Saturday was championship day at the 2017 USTA Boys’ 12s National Clay Court Championships, part of the USTA adidas Junior National Championship Series, held at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla. A singles player and doubles duo were crowned national champions as the six-day national event concluded.

The singles title went to unseeded Juncheng Shang (Naples, Fla.), who capped off his incredible week by defeating No. 4 seed Aidan Kim (Milford, Mich.) 6-3, 7-5. Top seeds Lucas Brown (Plano, Texas) and Cooper Williams (New York, N.Y.) claimed the doubles crown thanks to a comprehensive 6-3, 6-1 victory over No. 12 seeds Andrew Delgado (High Point, N.C.) and James Rico (Cary, N.C.). Both finals were broadcast live via ESPN3, a first in the storied history of the tournament. 

With both players posting dominating results en route to the final, something had to give when Shang and Kim met on Saturday. Shang jumped out to a quick 2-0 advantage before Kim drew even at 2-2. The two traded breaks again before the Floridian reeled off the final three games of the set, 6-3.

Loose errors began to creep into Shang’s game early in the second, where he managed to hold in the opening game but lost serve to go down a break at 2-1 after a forehand error. That would be the start of six consecutive breaks, putting the score at 4-4 in the frame. Shang came through with a clutch hold to inch ahead 5-4, and following an injury timeout, appeared poised to claim the match. However, Kim saved two match points to extend the set. Both players had several opportunities in the next game, but it was Shang who held for 6-5, putting the pressure back on Kim. The No. 4 seed managed to save a third match point, but could not do so on the fourth, as his drop shot attempt was dumped into the net.

Going into Saturday, the odds were firmly stacked against Andrew Delgado and James Rico making an appearance in the doubles final. In a match that was suspended on Friday, the North Carolina duo began the day trailing a set and 4-1 versus the second-seeded pair of Andrew Salu (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.) and Learner Tien (Irvine, Calif.). Delgado and Rico were just two points away from defeat at 6-2, 5-3 when they managed to not only win that game but the last four of the set to force a decisive third. Momentum did not stay with either team for long in the final set, but Tien did serve for it at 5-3 only to be broken at 15. The match was fittingly decided by a tiebreak, which saw Delgado and Rico step up and grasp the victory seven points to two.

A similar comeback would not be allowed by the tournament’s No. 1 seeds in the championship tilt. Brown and Williams jumped ahead 2-0, but Delgado and Rico hung tough, battling back and hanging tough until 3-3. From there it would be all Brown and Williams, who closed out the first set 6-3 and went on to race through the opening five games of the second. Trailing 5-0, the Tar Heel tandem did force the top seeds to serve it out, which Williams was able to do so successfully.

For complete results from the 2017 USTA Boys’ 12s National Clay Court Championships, click here.

Below is a full list of results from Saturday’s matches.

 

USTA Boys’ 12s National Clay Court Championships
Day Six Results

 

SINGLES – CHAMPIONSHIP

Juncheng Shang def. (4) Aidan Kim 6-3, 7-5

 

DOUBLES – SEMIFINAL (from Friday)

(12)Andrew Delgado/James Rico def. (2)Andrew Salu/Learner Tien 2-6, 7-5, 7-6(2)

 

DOUBLES – CHAMPIONSHIP

(1)Lucas Brown/Cooper Williams def. (12)Andrew Delgado/James Rico 6-3, 6-1

 

SINGLES – THIRD PLACE PLAYOFF

(11)Raghav Jangbahadur def. (16)Garen Spicka 6-4, 6-3

 

DOUBLES – THIRD PLACE PLAYOFF

(2)Andrew Salu/Learner Tien def. (4)Thomas Faurel/Joseph Phillips 3-6, 6-1, 6-2

 

SINGLES – CONSOLATION FINALS

Northeast: (13)Owen Megargee def. (14)Andrew Delgado 6-0, 4-6, 11-9

West: Meecah Bigun def. (8)Joseph Phillips 3-6, 6-4, 10-5

 

SINGLES – GOLD PLAYOFF FINAL

Cooper Williams def. Learner Tien 6-0, 4-6, 10-1

 

SINGLES – SILVER PLAYOFF FINAL

Kurt Miller def. Humza Noor 7-5, 6-1