Better late than never, the 2020 USTA Florida “Bobby Curtis” 16s & 18s Junior Singles Championships is finally set to get underway this weekend at the USTA National Campus. The Sunshine State’s most prestigious junior singles tournament, typically a staple of the summer slate, was delayed until the fall. Opening rounds are scheduled to begin Saturday, Oct. 17, with the champions to be crowned Monday, Oct. 19.

Additionally, all age divisions are usually held concurrently on the grounds of the National Campus; however, due to COVID-19 restrictions, the 12s & 14s divisions were contested last weekend at the Delray Beach Tennis Center.

Since returning to competition this summer, boys’ 18s top seed Adam Duan (Davie) reached three consecutive finals in singles action before teaming up with Nicolas Pinzon (Sunrise) to take the 18s title at the USTA L4 Splitz. Second-seeded Dillon Blake (Miami) will be hoping to build off winning the consolation draw at last year’s Championships; Blake has not participated in a sanctioned event since February. 

No. 3 seed Emilio Van Cotthem (Vero Beach) made a grand return to play by reaching the final at the USTA Florida Level 4 Summer Smash Championships in August, where he was defeated by this weekend’s No. 4 seed Julen Morgan (Miami).

Emilio Sanchez (Naples) has earned the top seed in the boys’ 16s draw. In his three tournaments over the last few months, Sanchez made his way to the final at both a Level 5 and Level 6 event to go along with being part of the winning duo at the USTA L4 Splitz last month. Justin Lyons (Pensacola) is among the most improved players in the Sunshine State, as he has gone from an unseeded competitor in the boys’ 14s division in 2019 to the No. 2 seed in the boys’ 16s draw this year. 

Third-seeded Dylan Chang (Miami), the finalist from a year ago in the boys’ 14s draw, has had a busy return to play, as this will mark his sixth tournament since July. Chang’s results include a victory over fourth seed Felipe Pinzon (Sunrise) last month at the Level 4 Sunshine State Open.

Girls’ 18s No. 1 seed Valeria Ray (Doral) collected a title in her first event back from the layoff, winning five matches at the 2020 USTA/UTR Open Reel Tennis Championships. Ray has experienced recent set on the grounds of the National Campus, placing third at the 2019 USTA May National Level 2. Second seed Ahmani Guichard (Seminole) brings an 11-match winning streak into the weekend, resulting in her claiming a pair of singles titles. 

Meanwhile, No. 3 seed Anushka Khune (Plantation) did suffer a couple of losses over the summer, but has rebounded to collect two singles crowns plus the girls’ 18s title at the USTA L4 Splitz. Fourth-seeded Natalie Block (Plantation) is making her return to the facility where she was part of the Gold Ball-winning duo at the 2019 USTA National Winter Championships for the girls’ 16s division.

Just 15 months ago Valeria Centeno (Hialeah) was an unseeded player bowing out in the round of 32 in the 2019 edition of the Championships, but has soared up the rankings to enter the weekend as the girls’ 16s top seed. She has had a busy but rocky restart to the 2020 season while playing up in the 18s division in three events plus competing in two prize money tournaments. 

Second seed Gabriela Rondon (Hallandale Beach) bounced back from a first round defeat to take the consolation title at the USTA Florida Level 4 Summer Smash earlier in the year, the same event in which No. 3 seed Emma Roeck (Boca Raton) was the top seed but stumbled in the quarterfinals. Fourth-seeded Isabel Pacheco (Weston) has competed exclusively in the girls’ 18s during the second half of the season, most recently advancing to the quarterfinals of the USTA Florida Level 5 at Lake Cane before losing to Guichard.

First matches will begin at 7:45 a.m. each morning. For more information on the 2020 USTA Florida “Bobby Curtis” 16s/18s Junior Singles Championships, click here.