Wild, sisterly finish at 10U

The Road to THE TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP 2023

June 17 - UTR 10U & 12U - Happy Tennis Parents Open

June 18 - UTR 14U & 18U - Travel Team Open

A seemingly straightforward morning start at the 10U turned into a mad dash for the podium when sisters clashed in the final group stage match.

Multi- Tennis Central Junior Circuit champion Zachary Mills won his opening group match when Gabrielle Bailey had to retire. When her sister Petrina ousted Mills 4-1, 4-2, the championship seemed all but settled. However, in the last match, Gabrielle came back from the retirement to push Petrina to a tiebreak during which any number of outcomes for the title were possible, had each player finished 1-1 in their group. Any of the three could have won it based on the stats.

Finally, Petrina outlasted the barrage to win 7-5 and claim the championship outright, with Mills in second place. It is her first championship in just her second tournament, and first in the level, bringing her up to the top 25. Mills has been a mainstay in the Top 10 thanks to two victories in July and August 2022, and with these results he hops into the Top 5.

At the 12U the theme remained the same, with another new challenger overcoming a previous champion. Archer Pollak reached the final in his second straight event, but the laurels went to Ivan Teeter for a triumph in his first tournament, 4-1, 4-2.

The real drama here lay in the backdraw, as the victor dominated virtually every main draw match. Shiloh Auzoux traded lopsided sets with Adura Akiwumi before a magnificent tiebreak to decide the backdraw final, which the 10U rankings leader won 10-7. The consolation semis were about as close, also with brother-sister rivalry. Siena Auzoux took Shiloh to a 7-4 second set tiebreak, and Akiwumi eked out a tiebreak win against an improved Shannon Bu.

Solomon Ravitz returned to form to take the 18U Travel Team Open Final against repeated rival Kiran Mathura in straight, but close sets. He was the only one who had to qualify for the semis, and in those semis he won the match of the tournament that saw two extended 5-3 sets traded, and then a 10-4 tiebreak against Marylander Pierce Wehman.

It means Ravitz climbs fourteen places into third in the 18U rankings, and he and Mathura exert even more influence as their points count for just as much all the way down the age line. Ravtiz's highest is now his career-high, at second in the 16U rankings, just four points behind Jon Ozenci. Meanwhile, Mathura also lands at No. 2, in the 14U rankings.

The 14U group stage was dominated by Carter Mills, 24-3 in games played over the three matches, for the second championship of his long career and first since last November. Beatriz Pilotti took second place when she roared back from dropping a first-set tiebreak to Lila Briskin-Watson to win the match tiebreak 10-4.

Mills hops into the Top 10 at 14U, while Ivan Teeter lands firmly at No. 29 in his first listing.

And before you write in wondering which 10U player is in need of a shave---Tennis Central hosted the Men's 3.0 USTA Sweet Spotter Series at Holton alongside the juniors this weekend. It was won by the bearded Bahaa Ghammraoui.

Remember the newly added feature to the rankings: the Plus / Minus, which will tell you how far up or down the player has moved within the last week.

Champions

6/17 UTR 10U: Petrina Bailey

6/17 UTR 12U: Ivan Teeter

6/18 UTR 14U: Carter Mills

6/18 UTR 18U: Solomon Ravitz

The full tables now look like this.

Each weekend this spring and summer, Tennis Central is bringing you USTA and UTR tournaments at Holton-Arms School. Earn points for advancing through each round, just like on the pro tours, and qualify for the TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP at season's end.

Bigger events offer more points, with the TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP offering the most, as well as prizes.

Check here for updates each week to the Tennis Central Tour Rankings, a 52-week points system based on the pro tours, as well as recaps of all the action and photos.

2023 Tour Schedule

March

Mar 18: USTA L7 Boys and Girls 12U

Mar 19: USTA L7 Boys and Girls 14U

April

Apr 8: UTR 14U - Sweet Spotter Open

Apr 16: USTA L7 Boys and Girls 12U

Apr 16: USTA L7 Boys and Girls 14U

Apr 23: UTR 14U and 16U - Potomac Spring Tennis Festival Open

Apr 29: 15U UTR - Teen World Open Classic

Apr 30: 12U UTR - Anguilla Service Trips Open

Apr 30: 10U Green Dot UTR - Anguilla Service Trips Open