20-Dec-2024
Santamarta, Krejcova Sustain Strong Runs at Orange Bowl
Four days of strong winds at the ITF J500 Orange Bowl couldn't blow Andres Santamarta Roig and Tereza Krejcova off course, with both continuing the form they had shown the previous week in reaching the finals of the International Tennis Federation's J300 in Bradenton.
19-Dec-2024
Lee Doubles Up, China's Wang Makes History
Jordan Lee and Xiaotong Wang traveled from the IMG Academy International Championships in Bradenton to the Orange Bowl in Plantation with completely different perspectives, but both emerged with the winner's crystal bowl of oranges last Saturday at the Veltri Tennis Center.
13-Dec-2024
Kostovic and Santamarta Roig Claim ITF J300 Bradenton Titles
Serbia's Teodora Kostovic and Spain's Andres Santamarta captured the ITF J300 singles titles at the IMG Academy in Florida last week with straight set wins in the finals.
11-Dec-2024
Top Seeds Lee and Davletshina Earn IMG Academy Titles
Top seeds Nikol Davletshina and Jordan Lee claimed the singles titles in the Girls 12s and Boys 16s divisions, respectively, at the IMG Academy International Tennis Championships last Saturday in Bradenton, Florida.
4-Dec-2024
Success Spans All Levels For November Aces
The inaugural fall NCAA Division I individual championships, a sweep of the Junior Davis and Billie Jean King Cups for the United States and WTA and ATP Finals doubles champions from the collegiate ranks were among the top performances in November.
27-Nov-2024
Joint Postpones Pro Career for Texas Title Quest
Despite the enticement of prize money, Maya Joint has decided to postpone her pro career to play her freshman season at the University of Texas. The Michigan native, who represents her father's home country of Australia, recently sat down with Colette Lewis for a Q&A about her decision and her future.
1-Nov-2024
Scary Good Results in October for Collegiate Stars
College tennis continues its time in the spotlight, with current Division I stars earning five titles last month, and recent collegians picking up 10 more. The ITF also crowned champions at the World Junior Finals, two Americans claimed titles at the Pan American Closed and two 16-year-olds captured ITF women's World Tennis Tour title at the $75,000 level.
25-Oct-2024
Blue Chip Rodriguez Drawn Back Home to Georgia
Despite growing up in the state, Ava Rodriguez had little familiarity with the University of Georgia. She had never visited the campus, and has spent the last few years training in Florida. But the blue chip junior will be returning home for college by committing to the Bulldogs.
18-Oct-2024
Kennedy and Iyengar Claim ITF Pan American Regional Titles
A warm and sunny week ended in Spring, Texas with four all-American finals at the International Tennis Federation's J300 Pan American Regional Championships, hosted by the Giammalva Racquet Club. Jack Kennedy and Maya Iyengar captured the singles titles.
4-Oct-2024
First-Time Winners Highlight September Aces
September produced first-time titles for teenagers on both the junior and pro circuits. Division I college tennis crowned its first champions of 2024-25, while current and recently graduated collegians also earned their share of the spotlight as summer turned to fall.
27-Sep-2024
ATP Accelerator Program Brings Top Juniors Up To Speed
Sensing the progress of top junior boys was stalling at that entry level, the ATP introduced a new pathway two years ago for highly-ranked junior boys, collaborating with the ITF on a program giving them more opportunities to compete immediately at the Challenger level.
13-Sep-2024
Improbable Runs Lead Jodar and Stojsavljevic to US Open Titles
Rafael Jodar and Mika Stojsavljevic both emerged with their first junior slam titles after inspiring runs in the US Open Junior Championships at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, with Jodar defeating top seed Nicolai Budkov Kjaer and Stojsavljevic downing No. 7 seed Wakana Sonobe in the singles finals.
30-Aug-2024
August Standouts Shine on Hard Courts
The hard courts take center stage in August leading up to the US Open, and many former collegiate stars had great performances that landed them a spot in the Aces column for the month.
28-Aug-2024
Jodar and Kostovic Capture College Park J300 Titles
Spain's Rafael Jodar and Serbia's Teodora Kostovic warmed up for the US Open Junior Championships by capturing the singles titles at last week's International Federation J300 tournament in College Park, Maryland
16-Aug-2024
Forbes Finds Form in Capturing 18s Title in Kalamazoo
Matthew Forbes arrived in Kalamazoo with an uninspiring recent match record and a lower seed. But the rising Michigan State freshman left with a gold ball, a US Open wild card and a Gatorade bath from his college teammates after winning the 18s singles title.
15-Aug-2024
Grumet's Golden Summer Continues at Kalamazoo
Gus Grumet won his first gold ball at the USTA National Clay Courts Championships in July. A second came in his very next tournament, with the No. 1 seed capturing the USTA Boys 16s National championship with a nerve-jangling comeback at Kalamazoo College's Stowe Stadium.
2-Aug-2024
Svajda, Grumet Enter Kalamazoo as Top Seeds in 18s, 16s
Although two-time defending champion Learner Tien will not be competing for an unprecedented third Kalamazoo 18s title this year, plenty of players with stellar Kalamazoo pedigrees are setting their sights on the US Open men's wild card awarded to the champion in the 81st edition of the USTA 18s and 16s National Championships at Kalamazoo College.
31-Jul-2024
Former Collegians Shine on Grass, Clay in July
From grass at Wimbledon and Rhode Island to clay in Sweden, Hungary and Croatia, former collegians had a banner month in July, with milestones for both veterans and newcomers to professional tennis. Wimbledon Junior champions also made the cut.
26-Jul-2024
Kosteva and Lee Treasure Wimbledon 14U Experience
Wimbledon is the best possible place to receive an introduction to grass court tennis, and American juniors Jordan Lee and Raya Kotseva took full advantage of their opportunities at the third edition of the 14-and-under invitational.
23-Jul-2024
Historic Wimbledon Titles for Budkov Kjaer and Jamrichova
After four frustrating days of rain to start the Junior Championships, six players, including three Americans, saw their patience rewarded with Wimbledon titles on Championship Sunday at the All England Lawn Tennis Club.
3-Jul-2024
Success on All Surfaces Produces Aces in June
From the clay of Roland Garros to the hard courts of Southern California and the grass of Europe, great performances from juniors, current collegians and former collegians on all surfaces produced a wide variety of highlights in June.
24-Jun-2024
Ten Questions with NCAA Champion Alexa Noel
After transferring to the University of Miami, Alexa Noel broke through and won the NCAA women's singles title this year. Colette Lewis spoke to Noel about what she gained from competing in college, earning respect for her game, her plans for the summer, and several other topics.
5-Jun-2024
NCAA, Clay Court Success Among May Standouts
While collegians were busy in the United States at the NCAA Championships, many top juniors were preparing for this week's Roland Garros Junior Championships by finding success on clay, while former collegians continued to prosper as professionals.
31-May-2024
Alabama's Planinsek, Miami's Noel Capture NCAA Titles
The NCAA Division I Singles and Doubles championships were filled with upsets and unprecedented performances during the six-day tournament, culminating in come-from-behind victories in the championship matches by Alabama's Filip Planinsek and Miami's Alexa Noel.
23-May-2024
TCU, Texas A&M Claim First NCAA Team Titles
The TCU men and the Texas A&M women took different routes, but both programs made history last Sunday at the Greenwood Tennis Center, capturing their first NCAA team titles. TCU defeated Big-12 rival Texas in a 4-3 classic, while Texas A&M avenged three previous losses to Georgia in an all-SEC final.
13-May-2024
Two Favorites Ousted in NCAA Division I Super Regionals
Sixteen Division I teams will turn their attention to Stillwater, Oklahoma after the Super Regionals concluded over the weekend at 15 campuses across the country, but two of the favorites for the 2024 NCAA Team Championship will not be among them.
5-May-2024
Former NCAA Champions Among April's Top Performers
Former NCAA champions earned titles on the ATP and WTA tours, while juniors excelled on both the ITF Junior and Pro circuits. They are all featured among the players who excelled across the group in April.
26-Apr-2024
USTA National Coach Caballero Guides Junior Development
Jose Caballero is a USTA National Coach guiding junior development. He recently sat down with Colette Lewis to discuss his coaching career, the daily responsibilities of a USTA National coach, his favorite and least favorite parts of the job and the impact of the recent budget cuts at Player Development.
5-Apr-2024
Busy March Brings Abundance of Titles at All Levels
Always a busy month, as the hard court season begins to transition to clay, March produced so many junior and college champions that former collegians had to win two titles or a first $50,000 tournament to make the cut.
3-Apr-2024
Manning, Wang, Goode, Payne Capture Easter Bowl Titles
The 2024 FILA Easter Bowl USTA Spring National Championships 16s and 18s finals were scheduled over two days due to the forecast of rain in the normally arid Coachella Valley. But William Manning, Tianmei Wang, Bella Payne and Gavin Goode handled every challenge thrown their way to add their names to the long and prestigious list of Easter Bowl champions.
1-Apr-2024
Easter Bowl Sweeps for Kotseva, Johnson, Davletshina
Familiar faces continued their success last week at the FILA Easter Bowl USTA Spring National Championships, with Andrew Johnson and Jiarui Zhang adding to their gold ball collections,, Raya Kotseva staying perfect in the desert and Nikol Davletshina claiming her first singles gold.
