’s events held in Southern California following the US Open.

Past or current UCLA Bruins have dominated in recent years as there have been seven Bruin finalists over the past six years. Recent UCLA graduate Martin Redlicki advanced to the Claremont singles final last year losing to his one-time Bruin teammate Karue Sell in a three-set final. Redlicki is currently ranked No. 620 in the ATP World Tour rankings and should be seeded among the top eight players.

Joao Lucas Reis Da Silva will be the top-seeded player and is currently ranked No. 602 in the ATP World Tour rankings. Reis Da Silva is a native of Recife, Brazil, and is 18 years old.

Henry Craig of Murrieta is ranked just outside the world top 600 and will be seeded just ahead of Redlicki, who comes in currently ranked No. 614 in the world.

Other Americans in the main draw are: Paul Oosterbaan, Trevor Johnson, Sumit Sarkar, Alec Adamson and USC’s No. 1 player Brandon Holt.

In qualifying SoCal players Logan Smith (USC), Daniel Cukierman (USC), Keegan Smith and Jacob Bullard (future University of Texas) are all entered.

Qualifying concludes on Monday, Sept. 10, with main draw singles and doubles matches starting on Tuesday. The doubles final is scheduled for Friday, the singles semifinals Saturday and the final on Sunday, Sept. 16.

Already granted entry into the main draw of singles by way of winning the Claremont Club Wild Card Tournaments in July are high school sophomore Zachary Svajda from San Diego and former UCLA player Gage Brymer of Irvine.

For more information, check on the web at:www.procircuit.usta.com, www.claremontclub.com; Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/The-Claremont-Club/236147226396

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With the two-weekend 54^th Annual Northridge-Matador Junior Open Tournament officially completed, longtime Cal State Northridge women’s assistant coach James Ciuffo is now ready to turn his focus on the next event he will direct.

Entries for the Northridge Fall Classic Open money tournament close on Oct 2. The following is the link to enter:

https://tennislink.usta.com/Tournaments/TournamentHome/Tournament.aspx?T=219534

Seth Stolar won the Men’s Open title last year.

Ciuffo said the past two weekends have been on the warm side, but nothing compared to the 115-degree days he and the players suffered through back in mid-July in another USTA Designated junior tournament.

“We had to front load the mornings and played later in the day,” Ciuffo said.

Ciuffo has been a loyal assistant women’s coach for the Matadors for more than 20 years, and is head coach Gary Victor’s right-hand man. “I do a lot of scouting and recruiting and we are always looking for good, home-grown and local talent,” Ciuffo said.

A naturally gifted athlete, Ciuffo played baseball in high school instead of tennis before switching sports while a student at Cal Lutheran University and playing under longtime Kingsmen Coach Mike Gennette.

In 2001, Ciuffo helped lead the Matadors to the Big Sky Conference Championship and a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in business from CLU in 1996. Prior to attending Cal Lutheran, Ciuffo attended Pierce College in Woodland Hills and graduated from Taft High School. He is also a member of the United States Professional Tennis Association.

Ciuffo and his wife Shelley have a daughter, Angelina.

“I plan on staying at Northridge for a long time,” Ciuffo said. “As long as Coach Victor will have me.”

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By Steve Pratt

Every tennis community needs someone who is always positive, who attends tournaments and other tennis-related activities, who encourages friends and family members to keep on playing, and someone who regularly “Likes” and writes positive comments on Facebook posts.

In Southern California, that person is Kimberly Le

After continually seeing Kimberly post and like on Facebook in such a positive manner, we decided to reach out to her and ask about her involvement in tennis. So just like recognizing a Sportsmanship winner from a junior tournament, we felt like calling out someone who is doing good within the tennis community might also spur on others to do the same.

Kimberly’s family is active in tennis, and she just recently returned from Ithaca, N.Y., to drop off her youngest daughter Katherine Nguyen, who will be one of the top players at Cornell University her freshman season.

In a Facebook private message, Kimberly says she’s just an “old lady of 61 who used to play lots of tennis for USTA Leagues.”

She continued: “I do love the game of tennis and would love to volunteer someday. My daughter helps out the SCTA and her name is Tiffany Mai.” (Editor’s note: Mai does so much more and serves as a Tennis Service Representative for Long Beach and the South Bay).

“My God Daughter used to play for USC but graduated a long time ago,” she said. “I always like to encourage parents that have their kids to participate in sports, especially in tennis because it keeps them healthy. I think tennis makes them think smarter as you have to think and figure out every shot and have to figure out how to play different styles and keeps their brain working.”