27-Mar-2024
Jovic, Kennedy Eye Summer Slams After J300 Titles
Iva Jovic and Jack Kennedy are looking forward to competing at Roland Garros and Wimbledon for the first time in their careers after capturing the singles titles at the International Tennis Federation J300 North American Closed last Saturday at Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego.
22-Mar-2024
Quan, Glozman Burst Through for ITF Indian Wells Titles
Rudy Quan and Valerie Glozman were able to celebrate another title in Indian Wells after capturing the singles crowns at the ITF J300. Quan and Glozman had previously won Easter Bowl titles in desert.
1-Mar-2024
Top Performances Spanned the Globe in February
February's top performances include titles on every continent except Antarctica, from WTA and ATP Challenger championships in Australia and Asia to ITF World Tennis tour titles in Europe and North America and ITF Junior titles in South America and Africa.
26-Feb-2024
Cutillo Returns to Tennis to Give Back
Ryann Cutillo left tennis once she graduated from Wake Forest. But the sport drew her back through the Johnny Mac Tennis Project. Cutillo is beginning her third year as the executive director at JMTP, which is a non-profit that helps kids in underserved communities in New York play tennis.
16-Feb-2024
Sevim's Match Tiebreaker Mastery Leads to First L2 Title
Luca Sevim demonstrated his mastery in match tiebreakers throughout the USTA Boys 14s Level 2 in Grand Rapids, clinching the title with a 1-6, 6-3, 10-8 win over top seed Mason Vaughan, who recovered to win the doubles titles with partner Marko Mikic.
2-Feb-2024
Global Success Spans All Levels in January
The global span of tennis is always on display the first month of the year, with juniors and former collegians piling up great performances in Australia, Central America, Europe, Asia and North America last month. All earned spots as top performers in January's Aces column.
19-Jan-2024
Eight Intriguing Questions for 2024
Colette Lewis provides her annual look at issues in college and junior tennis with eight intriguing questions for 2024. This year's issues include CEOs, NIL, ITF and UTR. They ponder budget cuts, television deals and coaching rules.
5-Jan-2024
Junior Champions Take Center Stage in December
Last month's top performances include the 15 winners of the major junior events in Florida, in addition to a trio of teenagers who stood out for their accomplishments on the International Tennis Federation's men's and women's World Tennis Tour.
29-Dec-2023
Delayed Start, Fast Finish for Junior Orange Bowl Champions
After a frustrating start to the 62nd Junior Orange Bowl International Championships, the prestigious tournament for 12s and 14s finished on time and under sunny skies at Salvadore Park and Biltmore Tennis Center last week. American Andrew Johnson, Jana Kovackova, Daniel Baranes and Jang Junseo were crowned champions.
15-Dec-2023
Sun Shines on Orange Bowl Champions Klugman, Panarin
A rare Orange Bowl without rain delays gave 14-year-old Hannah Klugman and 18-year-old Danil Panarin an opportunity to shine last week at the last ITF J500 event of the year, as Klugman made British tennis history and Panarin ended a long drought for collegians.
13-Dec-2023
New Yorkers Claim Orange Bowl 16s Championships
Two 16-year-olds from New York claimed the Orange Bowl 16s singles titles last week. Brooklyn's Leena Friedman won the girls crown and Queens' Dominick Mosejczuk won the boys event at the Frank Veltri Tennis Center.
8-Dec-2023
Pacheco Mendez and Sonobe Claim Eddie Herr ITF Titles
Rodrigo Pacheco Mendez of Mexico ended his junior career on a high note, while Japan's Wakana Sonobe can look forward to building on her success after the two left-handers claimed ITF J300 Eddie Herr International titles Sunday at the IMG Academy.
7-Dec-2023
Penickova and Antonius Make History at Eddie Herr
Kristina Penickova and Michael Antonius are just getting started in their junior tennis careers, but they are already on a short list of players who have won two Eddie Herr singles championships after securing titles last week at the IMG Academy.
1-Dec-2023
Titles Come in Pairs for Many November Standouts
November's titles came in pairs for many of the month's Aces, as the ATP and WTA Tours headed into their off-season and the USTA Pro Circuit ended its year. The majority of those featured are current and former collegians, but the stars of the ITF Junior Circuit, which continues into December, also had a month to remember.
17-Nov-2023
Kessler Credits Gators with Honing Competitive Edge on Tour
McCartney Kessler is back on the court and having success at the professional level. The former University of Florida star recenty sat down the Colette Lewis at the WTA 125 Dow Tennis Classic in Midland, Michigan to discuss her rapid rise in the WTA rankings, the most significant lesson she learned from college tennis and many other topics.
3-Nov-2023
October was Jam-Packed with Ace-Worthy Performances
October was another month with so many achievements by junior and collegiate players that at least a dozen ended up on the cutting room floor. NCAA singles champions and junior slam finalists earned titles, while the winners of the ITF Junior Finals and the first ITA major of the season also stepped into the spotlight last month.
27-Oct-2023
Tennis' On-Court Coaching Trend Expands to Juniors
Top American juniors and their coaches have to navigate three distinct varieties of in-match coaching. The USTA permits coaching before a third set; the four junior slams are part of a trial that allows coaching based on the ATP and WTA Tours' model; and no coaching of any kind is permissible on the ITF Junior Circuit.
13-Oct-2023
Frusina Chooses Auburn as Pathway to Professional Tennis
A coaching staff with vast professional experience and a welcoming atmosphere on his recent visit were the keys to blue chip senior Alex Frusina's verbal commitment to the Auburn Tigers. The Texas native made his decision two weeks ago after a trip to Alabama.
6-Oct-2023
Former College Players Continue to Shine as Aces
From a three-peat at the US Open to a historic Challenger title to Davis Cup heroics, September showcased the continuing success of former college players at the top levels of the sport. They are all featured in latest Aces column.
29-Sep-2023
Frusina Wins at Home, Joint Sweeps Pan American Closed Titles
With a new venue and an earlier date, the International Tennis Federation J300 Pan American Closed ventured into new territory last week in Houston. Yet when the hot and humid week drew to a close, the top two seeds in both boys and girls draws made the finals, with No. 1 seed Alex Frusina and No. 2 seed Maya Joint capturing the titles.
15-Sep-2023
Hui and Fonseca Overcome Elements to Earn US Open Titles
American Katherine Hui and Brazil's Joao Fonseca navigated every obstacle and opponent to earn their first junior slam titles. Hui defeated Tereza Valentova of the Czech Republic 6-4, 6-4 in the girls final of the US Open Junior Championships, and Fonseca outlasted American Learner Tien 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the boys final.
1-Sep-2023
Challenger Titles and Milestone Rankings Highlight August Aces
Challenger titles for a current junior slam champion and a trio of former collegians are among the highlights of a busy tennis month of August, which includes the USTA hard court championships and the start of the US Open.
30-Aug-2023
Jones, Radulov Capture ITF J300 College Park Titles
With the top seeds at the International Tennis Federation's J300 in College Park, Maryland ousted earlier in the week by their American opponents in the finals, No. 2 seeds Emerson Jones of Australia and Iliyan Radulov of Bulgaria claimed the winner's trophies at the Junior Tennis Champions Center.
18-Aug-2023
Tien Claims Second Straight Kalamazoo 18s Title
Learner Tien captured his second straight USTA Boys 18 National Championship singles title at Stowe Stadium in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Adhithya Ganesan and Alexander Frusina saved a match point to win the doubles title.
17-Aug-2023
Woestendick's Determination Leads to Kalamazoo 16s Title
The third time was the charm for Cooper Woestendick. After two failed previous attempts, he captured the Boys 16s singles title at the USTA Hard Court National Championships in Kalamazoo. Nicholas Patrick and Maxim Kalinin won the doubles title.
4-Aug-2023
Tien Returns to Defend Zoo 18s Title; Exsted Tops 16s Field
Celebrating its 80th year in Kalamazoo, the USTA Boys 18s and 16s National Championships has attracted stellar fields once again, including defending 18s champion Learner Tien. Maxwell Exsted is the top seed in the 16s field.
2-Aug-2023
Former Collegians Collect Milestones During July
The month was filled with important milestones for former collegiate players, who collected ATP titles and Challenger championships. The Wimbledon Junior champions had a month to remember, while four teenagers earned their first pro singles titles, and another captured a Challenger title
28-Jul-2023
Ceban and Vujovic Earn Wimbledon 14 & Under Titles
Great Britain's Mark Ceban and Serbia's Luna Vujovic had no problem making a quick transition from clay to grass with both capturing singles titles at the Wimbledon 14 & Under Championships
24-Jul-2023
Ngounoue and Searle Celebrate Wimbledon Titles
Clervie Ngounoue gave herself an early birthday present at the All England Lawn Tennis Club by winning the Wimbledon girls title while Henry Searle gave Great Britain the gift of its first boys champion since 1962.
30-Jun-2023
Records and Personal Milestones Among June Achievements
From the clay courts of Paris to the hard courts of Southern California, college and junior players have put their names in the record books and achieved personal milestones this month. The number of former collegians who won titles at the $15,000 level this month is so long that they all couldn't be included,.
26-Jun-2023
Blue Chip Maltby's Tennis Path Leads to North Carolina
Throughout her junior career, Susanna Maltby listened and learned from her extended tennis family, using that input as she searched for the right school. Her first choice was the University of North Carolina, and the blue chip rising senior committed to the Tar Heels this spring.
2-Jun-2023
May Features NCAA Champions, International Junior Success
May was full of tennis highlights, with the NCAA singles championships taking center stage in the United States and important ITF Junior Circuit tournaments in Italy concluding with American champions. Top juniors and current and former collegians also gathered titles and championships in North and South America, Europe and Asia.
26-May-2023
Ten Questions with USC's Learner Tien
Freshman Lerner Tien had to wait until mid-April before he was eligible to play his first match for the University of Southern California. He recently spoke with Colette Lewis about his long wait to compete, why he decided to play in college and his plans for the next season.
14-May-2023
Michigan Outlasts USC in Thrilling NCAA Super Regional
In a Super Regional match filled with excitement and drama, No. 7 Michigan outlasted No. 10 USC 4-3 on Friday in Ann Arbor to advance to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division I Championships for the second straight year.
2-May-2023
All Ages of Success Highlight the Best Performances of April
From youngsters just beginning to test their games on the international level, to teens having WTA and ATP breakthroughs, to former college champions making huge strides on the professional tours, April showcased achievements at all levels of the sport.
28-Apr-2023
Four-Star Wells Gambles, Lands on Cornhusker Red
Without a resume that would warrant offers from his dream schools in the Big Ten Conference, Colson Wells took a chance on his college tennis future. The gamble paid off for the four-star senior from Michigan. Wells has signed to play for the University of Nebraska.
10-Apr-2023
Chinlund, Bracks and An Win First Easter Bowl Titles; Glozman Repeats
Valerie Glozman returned to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden and left with the Easter Bowl girls 18s title, while Cassius Chinlund, who had never played in a USTA Level 1 final, earned his first gold ball by claiming the boys 18s title. Ian Bracks and Claire An captured the 16s singles titles.
7-Apr-2023
Eigbedion, Kotseva, Santhosh and Lee Win Easter Bowl Titles
Jason Eigbedion and Raya Kotseva swept the 12s gold balls at the Easter Bowl, while 14s champions Roshan Santhosh and Nancy Lee both earned their first Easter Bowl titles by coming back from a set down in singles at Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
2-Apr-2023
Challenger Titles, Junior Championships Highlight March
Hard Court Challenger titles in the Southwest, major junior championships in Brazil and Southern California, and more success for Czech women in Europe, India and North America are among the achievements of juniors and former collegians in March competition.
31-Mar-2023
Ngounoue, Bigun Claim ITF J300 Titles in Rainy San Diego
In a tournament besieged by rain during the first four days, Clervie Ngounoue and Kaylan Bigun emerged as singles champions at the International Tennis Federation's J300 at the Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego. Ngounoue parnterned with Qavia Lopez to claim the doubles title as well.
24-Mar-2023
Americans Win Inaugural FILA International Junior Titles
For Cooper Woestendick, a title at the ITF J300 FILA International Junior Championships in Indian Wells proved a breakthrough, while fellow 16-year-old Clervie Ngounoue confirmed her position as one of the world's top juniors as she balances professional and junior competition.
3-Mar-2023
February Success Spans All Age Levels Across the Globe
From $15,000 USTA Pro Circuit tournaments to the 500 Level of the ATP Tour, former collegians made their mark in professional tennis last month. February also produced repeat champions at the Division I ITA National Team Indoor events and success for juniors on the biggest stages of the International Tennis Federation Junior Circuit in South America and Africa.
24-Feb-2023
A Conversation with New USTA National Coach Tom Gutteridge
Tom Gutteridge was recently hired as a new UTSA Women's National Coach, responsible for girls born in 2007 and 2008. Gutteridge came to the US from England after starting his coaching career following an injury at a young age.
17-Feb-2023
McPeek and His One-Handed Backhand Secure USTA Title
As the top seed, Colin McPeek was undoubtedly the favorite coming into Monday's USTA Boys 14s National Level 2 final at Grand Rapids Racquet and Fitness. But with his agressive style and one-handed backhand, McPeek was required to dig deep in the second set to secure the title.
3-Feb-2023
College Players Shine in Opening Month of New Year
There's no doubt that college tennis increased its visibility during the month of January, with Ben Shelton's run to the Australian Open men's quarterfinals and three NCAA women's singles champions winning titles in the United States.
20-Jan-2023
Eight Intriguing Questions for 2023
Colette Lewis provides her annual look at developments in junior and college tennis. The 2023 Eight Intriguing Questions highlights important issues that could change the landscape of the sport in ways big and small in the coming year.
13-Jan-2023
Juniors Welcomed to BNP Paribas Open in March
The BNP Paribas Open will be hosting a BNP Paribas Junior Championships during the second week of the professional event in March that takes place in the California desert city. The International Tennis Federation J300 tournament will provide younger players a view of the sport's highest level
30-Dec-2022
Eddie Herr, Orange Bowl Champions Dominate December
As is customary for December, most of the aces are from the three major junior tournaments during the month, making this the Cliff Notes version of the Eddie Herr International, Orange Bowl and Junior Orange Bowl events.
23-Dec-2022
Lachinova, Ivanov Net Historic Titles at Junior Orange Bowl
Latvia's Adelina Lachinova and Bulgaria's Ivan Ivanov celebrated historic victories at the Junior Orange Bowl in Coral Gables, Florida. Both champions in the 14s division earned their countries first titles at the tournament, which celebrated its 61st year in 2022.
16-Dec-2022
Historic Orange Bowl Titles for Crossley and Campana Lee
Korea's Gerard Campana Lee and Japan's Mayu Crossley made history at the ITF Grade A Orange Bowl last week by becoming the first players from their countries to win the title in their respective singles divisions. Americans Iva Jovic and Tyra Grant captured the girls doubles title.
15-Dec-2022
Nguyen, Honda Capture 16s Titles at Orange Bowl
Californian Alexis Nguyen and Japan's Naoya Honda captured the 16s singles titles at the Orange Bowl in Plantation, Florida. Nguyen was the fifth consecutive girls winner from the United States, and Honda became the first boy from his country to win.
9-Dec-2022
Crossley and Gea Claim Eddie Herr ITF Titles
Unseeded Mayu Crossley of Japan and No. 10 seed Arthur Gea of France did not arrive at the IMG Academy as favorites for the International Tennis Federation Eddie Herr J1 titles, but they left with the winner's trophies after a week of excellent tennis.
8-Dec-2022
Antonius, Exsted Claim Singles Titles at Eddie Herr
The original IMG Academy tennis complex, under construction during the 2021 Eddie Herr International Championships, welcomed the world's best junior players to an impressive new tennis stadium and indoor facility last week.
2-Dec-2022
Champions From All Levels Garner Aces Spotlight
After the conclusion of the college season with the National Fall Championships early last month, the focus in the rest of November turned to a historic Challenger run, the first pro titles for three American teenagers, the penultimate ITF Grade A of 2022 and titles at the ATP Finals for former collegians.
18-Nov-2022
From Columnist to Coach: Couch Lands Dream Job at Rose-Hulman
Greg Couch is a former award-winning sports columnist who worked for several prominent national publications. But after a career transition, he's now the head women's tennis coach at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, a Division III program in Indiana.
14-Nov-2022
Q&A: Stearns Steers Toward Pro Success
Former NCAA champion Peyton Stearns has had a successful start to her professional career. Before a recent match on tour, she sat down with Colette Lewis for a Q&A about her post-Texas tennis life and future ambitions.
4-Nov-2022
October Stars Extend Winning Streaks, Claim Multiple Titles
Winning streaks and multiple titles are the theme for October's 18 outstanding performers, along with the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's first major champions of the 2022-23 season and two significant International Tennis Federation junior tournaments in the spotlight.
21-Oct-2022
Blue Chip Zampardo Heads South to Join NC State Wolfpack
Maddy Zampardo has spent most of her junior tennis career on indoor courts in Michigan. But when it came time to select a college, the blue chip recruit from Grosse Pointe Farms was more comfortable heading south, eager to work with the coaching staff at North Carolina State.
14-Oct-2022
Evans and Rice Claim ITF Pan American Closed Singles Titles
Surprises were the rule last week at the ITF JB1 Pan American Closed championships. Yet when the tournament concluded Saturday at the Top Seed Tennis Club in Nicholasville, Kentucky, No. 2 seed Tatum Evans and No. 12 seed Keegan Rice had posted convincing victories to earn their first Grade 1 titles.
30-Sep-2022
US Open Titles, Czech Dominance Earns September Spotlight
The last major of the year always provides many of September's highlights, and this month is no exception, with three Americans capturing doubles titles in New York. But 13 other notable performances occurred away from the US Open's spotlight, with the Czech Republic taking center stage.
26-Sep-2022
Jamea Jackson's Journey Leads to Coaching Princeton
Becoming a coach was the furthest thing from Jamea Jackson's mind in 2003 when she embarked on a career in professional tennis at age 17. But once injuries ended her time on the court, Jackson discovered how much she enjoyed helping others. She was recently named the new women's coach at Princeton University.
15-Sep-2022
History, Repeats and American Doubles Title at Junior US Open
A grueling week of tennis ended in bright sunshine at the US Open Junior Championships, producing a historic winner in Alexandra Eala and a second straight title for Spain courtesy of Martin Landaluce. Americans Nishesh Basavareddy and Ozan Baris captured the doubles crown.