Kimberly said her daughter Katherine has lots of friends that play at their clubs or on USTA League teams.

Katherine Nguyen

“But there are so many adults who play tennis who have young kids who don’t know how to get their kids started the proper way,” she said. “They don’t know how to select which tournaments are best for them or who to help them get to the next level.”

She continued: “I simply just like to help because I love to watch kids grow up in a healthy way. You’d be surprised how many parents play club or recreation tennis and who would love to have their kids compete in tennis, but they just don’t know where to start the right way. Now, I wish I have some grandkids to take them to tournaments with me. Maybe someday.”

Kimberly said she wants to keep giving back to the game she loves, and will keep helping out where she’s needed. “I would like to volunteer at tournament desks, get memberships for the USTA or anything I could do to help,” she said. “I would love to find more sponsors for tennis and to expand it and make it more popular.”

We can learn a lot from tennis-loving people in our community like Kimberly Le.

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The #USOpen50 Main Draws have been vicious on #TeamSoCal this week, leaving only Rancho Palos Verdes’ Taylor Fritz in the mix as we near the third round. Fritz emerged from a match with Jason Kubler (AUS) after having played just more than two sets of play before Kubler retired with injury. That’s a blessing for the 20-year old American, who opened the campaign with a hot, humid five-setter on Monday. He’ll need that rest and relaxation in preparing for the third round opponent, #9 Dominic Thiem.

Thiem played a marathon with Redondo Beach’s Steve Johnson in Round Two, one that began with Johnson locking up a first set tiebreak, but ending with Thiem running away with a 6-1 fifth and final set.

Both Claire Liu (Thousand Oaks) and Vania King (Monterey Park) fell in the tournament’s second round singles, but King returns to women’s doubles – her specialty – as the #11 seed alongside Katarina Strebotnik of Slovakia.

In fact, there’s plenty of #SoCalTennis talent still in the hunt as the doubles brackets take shape. Along with Vania King, Coco Vandeweghe (Sancho Santa Fe) teams with Ashleigh Barty (AUS) as the #12 seed.

The surprising split of successful USC tandem Santamaria/Christian finds Kaitlyn Christian (Orange) paired with Rebecca Peterson (SWE) and Sabrina Santamaria (Los Angeles) teaming with Santa Monica’s Nicole Gibbs.

Former UCLA Bruin Jennifer Brady and Long Beach’s Asia Muhammad have won their opening round match, dispatching the #8 seeds in the process.

On the Men’s side, a tough luck defeat befell former UCLA star Mackenzie McDonald in singles, but he’s on the scoreboard in Men’s doubles with a first round win alongside teammate Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan.

While Bob Bryan recovers from a hip surgery that has split the legendary twin duo from Camarillo, Mike Bryan teams with Jack Sock (USA) as the #3 seed. The Bryans competed at the Open for 23 consecutive years leading up to this year’s event. But Bryan/Sock is not at all a bad combination – after all, they are the reigning Wimbledon champions after hoisting the trophy earlier this summer.

#USTennis remains alive and well, with some up-and coming names still in the race. JOHN ISNER, the #11 seed, is on to the third round and will next meet Dusan Lajovic (SRB). FRANCES TIAFOE eliminated the #29 seed in the first round and will oppose Alex De Minaur (AUS) today. Also, TENNYS SANDGREN meets an unknown youngster named Novak Djokovic in Round Two (That’s a Djoke). Along with Venus & Serena, #3 seed and defending champion SLOANE STEPHENS remains on course, as does last year’s finalist MADISON KEYS. SOFIA KENIN, TAYLOR TOWNSEND, and BERNARDA PERA are due on court Thursday.

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For Steve Starleaf and his co-workers at the Burbank Tennis Center, it’s always been about giving back to the community that is most important.

Each June, the annual Jensen-Schmidt Tennis Academy for individuals with Down syndrome takes place and is free at the BTC and attracts between 120 and 140 campers.

Starleaf and the BTC have also hosted many ACEing Autism camps and clinics over the years, as well as events for the Burbank Center for the Retarded “A Place to Grow” center located across the street from the tennis center.

Steve Starleaf

“I could not have envisioned that we would be able to do so much to help this underserved population of players,” Starleaf said in an interview with the L.A. Times. “This is what we wanted the Burbank Tennis Center to be. This is why we work so hard to bring programs like this to the center.

“Serving these special groups is what is really the most important. They are the real champions. The joy they get out of competing and having fun is all worth it.”