2-Sep-2022
Current, Former Collegians Shine Across the Globe in August
August was a month jam-packed with tournaments across the world. Outside of the winners of the USTA National Championships, current and former collegians and precocious juniors took center stage with great results to move up the rankings.
31-Aug-2022
Argentina's Midon, Japan's Saito Claim ITF College Park J1 Titles
The International Tennis Federation Junior Circuit tournament last week in College Park, Maryland began with rain and ended in bright sunshine, with top seed Lautaro Midon and No. 5 seed Sara Saito adding to their Grade 1 title counts as the boys and girls champions, respectively.
19-Aug-2022
Tien Earns 18s Title By Seizing His Second Chance
Learner Tien used his experience from saving match points earlier in the USTA Boys 18s National Championships to help him in the final. Tien overcame rain delays and match postponements to beat Ethan Quinn in four sets and capture the singles gold ball in Kalamazoo.
18-Aug-2022
Rain Can't Halt Blanch's March to Boys 16s Title
Darwin Blanch didn't let rain halt his march to the USTA Boys 16s National Championship singles title. Blanch outlasted Calvin Baierl 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 in the final match that was moved to the Markin Indoor Tennis Center at Kalamazoo College
5-Aug-2022
Top Talent Converges on Kalamazoo
The depth of the USTA Boys 18s and 16s Nationals field can be measured several ways, but perhaps the most eye-popping method is the number of players boasting an ATP ranking. Twenty boys who begin competition this weekend in Kalamazoo have earned at least one ATP point.
3-Aug-2022
Wimbledon Champions, College Players Highlight July Aces
July is the month for Wimbledon champions and the season for college players to dive into the Pro Circuit competition. Featuring every current and former collegian who won a title last month wasn't possible, but 18 top performers are highlighted in the Aces column.
29-Jul-2022
Wimbledon Begins New Tradition with First 14-and-Under Event
As the All England Lawn Tennis Club celebrated 100 years of tennis at its location in Southwest London this year, the introduction of a 14-and-under tournament during the final weekend of the Championships established a new tradition.
15-Jul-2022
Sun Shines on American Wimbledon Junior Champions
Americans blossomed in the abundant sun at the Wimbledon Junior Championships, with top seed Liv Hovde claiming the girls singles title, unseeded Michael Zheng dropping a close match to Croatia's Mili Poljicak in the boys singles final, and the unseeded team of Sebastian Gorzny and Alex Michelsen hoisting the boys doubles trophy.
1-Jul-2022
Past and Present Collegiate Stars Gather Wins, Titles in June
The month of June begins the transition from clay to grass, as well as plenty of opportunities to excel on hard courts. Many current and former collegians took advantage, winning lower-level titles and seeing their rankings elevate to earn a spot in the jam-packed Aces column.
15-Jun-2022
NCAA Contemplates Permanent Home for D1 Championships
Given the success in baseball and softball, would it make sense for tennis to find a permanent home for the NCAA Division I Championships? Coaches and officials explore the advantages and downsides to the idea along with insight about specific locations.
3-Jun-2022
ITF, College Titles Highlight Top May Performances
A new ITF Grade A tournament for juniors debuted early in May, while the culmination of the college tennis season put a bow on it. In between, several former collegians and juniors collected multiple tournament titles, and the inaugural IMG Future Stars tournament for the best 12-and-under players concluded with an American champion.
1-Jun-2022
Texas's Stearns, Florida's Shelton Capture Division I Titles
Ben Shelton of Florida and Peyton Stearns of Texas faced multiple challenges at last week's NCAA Division I individual championships at the University of Illinois, yet they didn't deter the sophomores from earning singles championships and the US Open main draw wild cards that are traditionally awarded to American champions.
13-May-2022
Former Illini Anderson Reflects on His College, Pro Career
Former Illinois All-American Kevin Anderson announced his retirement from the ATP Tour last week. One of the top former collegians to compete on the ATP tour this century, Anderson reflected on his career milestones, how college helped him and his future plans.
29-Apr-2022
Teenagers, Former Collegians Experience Title Success in April
April's top performances include three teenagers who have earned back-to-back titles on the ITF's men's and women's World Tennis Tour, in addition to former collegians continuing their climb in the ATP and WTA rankings.
22-Apr-2022
Brantmeier Sketches Her Tennis Future in Carolina Blue
Reese Brantmeier's ultimate destination is professional tennis. But the nation's top recruit in the class of 2022 wanted to experience what college tennis has to offer for at least a year. The Wisconsin native is joining top-ranked North Carolina this fall.
11-Apr-2022
Breakthrough Champions in Easter Bowl 16s and ITF Singles
Returning to the Coachella Valley for the first time since 2019, the Easter Bowl proved to be a breakthrough for the four champions of the 16s and ITF divisions, all of whom collected their first USTA gold balls in singles.
8-Apr-2022
Easter Bowl Returns to Indian Wells, Crowns 12s & 14s Champions
After the cancellation of Easter Bowl 2020 and a relocation to San Diego last year, the prestigious USTA Spring Championships returned to the Coachella Valley. The 12s and 14s divisions crowned champions at Indian Wells Tennis Garden, the site of the recent ATP and WTA BNP Paribas Open.
4-Apr-2022
Players Span the Globe in March to Experience Success
March was packed with tennis of every variety. Teenagers claimed titles on the ITF Junior and Pro Circuits, while former collegians were successful in the Caribbean, North Africa, India, South America and Europe.
1-Apr-2022
Hovde, Tien Claim Grade 1 Singles Titles in San Diego
Liv Hovde and Learner Tien arrived at the ITF Grade 1 International Open of San Diego at different stages in their tennis careers. The top-seeded Hovde was taking aim on her third ITF title at that level, while Tien, seeded No. 12, had yet to reach a J1 final. They both left as singles winners.
18-Mar-2022
ITF Grade 1 Returns to Barnes in San Diego Next Week
A spring tradition in Southern California since 2005, the International Tennis Federation's Grade 1 tournament will begin Monday in San Diego, with the Barnes Tennis Center serving as host for the second consecutive year.
4-Mar-2022
ITA Indoor Champions Highlight February's Best Performances
The highlight of the second month of the year is always the crowning of the first national champions in college tennis. In individual play, former collegians collected eight titles and five teenagers raised their profiles and rankings.
18-Feb-2022
Secord's Success Continues in 14s Division
After having great success at the supernational level in Boys 12s, blue chip Jack Secord won his first title in the 14s division at the USTA Level 2 at the Grand Rapids Racquet and Fitness Club in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
4-Feb-2022
Junior Success Highlights the Top Performances From January
The highlights of last month's top performances include an American boy sweeping the Australian Open junior titles, a quartet of American juniors claiming their first International Tennis Federation Grade 1 titles and several juniors winning their initial pro titles.
28-Jan-2022
Eight Intriguing Questions For 2022
Colette Lewis returns with her annual look at eight intriguing questions that everyone in the tennis community will be waiting to have answered in 2022. Job replacements, tournament logistics and players moving up the rankings are just a few of the topics covered.
14-Jan-2022
Samir Banerjee Serves as Hitting Partner to ATP Stars
Samir Banerjee got the thrill of a lifetime in November when he served as a hitting partner for the ATP's biggest stars at its year-ending Finals competition in Turin, Italy. Banerjee hit with stars like Novak Djokovic, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Daniil Medvedev, Casper Ruud and Andrey Rublev.
3-Jan-2022
Orange Bowl, Eddie Herr Champions Fill December Aces
The Orange Bowl, Eddie Herr International and Junior Orange Bowl champions filled most of the Aces slots. A trio of former collegians is also in December's spotlight, as is a retiring USTA administrator known to everyone in American junior tennis.
30-Dec-2021
Two Countries Added to Junior Orange Bowl List of Champions
On the 60th anniversary of the international event in the Miami area, two more countries were added to the list of champions at the Junior Orange Bowl this year. Colombia's Alejandro Arcila won the Boys 14s title and Moldova's Lia Belibova won the Girls 12s title.
17-Dec-2021
Vallejo, Marcinko Make History with Orange Bowl Titles
Adolfo Daniel Vallejo of Paraguay and Croatia's Petra Marcinko made history at the Orange Bowl ITF Grade A event in Plantation, Florida. Vallejo was the first player from his country to win the singles title and Marcinko was the first girl to sweep the singles and doubles titles.
16-Dec-2021
Americans Sweep Orange Bowl 16s Titles
American players swept the Boys and Girls 16s singles and doubles titles at the Orange Bowl in Plantation, Florida. Kate Kim extended her Florida winning streak to 12 straight to capture the girls title and Quang Duong overcame a deficit to win the boys title.
10-Dec-2021
Americans Sweep Eddie Herr Singles Titles 12s and 16s
In the midst of construction at the IMG Academy facility in Bradenton, Florida, four Americans were able to block out the distractions to capture the singles titles in the 12s and 16s events of the Eddie Herr International.
9-Dec-2021
Linda Fruhvirtova, Bielinskyi Collect Eddie Herr ITF Titles
Linda Fruhvirtova defeated her younger sister, Brenda, after an injury retirement to capture the girls singles title at the ITF J1 Eddie Herr Championships at the IMG Academy, while Viacheslav Bielinskyi captured the boys singles title in a third-set tiebreak.
3-Dec-2021
November Success Sprouts Another Jam-Packed Group of Aces
Another jam-packed month of Aces from Colette Lewis that features juniors, current college players and recent graduates who excelled in November by winning titles and seeing their rankings rise.
19-Nov-2021
UCLA Grad Harrison Aims for WTA Success
After questioning during Covid whether to remain on the pro tour, Catherine Harrison is more motivated than ever to succeed. The former UCLA All-American is trying to devise a financial plan and coaching strategy to make it work.
5-Nov-2021
October Overflows with Great Performances at All Levels
October was a busy month on all levels, with professional, college and junior tennis in full swing. Although there were enough candidates to fill nearly two Aces columns, 20 players earned recognition for accomplishments across the globe.
22-Oct-2021
It's Anchor Down For Blue Chip Sonya Macavei
Blue chip Sonya Macavei grew up in Ohio, spent her high school years at a Florida academy and toured Europe all summer. But when the fall of 2022 rolls around, the 17-year-old left-hander will put her anchor down in Nashville, where she will join the Vanderbilt Commodores.
15-Oct-2021
Hovde and Anthrop Capture ITF Pan American Closed Titles
Americans Liv Hovde and Jack Anthrop rebounded from slow starts against their Canadian opponents in the finals of last week's ITF JB1 Pan American Closed Championships in Nicholasville, Kentucky to capture the singles titles.
1-Oct-2021
From Teens to Thirty-Somethings, September Aces Span the Ages
The top performers from last month range in age from 13 to 37, with backdrops as celebrated as Arthur Ashe Stadium and as humble as mid-level ITF junior tournaments in Spain. Current and former collegians, as well as elite juniors, deserve to take a bow for their accomplishments in September.
29-Sep-2021
No Question: Juniors at US Open Endorse Electronic Line Calls
The computer-based Live Electronic Line Calling system was implemented this year at the US Open Junior Championships. Line umpires are no longer used and the chair umpire doesn't rule on line calls. The players largely expressed approval with the changes.
17-Sep-2021
Montgomery Stays Energized, Sweeps US Open Junior Titles
American Robin Montgomery didn't let fatigue or exhaustion get in the way of sweeping the US Open Junior girls singles and doubles titles in New York. Spain's Daniel Rincon emerged as the singles champion in boys event.
3-Sep-2021
August Aces Find Success in Europe and North America
Success by junior and collegiate players at venues across Europe and North America secured a spot in the August Aces. Among the players highlighted is Kalamazoo champion Zachary Svajda and finalist Ben Shelton.
1-Sep-2021
Lajal and Fruhvirtova Earn College Park J1 Titles
Brenda Fruhvirtova of the Czech Republic and Mark Lajal of Estonia claimed titles at the International Tennis Federation's J1 tournament at the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park, Maryland. American Ozak Colak won the boys doubles title.
20-Aug-2021
Svajda Defends 18s Title, Remains Perfect in Kalamazoo
Zachary Svajda became the first two-time Open Era 18s champion to go undefeated at the USTA National Championships, and the first to win the 18s title in non-consecutive years. Singles finalist Ben Shelton and Bruno Kuzuhara won the doubles title.
19-Aug-2021
Razeghi Clinches Boys 16s Title in Kalamazoo Debut
Alexander Razeghi shook off all distractions and excuses to earn the USTA National Boys 16s singles championship last week in Kalamazoo, defeating fellow Texan Lucas Brown 6-2, 6-3 in the final. Brown and Nicholas Godsick captured the doubles crown.
2-Aug-2021
Surprise Wimbledon Junior Winners Among Last Month's Aces
Surprise winners at the Wimbledon Junior Championships and success on all levels for former collegians highlight the notable results from July. Find out more about their sucess in the latest edition of the Aces.
16-Jul-2021
Banerjee Beats Lilov in All-American Wimbledon Boys Final
Samir Banerjee beat Victor Lilov in straight sets to capture the Wimbledon boys singles title in an all-American final pairing. Ane Mintegi Del Olmo of Spain became the first girl from her country to capture the prestigious title.
2-Jul-2021
French Open, ITF and USTA Pro Circuit Champions Shine in June
The first junior slam champions of 2021, an all-collegiate mixed doubles French Open title team, ITF and USTA Pro Circuit winners are among the standout stars that highlight the June Aces column.
28-Jun-2021
Eubanks Packs When Opportunity Knocks
Fresh off winning his first Challenger in three years, former Georgia Tech All-American Chris Eubanks is keeping his travel schedule open to take advantage of opportunities to climb the rankings. He recently competed in the qualifying draw at Wimbledon.
4-Jun-2021
College Titles and Juniors Highlight May's Great Performances
May, the month of the college team and individual championships, is always an exciting one for tennis fans. Adding to the fun last month were WTA/ATP titles by teenage prodigies and juniors who collected more than one ITF circuit title during the month.
10-May-2021
Perera Overcomes Wind, Torres To Claim Level 1 Boys 18s Title
Masato Perera overcame weather challenges and numerous opponents over five days in Indianapolis to capture the USTA Level 1 Boys 18s title. Perera beat fellow Californian Ryan Torres in the final.
30-Apr-2021
Easter Bowl Champions and Former Collegians Shine in April
The eight players who won Easter Bowl titles are among those featured this month, along with former collegians collecting championships on the WTA and ATP Challenger circuits and a Russian teen collecting her third ITF women’s circuit title.
20-Apr-2021
Action Shots from the IOSC
Like the Easter Bowl, the International Open of Southern California, a
J1 level event, was moved to the Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego.
Colette Lewis of ZooTennis.com was in attendance the entire week and
was kind enough to furnish these photos from this event.
12-Apr-2021
Shang, Hovde, Razeghi, Rabman Capture Easter Bowl Titles
The second week of the San Diego fortnight, which featured two of the biggest events on the US junior tennis calendar, concluded with the Easter Bowl ITF and 16s championships. Collecting the first gold balls awarded since the 2019 Winter Nationals were Juncheng “Jerry” Shang and Liv Hovde, who claimed the ITF championships, and Alexander Razeghi and Theadora Rabman, who took the 16s titles.
9-Apr-2021
Easter Bowl Crowns 12s and 14s Champions in New Location
A last-minute location change made the 2021 Easter Bowl possible this year, with Iva Jovic and Cooper Woestendick winning the 14s titles and Shannon Lam and Sebastian Bielen taking the gold balls in the 12s division.
2-Apr-2021
Young Players Highlight the Top Performances in March
With major International Tennis Federation junior tournaments returning in North and South America, many young players were able to improve their junior rankings last month. They are among the top performers listed in the March Aces.
29-Mar-2021
Quinn and Yepifanova Capture IOSC Grade 1 San Diego Titles
After the coronavirus pandemic hiatus in 2020, the ITF Grade 1 spring tournament in Southern California returned to the schedule in a new city, producing both a surprise champion and an expected one.
5-Mar-2021
Short Month, But Plenty of Titles for the Aces in February
With national team indoor titles in the United States, pro doubles titles in Australia and Asia, junior titles in South America and Challenger titles in Europe and South Africa for up-and-coming Americans, February was a short but productive month for current and former collegians and many elite junior competitors.
19-Feb-2021
Eight Intriguing Questions for 2021
In an annual tradition, Colette Lewis provides her list of eight intriguing questions for junior, pro and college tennis in 2021. They come with the caveat that the Covid-19 disruptions could make some of them irrelevant or less impactful.
5-Feb-2021
Aces Find Success in Africa, Middle East, Europe and U.S.
The first month of 2021 may not have provided the usual excitement of the first slam of the year in Australia, but a baker’s dozen of juniors and former collegians took advantage of their opportunities in capturing titles in Africa, the Middle East, Europe and the United States.
29-Jan-2021
Blue Chip Maxi Duncan Headed to Harvard
Blue chip Maxi Duncan won three titles at ITA and UTR events during summer and fall, set up a training base in Arizona, appeared in an advertisement for Apple Watch and secured her acceptance to Harvard. Duncan will join the Crimson next fall.
15-Jan-2021
Coping with Competing During the Covid Pandemic
How have American juniors been coping with all the disruptions stemming from the coronavirus pandemic. Colette Lewis spoke with a few after their Orange Bowl matches to learn how the long layoff had affected them and what they missed most about the absence of some major tournaments.
1-Jan-2021
Orange Bowl Champions Highlight December's Top Performances
The Orange Bowl was the big event of the month, with all 12 champions at last year’s only major ITF junior event in the United States featured as December Aces. Ten other juniors and current and former collegians also earned memorable titles as the disjointed 2020 tennis season mercifully came to a close.
18-Dec-2020
Unseeded Champs: Krueger, Fils Win Grade A Orange Bowl Titles
Ashlyn Krueger and Arthur Fils both were unseeded, but made runs through the draw to capture the Grade A Orange Bowl singles titles in Plantation, Florida. Krueger became the first player since Canadian Bianca Andreescu in 2014-2015 to win the Orange Bowl 16s and 18s titles back-to-back
17-Dec-2020
Americans Sweep Orange Bowl 16s Titles
Americans swept the Orange Bowl 16s singles and doubles titles at the Veltri Tennis Center in Plantation, Florida. The event was staged amid the coronavirus pandemic, with entrants following proper protocols and performing in front of limited spectators.