A 10-year dream of Starleaf’s became a reality in 1997, the same year Starleaf and the Burbank Tennis Center hosted a $50,000 USTA Pro Circuit event won by none other than Andre Agassi, who was making his way up the rankings during his comeback.

The facility has 10 hard courts and two Har-Tru clay courts. Starleaf grew up locally and played for Burbank High School and then Pierce College before attending what is now Texas A&M and winning Nationals in 1978.

Mike Bennett is the assistant manager at the Burbank Tennis Center. The 37-year-old has been at BTC for the past 10 years, and played on the last Cal-State Northridge men’s teams before the program was dropped.

Bennett said the club’s most popular offering currently is Live Ball play on Tuesday and Friday nights from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Saturday’s from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bennett said an XTREME Live Ball group has been added for 4.0 players on Sunday’s from 10 a.m. to noon.

“We are not unique in any way with what we are doing with Live Ball,” Bennett said. “But it’s a fun way to get people out and the players just love it. XTREME Live Ball is for the 4.0 player who just wants to hit a lot of balls and is actually closer to Cardio Tennis.”

Starleaf is loyal to his workers, and they in turn are loyal to him. One longtime veteran instructor Harout Khachatrian has been teaching at the Burbank Tennis Center for the past 22 years.

The public is invited to play in the Fall Classic Doubles Tennis Tournament on Saturday, Sept. 29 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Divisions will include 3.0, 3.5 and 4.0 and the cost is $35 per team.

Drop-In Tennis takes place each Sunday at 6 p.m. The cost is free for Burbank Tennis Center members and $15 for non-members.

The Burbank Tennis Center offers public tennis lessons each season and the fall session begins Sept. 10. For more information, go to: http://www.burbanktenniscenter.com/public_lesson_info.html

For more information on the Burbank Tennis Center, call 818.843.4105 or visit the website at: www.burbanktenniscenter.com.

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With the qualifier nearing its conclusion and main draws announced yesterday, it’s time to get down to business at #USOpen50.

Some intriguing match-ups await #TeamSoCal next week, with Rafael Nadal and Simona Halep – the defending champions – poised at the top of the ladder again this year.

Steve Johnson (Redondo Beach) has played Russian Denis Istomin only once in his career, a marathon five-setter won by Istomin on clay in 2016. They will meet in the first round with Johnson coming off three straight one-and-done defeats, seeking momentum after a triumph at the Hall of Fame Open in July.

Given the choice, Taylor Fritz (Rancho Santa Fe) would probably rather meet Mischa Zverev than Alexander Zverev, though he’s 0-3 in matches against the Zverev surname. He faces Mischa Zverev (RUS) next week to open the year’s final Grand Slam, capping a difficult trek on the 2018 ATP Tour for the 20 year old, one that has kept him below quarterfinal finishes since May. But the best way to erase a lackluster year is to steal the spotlight on home turf, and Fritz will no doubt look to the boisterous #USTennis crowd for a late-season lift.

Santa Monica’s Sam Querrey (REUTERS/Andrew Couldridge)

Santa Monica’s Sam Querrey meets Andreas Seppi of Italy in the first round. Seppi has reached the 3rd Round three times, the last in 2015. But Querrey, now in his 12th US Open, made headlines last year when he stormed into the quarterfinals in New York. The two have not played since 2014, with Seppi holding a 4-2 advantage. But if Querrey is healthy, he may be primed for another Big Apple run.

Bradley Klahn (Poway), we don’t envy you. In 2014, you managed to take John Isner to a first set tiebreak and almost pulled it off. We can only hope you’re service return is at its peak when you meet the skyscraping Isner in this year’s opening round. That meeting, in Winston Salem, was the only career match-up of Klahn and Isner, BUT… if the service game eludes John Isner, Klahn will be in this match.

Jared Donaldson (Irvine) draws Milos Raonic, the #25 seed. Raonic won their initial meeting with ease in 2016, and withdrew from the Miami Masters last year before Donaldson had a shot at redemption. That opportunity comes now, with Donaldson seeking to regain the form that gave him a career high ranking (ATP #48) back in March following a semifinal appearance in Acapulco.

UCLA superstar Mackenzie McDonald premieres in the Main Draw in 2018, opposing Dutchman Robin Haase in their first career meeting. Haase, at #48 on the Tour, has in recent months knocked off names like Rublev, Nishikori, Shapovalov, and Zverev, reaching the Round of 16 earlier this month in Cincy. But don’t count out McDonald and the Billy Martin School of Tennis (aka UCLA). At Wimbledon, “Mackie” reached R16 and made Raonic sweat in a tough four-set battle that surely impressed the royal box. He reached the finals in Dallas – a loss to Nishikori – then won an ATP Challenger in South Korea. One imagines that there’s some Bruin magic headed to Manhattan.