1-Dec-2020
Domestic Tournaments Give More Players a Chance To Shine
After a long hiatus in the United States, interrupted only briefly by several major tour events, International Tennis Federation competition ramped up last month, at both the junior and professional. Along with the ITA championships, plenty of players were able to shine with quality results.
16-Nov-2020
Blue Chip Hamner Experiences a Fabulous Florida Fortnight
Blue chip Sarah Hamner just completed a two-week stretch of 16 singles and six doubles matches in 14 days. The South Carolina-bound senior reached both finals at the Orlando ITF Grade 4, then won the singles title at the following week’s tournament in Daytona Beach, after qualifying in both.
2-Nov-2020
On Multiple Surfaces, October's Top Performers Shine
From the clay courts of France and Turkey to hard courts in Tunisia, Portugal, California, Georgia and Florida, October provided junior stars and former collegians with opportunities to return to something like a regular schedule. They took advantage with titles big and small.
16-Oct-2020
Ghosh's Creative Approach Leads To Notre Dame
Nibedita Ghosh took a creative approach to her recruiting process once the coronavirus pandemic limited in-person visits. The five-star senior from New Jersey who enjoys making music realized Notre Dame hit all the right notes.
2-Oct-2020
From Hard Courts To Clay, September Aces Emerge
September’s transition from hard courts to clay has required many adjustments from players trying to navigate the second month of tennis’s restart. The teens and former collegians highlighted this month's Aces managed to keep their mind on the task at hand to post impressive results in an unprecedented year.
18-Sep-2020
ITA Fall Tour Features 10 Weeks of Regional Competition
The Intercollegiate Tennis Association has introduced a new 10-week fall tour that begins today at 11 sites throughout the country, with over 160 additional tournaments scheduled through November. The events are open to any player — junior, college or professional.
2-Sep-2020
Return To Competition Means Return Of Modern-Day Aces
After four months of looking back into the archives, the Aces is back to live action. August produced 14 performances of consequence, with notable results in pro tennis and several of nationally-organized competitions.
28-Aug-2020
Catching Up With Former Ohio State Star JJ Wolf
Former Ohio State star JJ Wolf turned pro after his junior year in college. The Cincinnati native has received a main draw wildcard for the upcoming U.S. Open in New York. Colette Lewis recently caught up with Wolf after his appearance in the Western & Southern Open.
3-Aug-2020
July Aces Rewind: A Look Back at Some Top Players
With the European junior championships and the Wimbledon junior championships normally taking place in July, the majority of the players featured in this month's Aces column come from past editions of those prestigious events. All 15 went on to reach the ATP or WTA Top 100.
24-Jul-2020
Juniors Sweep Grand Rapids ITA Summer Circuit Titles
With few opportunities available in their USTA sections due to Covid-19 safety concerns, juniors have flocked to Intercollegiate Tennis Association Summer Circuit events. At the tournament in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the four top flight finalists were juniors.
17-Jul-2020
Touring Pros Add Sales Skills Through Har-Tru Initiative
Former collegiate All-Americans Jamie Loeb and Alex Rybakov are representing tennis court company, Har-Tru, while they compete on the Pro Circuit. Loeb and Rybakov are hoping to gain business experience they can use in the future as part of the Har-Tru players' sales team.
3-Jul-2020
June Aces Rewind: A Look Back at Some Top Players
For the third consecutive month, the Aces column entailed a visit to the archives, with 14 junior and college players highlighted for their performances in past Junes. All 14 of those featured have gone on to reach the ATP and WTA Top 50, and one is a reigning slam singles champion.
3-Jul-2020
June Aces Rewind: A Look Back at Some Top Players
For the third consecutive month, the Aces column entailed a visit to the archives, with 14 junior and college players highlighted for their performances in past Junes. All 14 of those featured have gone on to reach the ATP and WTA Top 50, and one is a reigning slam singles champion.
26-Jun-2020
Family, Pandemic Lead Blue Chip Noel to the University of Iowa
Family connections and the Covid-19 pandemic led blue chip Alexa Noel to delay turning pro and commit to play for the University of Iowa for the 2020-21 season. The New Jersey resident began her final year of ITF junior eligibility this year ranked No. 5 in the world.
17-Jun-2020
American Clay Court Nationals Aim To Fill Competitive Void
After the USTA canceled the National Clay Court Championships last month, the American Clay Court Nationals was created as an alternative. The Boys and Girls 18s are scheduled for June 21-25, and the Boys and Girls 16s for June 28-July 2 at the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia.
2-Jun-2020
May Aces Rewind: A Look Back at Some Top Players
May was the second consecutive month with no tennis results, so Colette Lewis is going back in the archives to feature 16 star players highlighted in previous years of her Aces column. All the players went on to reach the ATP and WTA Top 100.
29-May-2020
ITA's Summer Circuit Stays On Schedule
Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the ITA still plans to hold its Summer Circuit events in the coming months. Health and safety guidelines will be enforced and other changes will be made to help more matches get played.
17-May-2020
Alabama's Alison Baumgardner Broke SEC Gender Barriers
Roberta Alison Baumgardner became the first woman in Southeastern Conference history to play a varsity sport when she joined the Alabama’s men’s tennis team in 1963. She didn't seek to become a gender trailblazer, though. She just wanted to face good competition.
1-May-2020
Kvitova, Tiafoe Among All-Time Great April Aces
With no tennis last month, Colette Lewis decided to continue the 12-year run of her monthly Aces column by featuring 16 teenagers, highlighted in previous Aprils, who went on to reach the ATP and WTA Top 100.
24-Apr-2020
Blue Chip Cooksey Opts For Maize and Blue
Blue chip Will Cooksey grew up as a University of Michigan fan, so his recent verbal commitment to the program is hardly a surprise. The 16-year-old from Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan will be the third generation in his family to attend Michigan.
20-Apr-2020
Five-Star Derek Hsieh Selects University of Chicago
As a five-star recruit, New Jersey’s Derek Hsieh drew interest from many Division I programs. But the 17-year-old high school senior wanted to emphasize the academic side of the recruiting equation, which led him to verbally commit to Division III’s University of Chicago.
10-Apr-2020
ITA's Tennis For America Aims to Establish Year of Service
The ITA is introducing a new nationwide pilot program, Tennis for America. Based on a Year of Service model, it provides 12 months of paid, full-time community work for young Americans transitioning from college to professional careers.
27-Mar-2020
Short Month of Tennis, But No Shortage of Aces
With tennis coming to an abrupt halt on March 12, an abbreviated version of the monthly Aces column seemed likely. Yet with just two weeks worth of competition, 17 performances stood out, including three ITA National Indoor champions crowned on the first day of the month.
23-Mar-2020
Unexpected Visit Results in Texas Tech Commitment For Evans
Kailey Evans didn't plan to visit Texas Tech during her college recruiting process. But once the blue chip junior did, she realized she wanted to play for the Red Raiders and made a verbal commitment.
18-Mar-2020
Basavareddy Deals With Abrupt End to ITF Caribbean Event
Nishesh Basavareddy and three other U.S. boys experienced an abrupt ending to a USTA-led trip to Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic for Junior ITF events because of the COVID-19 virus pandemic. They all made it home safely.
13-Mar-2020
Blue Chip Montgomery Hits Jackpot in Las Vegas
The odds were against an unranked teenager capturing a $25,000 tournament in just her fourth professional-level event. But 15-year-old blue chip Robin Montgomery rolled the dice and came up a winner last week at the Oracle Pro Series event in Las Vegas.
6-Mar-2020
Pratt's Persistence Leads to Northwestern
When five-star recruit Sydney Pratt was growing up in Chicago, she occasionally participated in tournaments at the Northwestern University campus. But playing for the Wildcats seemed an unattainable dream as she entered high school. That is no longer the case.
3-Mar-2020
February's Top Performing Players Spanned the Ages
The month of February provided a host of highlights, with players aged 13 to 35 winning titles in Australia, North and South America and Europe. In addition, college tennis crowned three new national indoor champions and a trio of former collegiate stars earned ATP Challenger titles.
21-Feb-2020
Texas Tech Opportunity Opens Doors for Talaba
Gabriela Talaba was unsure about her future while playing pro events at age 18. A conversation about college tennis led the Romanian to an opportunity at Texas Tech. It's a decision that gave Talaba a brighter outlook on and off the court.
14-Feb-2020
Blue Chip Coleman Commits To Blue Devils
After taking her official visits last fall, Ellie Coleman was still mulling her college choice. The 16-year-old high school junior believed there was too much at stake to rush her decision, so it wasn’t until last month that blue chip verbally committed to Duke.
7-Feb-2020
From Division III to Pro Tennis: Talking with Eudice Chong
Few Division III graduates pursue careers in professional tennis, but Eudice Chong was an outlier from the very beginning of her career at Wesleyan. The 23-year-old Hong Kong native discusses the improvements she's made, her future goals and Wesleyan's sustaining success.
3-Feb-2020
Current and Former Collegians Highlight Last Month's Standouts
Current and former collegians provide the bulk of a dozen highlights from the first month of the decade, but young competitors from ages 13 to 18 also chalked up notable results last month, including the year’s first junior slam champions.
24-Jan-2020
Nakashima Makes Next Step From Virginia to Pro Tour
After experiencing success in professional events and gaining confidence he could contend at that level, Brandon Nakashima decided to leave the University of Virginia after his freshman season. The San Diego native believes he gained a lot of positives from his one season in college tennis.
17-Jan-2020
Eight Intriguing Questions for 2020
Each year Colette Lewis looks ahead to an assortment of issues facing college and junior tennis, with two of the questions for the 2020 edition focusing on where two crown jewel events will be held. Find out the answers to this year's Eight Intriguing Questions.
10-Jan-2020
Captain Kathy: Talking with USTA's Head of Women's Tennis
Kathy Rinaldi is the head of women's tennis at the USTA and the United States Fed Cup captain. She recently sat down with Colette Lewis to discuss her roles, her thoughts on U.S. tennis and her best piece of advice for parents.
3-Jan-2020
Florida is the Focus for December's Aces
The three major junior tennis tournaments in Florida last month produced a remarkably consistent cast of characters as the year came to a close. Their performances in Eddie Herr, Orange Bowl and Junior Orange Bowl highlight the December Aces.
27-Dec-2019
Yakoff and Basavareddy Capture Junior Orange Bowl 14s Titles
Overcoming rain and a compressed schedule, Americans Stephanie Yakoff and Nishesh Basavareddy took the 14s titles at the 58th edition of Junior Orange Bowl in Coral Gables, Florida. Mirra Andreeva of Russia and Benjamin Gusic Wan of Great Britain claimed the championships in the 12s division.
20-Dec-2019
Montgomery, Krueger Among Orange Bowl Singles Champions
Robin Montgomery, Thiago Tirante, Ashlyn Krueger and Daniel Rincon overcame every challenge to capture singles titles at the 73rd edition of the Orange Bowl in Florida. Tirante's victory secured the year-end No. 1 ITF World Junior ranking.
15-Dec-2019
Images from the Eddie Herr
The weather was perfect all week for this year's Eddie Herr
International Tennis Championships at the IMG Academy. No. 2 seed
Thiago Tirante (ARG) took the boys' title, while qualifier Eva Lys
(GER) surprised the girls' field. ZooTennis provided coverage of
the event - and submitted this gallery of photos.
13-Dec-2019
Argentina's Tirante, Germany's Lys Claim Eddie Herr ITF Titles
The ITF Grade 1 Eddie Herr Championships at the IMG Academy produced expected and unexpected winners, with No. 2 seed Thiago Tirante of Argentina taking the boys title and qualifier Eva Lys of Germany earning the girls title.
12-Dec-2019
Americans Sweep Eddie Herr 16s Titles, Historic 12s India Win
American players swept the 16s division titles at the Eddie Herr International Championships at IMG Academy, with the United States capturing all four championships in that age group. Manas Dhamne made history in the 12s, becoming the first player from India to win an Eddie Herr singles title.
5-Dec-2019
Collegians Past and Present Have November to Remember
Tennis eases into its off-season in November, at least on the Tour level, but the opportunity to start 2020 on a positive note keeps those striving to move up competing throughout the month. Current and former collegians had impressive results to highlight the monthly Aces column.
27-Nov-2019
Keeping Up: Capital City Classic Debuts at Michigan State
Michigan State saw the trend spreading around the country, so the Spartans decided to host the state's first men’s professional tournament since 1988. The $15,000 USTA Pro Circuit Capital City Tennis Classic debuted last week, providing Michigan State players an opportunity to sample professional tennis.
20-Nov-2019
Nott Begins New Chapter at UT-Rio Grande Valley
After starting his coaching career with a Power Five conference program, West Nott has returned to college tennis with a program more removed from the national spotlight. Nott has taken over as the women's head coach at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley.
8-Nov-2019
Blue Chip Tracy Bound for Buckeyes
Having grown up an Ohio State fan, J.J. Tracy didn't want his affinity for the school to cloud his judgment in selecting a college. The blue chip senior realized the Buckeyes were the perfect fit for many more reasons after making his official visit.
1-Nov-2019
No Tricking: October Filled With Ace-Worthy Performances
In a month chock full of highlights, no fewer than seven juniors claimed their first Pro Circuit titles, and one earned her first WTA title. In Asia, the ITF’s Junior Finals and WTA Futures Stars provided showcases for young players, while two seniors claimed the first ITA Division I collegiate major of the season.
25-Oct-2019
Last Minute Visit Leads Blue Chip Braswell to Longhorns
Blue chip senior Micah Braswell initially committed to Florida State. But after some changes to coaching staffs, Braswell decided to visit the University of Texas and realized it was a better fit. He will be signing to play for the defending national champions.
18-Oct-2019
Montgomery and Hotard Earn Pan American Closed Titles
Robin Montgomery and Welsh Hotard put together impressive runs last week to win their first International Tennis Federation Grade 1 titles at the Pan American Closed in Nicholasville, Kentucky. Montgomery and Hotard secured their titles with straight-set victories in the final.
13-Oct-2019
Pan American Open ITF Photo Gallery
Colette Lewis of ZooTennis provided excellent coverage of the ITF Pan
American Open from its new home at Top Seed Tennis Club in
Nicholasville, Ky. She also submitted this photo gallery with action
shots of many of the participants ...
11-Oct-2019
Gator Grad Cercone Transitions from Player to USTA Administrator
Tennis has been the focus of former University of Florida Gator Alex Cercone throughout most of her life. In her position at the USTA’s National Campus, Cercone looks at tennis from a different perspective: as an administrator of the organization’s national junior tournaments.
4-Oct-2019
Top Juniors, Current Collegians Excel in September
September was another busy month for top juniors, beginning with the U.S. Open in New York and ending with the Junior Fed Cup and Junior Davis Cup competitions in Lake Nona, Florida. Current collegians also stepped into the spotlight, with four of them capturing titles on the USTA Pro Circuit last month.
3-Oct-2019
Team USA Wins Unprecedented 3rd Straight Junior Fed Cup Title
The United States won an unprecedented third straight Junior Fed Cup title, and was able to celebrate on home soil at the USTA's National Campus in Lake Nona, Florida. Japan captured the Junior Davis Cup title with a victory over the U.S. in the final.
20-Sep-2019
Family Plan: Geller Joins Brother at Stanford
Ana Geller was interested in attending Stanford because of the school's success in tennis and strong academic reputation. Having her older brother, Axel, playing for the men's team was an added perk. The siblings will reconnect on The Farm, with Ana having committed to Stanford earlier this summer.
13-Sep-2019
Osorio Serrano and Forejtek Capture U.S. Open Titles
Colombia’s Maria Camila Osorio Serrano and Czech Republic’s Jonas Forejtek captured the U.S. Open Junior singles titles and took over the top spot in the ITF world junior rankings with victories over Americans in the finals.
31-Aug-2019
International Hard Courts Photo Gallery
Check out photos of all singles quarterfinalists of the International
Hard Court Championships held last month at The Junior Tennis
Champions Center in College Park, Md. ZooTennis was on hand the entire
week to cover the event.
30-Aug-2019
Aces Shine During Big Events in August
August is one of the most important months of the year for young tennis players, whether they are competing internationally, in the USTA Nationals or at the U.S. Open. This month's aces column is packed with great performances from the last 30 days.
28-Aug-2019
Latvians Sweep ITF International Hard Court Titles
Amid heat and thunderstorms, Kamilla Bartone and Karlis Ozolins of Latvia captured the singles titles with three-set victories in the final of the International Tennis Federation Grade 1 tournament in College Park, Maryland.
16-Aug-2019
Svajda Captures 18s Singles Title in Kalamazoo Debut
Zachary Svajda was a quick study in his first appearance at the USTA Boys 18s and 16s National Championships in Kalamazoo, with the 16-year-old capturing his first gold ball and a U.S. Open main draw wild card with a 6-7(3) 7-5, 6-3, 6-1 victory over Govind Nanda in the 18s singles final.
15-Aug-2019
Bernard Stages Comeback to Capture Boys 16s Title
Top seeded Alex Bernard rallied from a 4-1 deficit in the third set and saved a match point to capture the Boys 16s singles title at the USTA National Championships with a 5-7, 6-1, 7-5 win over No. 4 Aidan Mayo at Kalamazoo College's Stowe Stadium.
9-Aug-2019
Spizzirri Brothers Reach International Heights in Tennis, Squash
Twins Eliot and Nicholas Spizzirri are both experiencing international success with racquets, only in different sports. Eliot is one of the top rising senior tennis players in the world while Nicholas is charting his own path in squash.
2-Aug-2019
Nakashima, Damm, Bernard Head Kalamazoo Fields
The top two 18s seeds for the 2019 USTA Boys National Championships have already experienced the satisfaction of addressing Kalamazoo’s Stowe Stadium crowd after claiming a winner’s trophy. Top seed Brandon Nakashima earned the 16s title in 2017 and No. 2 seed Martin Damm won it last year.
31-Jul-2019
Top Performers Find Success on All Surfaces
From clay to grass to hard courts, the top performers in July found success on all surfaces. Along with some familiar names, a few new faces with ties to the collegiate ranks are included.
19-Jul-2019
Mochizuki Makes History, Americans Win Doubles Title at Junior Wimbledon
History was made during this year's Junior Wimbledon Championships when Shintaro Mochizuki became the first Japanese boy to win a junior slam singles title. Unseeded Daria Snigur captured the girls singles title, and Americans Abigail Forbes and Savannah Broadus won the girls doubles crown at the All England Lawn Tennis Club.