Rarely do we consider looking outside the Williams household for favorites at the US Open. Though, to be fair, there’s no discussion about #USOpen50 contenders without mentioning Venus and Serena, obstacles not withstanding. But the door is open not just for international stars, but also #SoCalTennis women seeking to climb the ladder and make a strong showing at the Open.

Coco Vandeweghe (Rancho Santa Fe) came off a thrilling 2017, as a member of the Fed Cup championship team. After a slow start, she rebounded in April with a final appearance in Germany, routing #1 Simona Halep in the process. She battled through a challenging tournament in the Netherlands in June, reaching the quarters. Yet those two tournaments represent the vast entirety of Vandeweghe’s year, one in which expectations may have gone by the wayside. But Coco likes the big stage, and she’s performed both beautifully and frighteningly under the spotlight. She meets Kirsten Flipkens of Germany, a comparable player with more experience but not necessarily more success.

Long Beach’s Asia Muhammad.

Asia Muhammad (Long Beach) is in the main draw, awaiting a date with Maria Sakkari of Greece. Sakkari has wins over Venus and Naomi Osaka this year, but Muhammad has been playing superb tennis heading into the Open, earning a Wild Card entry and winning the Pro Circuit event in Lexington earlier in August. Ten years after her best singles finish in New York, Muhammad is back on the big stage.

Vania King received a spot in the Main Draw this year, and she’ll go head to head with Natalia Vikhlyantseva. The 21-year old Russian won their first encounter, at the 2017 Aussie Open, and King is much more a doubles specialist. But the Monterey Park native saw extra hard court singles action during the World TeamTennis season, and that could translate into a strong start to the Open for King.

Thousand Oaks’ Claire Liu is only 18 years old, but she’s gearing up for a main draw appearance against Polona Hercog of Solvenia. Liu is seeking her first win at the US Open, an appropriate follow-up to her first Grand Slam victory at Wimbledon earlier this year. Liu has fought through five qualifiers this year to reach a main draw, so this US Open is a well-earned opportunity.

Former UCLA Bruin Jennifer Brady, now at #66 on Tour, meets Irina-Camelia Begu, the 27-year old Romanian with four career WTA titles to her credit. Brady has remained inside the Top 100 all year, but has yet to knock off a player ranked above her. To that end, the odds are in her favor – Begu comes in at #78.

Nicole Gibbs (Santa Monica), ranked #10 in the qualifier, was impressive in all three rounds of advance competition and joins the Main Draw, her opponent TBD. Danielle Lao (Arcadia) also advances, without dropping a set in three qualifying matches.

Nadal faces David Ferrer in the very first round, in what could be a slight concern for Camp Rafa. While Nadal holds a commanding record against Ferrer (24-6), the Spaniard has been known to make Nadal work hard, especially on hard court. They’ve not met in a few years, and the last time they crossed paths at the US Open, way back in 2007, Ferrer emerged victorious.

If there’s a sibling rivalry brewing at Flushing Meadows, it will come quickly – Venus and Serena are on target for a Round 3 meeting. Seeded #16 and #17 respectively, they would not meet another ranked player en route to R3. Potential opponents include Americans Whitney Osuigwe and Caroline Dolehide.

The top seeded American male is John Isner at #11, followed by Jack Sock, at #18. Johnson and Querrey will look to remain in the American Top 40 with strong showings in New York. One year later, defending champion Sloane Stephens is the #3 seed on the women’s side.

At any given tournament, a player who emerges into the main draw as a Qualifier is often faced with a daunting task – a top 20 player, a lower ranked veteran, or maybe even a top seed. At this year’s Open, both draws has provided quite the opportunity for two qualifiers who will face each other in Round One. Imagine the possibilities! Two first-timers with a chance to reach the second round? A SoCal athlete on the Pro Circuit, suddenly on the verge of tripling career prize money? Keep an eye on this one when the draws are completed this weekend. The winners, by the way, face an unseeded Stan Wawrinka or #8 Gregor Dimitrov on the Men’s side, and Stephens is a likely opponent for the women.

Doubles, Juniors, and Wheelchair brackets will be announced next week.

For complete coverage of #SoCalTennis stars on court in New York, follow @USTASoCal, USTA Southern California on Facebook, and get all the news at southerncaliforniatennis.org.

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