12-Jul-2019
Juniors, College, Pros: Nanda Thrives on Three Levels
Govind Nanda is juggling multiple levels by competing in junior, college and professional events. Nanda just finished his freshman season at UCLA and plans to return in January to compete for the Bruins again. Colette Lewis caught up with Nanda at Wimbledon for a Q&A.
5-Jul-2019
No Shortage of Star Performances in June
June always produces a surplus of top performances, with the French Open Championships providing the big stage for juniors, while college players flood the ITF World Tennis Tour with school out for the summer. A grand total of 19 players are featured in the latest Aces column as summer tennis season gets underway.
18-Jun-2019
Wesleyan's Double Yus Make a Great Team
Sisters Victoria and Kristina helped Wesleyan capture the program's first NESCAC title and NCAA Division III Team title this season. Victoria, a senior, and Kristina, a freshman, played doubles together for the Cardinals, winning pivotal matches in the NCAA semifinal and championship matches.
7-Jun-2019
NCAA Champions Rise to the Top of May Aces
Although the NCAA tournaments and the European junior circuit grabbed most of the attention last month, there were plenty of personal milestones for the juniors and collegians competing in the smaller events on ITF World Tennis Tour. Find out who made the cut for May Aces.
1-Jun-2019
Images from the NCAA D-III Championships
When the NCAA Men's and Women's Division III Championships are in
Kalamazoo, you know that Colette Lewis and ZooTennis are going to be
all over it. Check out images of all 16 quarterfinalists from the
singles tournament ...
31-May-2019
Emory Sweeps NCAA Division III Singles Titles
Emory's Jonathan Jemison and Ysabel Gonzalez-Rico won the NCAA Division III men's and women's singles titles at Kalamazoo College’s Stowe Stadium. Bowdoin's Grant Urken and Yangeng (Jerry) Jiang won the men's doubles title while Catherine Allen and Caroline Cox of CMS were the women's doubles champions.
24-May-2019
Wesleyan Women, Emory Men Claim NCAA Division III Championships
The NCAA Division III champions crowned Wednesday at Kalamazoo
College's Stowe Stadium featured a new face and a perennial contender,
with the Wesleyan women earning the program's first NCAA team title
with a 5-4 win over defending champion Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and the
Emory men defeating top seed Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 5-3 for their
fifth team title and second in three years.
17-May-2019
CMS Programs Take Aim at NCAA Division III Titles
The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men’s and women’s teams arrive in Kalamazoo next Monday for the NCAA Division III quarterfinals as the top seeds, with each having just one loss on the season. But the teams that delivered those losses have also earned their way the Elite Eight.
1-May-2019
Players Winning First Titles Highlight April Accomplishments
From a first title on the WTA level to first titles at ITF Junior Circuit Grade 5s, the accomplishments of April span an impressive range of competitive tennis. The monthly Aces column includes former college stars and teenagers from around the world.
19-Apr-2019
Childhood Friendship Leads Dostanic to USC
Stefan Dostanic's childhood friendship with Colter Smith helped lead the blue chip senior to signing with USC. Smith is the son of USC head coach Peter Smith, and the families became close over the years.
12-Apr-2019
Top Seeds Black, Draxl Earn ITF Grade 1 Titles
Top seeds Hurricane Tyra Black and Liam Draxl both held off the challenges of young Californian wild cards to claim the singles crowns at the ITF Grade 1 International Spring Championships at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
11-Apr-2019
Chang and Woldeab Claim ISC 16s Titles in Carson
Two unseeded 15-year-old Californians earned titles in the 16s division at the International Spring Championships, with Berkeley’s Alexander Chang and La Mesa’s Winta Woldeab claiming the crowns by identical 6-3, 6-4 scores in the finals.
5-Apr-2019
Titles and Streaks Highlight the Ace Performances in March
The notable performances in March include the final ITA Team Indoor title of the season, an amazing streak by the International Tennis Federation World Junior No. 1, and the first ITF World Tennis Tour titles for two of the top American juniors
3-Apr-2019
Hohmann and Navarro Crowned Easter Bowl ITF Champions
Ron Hohmann and Emma Navarro captured the ITF Easter Bowl singles titles last week in Indian Wells. Hohmann became the first qualifier to win a title and Navarro was a repeat champion after capturing the 16s title in 2017.
2-Apr-2019
Banerjee, Ovrootsky Claim Easter Bowl 16s Titles
Samir Banerjee and Vivian Ovrootsky recorded straight set victories in their respective finals to capture the boys and girls singles titles at the Easter Bowl National Championships in Indian Wells.
1-Apr-2019
Past Results Motivate Easter Bowl 12s and 14s Champions
Three of the four champions in the 12s and 14s divisions at last week’s Easter Bowl Championships arrived in Indian Wells determined to improve on their previous appearances at the prestigious USTA Level 1 National event.
22-Mar-2019
Schofield Finds a Passion For Coaching Juniors
After an injury ended her professional aspirations, Gira Schofield began looking for a way to remain close to the sport. The University South Carolina graduate discovered a passion for coaching junior players, particularly girls. Schofield sat down with Colette Lewis recently for a Q&A.
15-Mar-2019
Gibbons Goes Green By Committing to Dartmouth
Anders Gibbons will be attending college three time zones away from his Seattle home. The four-star senior has committed to play at Dartmouth in New Hampshire. He made his decision after his final unofficial visit.
8-Mar-2019
Firecrackers and Patriots Capture USTA Spring Team Titles
Dealing with a variance in weather and opponents, the Patriots and Firecrackers walked away with titles at the USTA National Spring Team Championships in Mobile, Alabama earlier this week.
1-Mar-2019
Fewer Days, But No Shortage of Accomplishments
February may be short on days, but it was long on accomplishments, with three college indoor team champions crowned and six recent collegians earning ITF World Tennis Tour titles among the highlights in this month's Aces column.
15-Feb-2019
Stepping Up: Di Lorenzo Returns After Foot Injury
Francesca Di Lorenzo has returned to the court after being sidelined with plantar fasciitis. The former Ohio State star sat down with Colette Lewis to talk about her comeback, her collegiate experience, her first year as a pro and much more.
8-Feb-2019
Leaving Juniors Behind, Gauff Eyes Pro Progress
Cori "Coco" Gauff is putting nearly all junior tournaments in the past, and focusing on her professional prospects. Gauff, who turns 15 next month, spoke with Colette Lewis about what is next in her tennis career and team she has behind her.
1-Feb-2019
Spanning The Globe to Spotlight January's Best Performers
January always produces aces from far-flung places, with action in Australia, North America, Central America, South America and Europe all in the spotlight. American men had success in the U.S., while collegiate tennis was the big winner in Australia and New Zealand.
18-Jan-2019
Eight Intriguing Questions for 2019
What are the most compelling issues heading into the 2019 tennis year? Will heat rule junior tournaments? Will the Wold Tennis Tour be good or bad for juniors and college players? Colette Lewis provides some potential answers in her annual Intriguing Questions column.
11-Jan-2019
College Bypassed in ITF World Tennis Tour Pathway
Conspicuously absent from the International Tennis Federation’s World Tennis Tour was any reference to college tennis's place in the new system. What does that mean for college players? How will that impact college programs? Colette Lewis explores the issues.
1-Jan-2019
Orange Bowl and Eddie Herr Winners Highlight Busy Month
Eddie Herr, Orange Bowl and Junior Orange Bowl champions produced some of the best performances in a busy month of junior tennis in the state of Florida. They span all ages and all divisions in this month's Aces.
28-Dec-2018
Q&A with USTA's New Head of Men's Tennis Kent Kinnear
Kent Kinnear, the USTA's new Head of Men's Tennis, sat down with Colette Lewis at the Orange Bowl to discuss his new role, his future goals for player development and his thoughts on the new ITF World Tennis Tour.
21-Dec-2018
Americans Sweep 12s Titles at Junior Orange Bowl
The top seeds in the 12s divisions dominated the competition in the 57th edition of the Junior Orange Bowl, with Americans Clervie Ngounoue and Rudy Quan claiming titles. Coleman Wong of Hong Kong and Melisa Ercan of Turkey made history for their countries in the 14s.
14-Dec-2018
Gauff and Virtanen Claim ITF Orange Bowl Titles
Americans Coco Gauff and Madison Sieg swept the girls singles titles at the Orange Bowl, and Otto Virtanen made history by becoming the first player from Finland to win a singles title at the prestigious event in Florida.
7-Dec-2018
2018 Eddie Herr Champions Are Crowned
The United States had at least one finalist in six of the eight divisions in last week’s Eddie Herr International Tennis Championships, with two emerging as champions while local fans were treated to outstanding tennis in all eight finals.
30-Nov-2018
Young Americans Net First Pro Singles Titles
The ATP and WTA professionals put away their racquets this month, but the ITF Pro Circuit and ITF Junior Circuit continue to produce notable performances. Find out which players made the cut for this month's Aces.
26-Nov-2018
Volynets Targets Continued Pro Circuit Success
Katie Volynets, 16, is making the transition from junior to pro tennis at the same time the ITF is radically changing its pathway for young players seeking a professional career. Volynets discusses her recent sucess, her best tennis memories and her love for music in a Q&A with Colette Lewis.
