The start of matches was delayed several hours by rain on Saturday at the 2017 USTA Junior Team Tennis 18U National Championships, hosted by the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla. Eventually the courts dried, the sun came out, and play was scattered across the Campus’ expansive grounds in an effort to finish the day’s full slate of contests.

Once play finally got underway, the last round of flight matchups had to be completed before the tournament’s playoff draws could be set. All playoff semifinals got underway, but the skies opened back up not long after. Due to the steady and consistent downpour that settled over the National Campus, only the semifinals that originally started indoors plus the championship semifinals were completed; all others were postponed until Sunday.

Grasping the four championship playoff spots in the Advanced division were Northern California (Bay Club Courtside), Eastern (Island Grinders), Texas (ATA Dream Team) and Southern (Southern Reign). Bay Club Courtside from Flight A and Southern Reign in Flight D both reached 180 games, which was the maximum number a team could earn. Southern was especially dominant, giving up a mere 36 games in their three duals. The Island Grinders had already secured their championship berth on Friday in Flight B, while the ATA Dream Team edged out Missouri Valley (Quail Creek) by eight games in Flight C.

In the semifinals, Southern Reign used commanding play in both the boys’ singles and doubles to take down the ATA Dream Team, claiming the singles 6-2, 6-1 and the doubles 6-2, 6-4. The ATA Dream Team did battle to victories in girls’ singles (2-6, 6-4, 1-0) and doubles (6-5, 6-4), but it wasn’t enough to bring them back from the deficit.  Almost all of the courts in the other semifinal were tightly contested, with Bay Club Courtside able to come out on top on all of them to move on to the championship. The 6-4, 6-2 victory in girls’ singles provided the biggest margin for the Northern California representative.

The championship semifinals in the Intermediate division featured Southern California (iStringing Team Tenacity), Texas (Berry Creek), Mid-Atlantic (Tennis ADDicts) and Northern California (Laguna Creek Racquet Club).  Berry Creek and Laguna Creek Racquet Club each cruised through Flight B and Flight D, respectively. Those two flights were composed of just three squads each, with the flight winners the only ones to finish with a positive games won-lost total. Flight A came down to the narrowest of margins, as iStringing Team Tenacity emerged the winner with 139 games to their credit, just one ahead of Pacific Northwest (Servivors), four clear of Northern (BLS) and eight in front of New England (New Hampshire Rogues). The Tennis ADDicts claimed Flight C by two games over Eastern (Island Grinders) thanks to their 48-39 triumph when the two teams squared off.

Berry Creek slipped past iStringing Team Tenacity 54-46 in their semifinal encounter, securing a 6-2, 6-1 triumph in boys’ singles that ended up being the difference. They also won in boys’ doubles (6-5, 6-5) and girls’ doubles (5-6, 6-3, 1-0), while the team from Southern California kept the team score tight thanks to earning wins in girls’ singles (6-3, 6-4) and mixed doubles (5-6, 6-5, 1-0). Four of the five courts in the semifinal between the Tennis ADDicts and Laguna Creek Racquet Club could have gone either way. Instead, the squad from Northern California won three of those en route to the 55-44 team victory. Boys’ singles, boy’s doubles and mixed doubles were all decided by a match tiebreak, while the girls’ doubles ended with a 6-5, 6-4 score line. Laguna Creek Racquet Club padded their lead early with a 6-1, 6-2 result in girls’ singles.

Sunday will now feature many more matches than expected, which will get underway at 8 am. Following the completion of all matches, the awards ceremony will be held on Championship Court.

Established in 1991, USTA Junior Team Tennis provides youth with all of the health and social benefits of tennis in a coed, fun and competitive environment – all while allowing participants to compete with and against individuals of similar ages and skill levels.

With more than 85,000 players competing nationwide, USTA Junior Team Tennis brings players together to enjoy camaraderie and teamwork, providing a fun environment for kids to learn that succeeding is really more about how they play the game – win or lose.

For more information on the 2017 USTA JTT 18U National Championships, click here.

 

ADVANCED RESULTS

 

1-4 Playoff Results (Championship Semifinals)

Northern California (Bay Club Courtside) def. Eastern (Island Grinders) 46-43

Southern (Southern Reign) def. Texas (ATA Dream Team) 43-42

 

5-8 Playoff Results

Midwest (RCC) vs. Southern WC (CBRC Tornadoes)

Missouri Valley (Quail Creek) vs. Pacific Northwest (PNW Elite)

 

9-12 Playoff Results

Middle States (The Mill at Gulph Mills JKST) def. BLS 18A-Bloomington 40-0

New England (North Shore Legends) def. Southwest (Team ATA) 44-38

 

13-16 Playoff Results

Middle States WC (Delaware Nightmare) vs. Hawaii Pacific (Mililani Monster Tennis Red)

 

FINAL ADVANCED FLIGHT STANDINGS

 

Flight A (games won-lost)

Northern California (Bay Club Courtside): 180-50

Midwest (RCC): 143-92

Middles States (The Mill at Gulph Mills JKST): 80-149

Hawaii Pacific (Mililani Monster Tennis Red): 58-170

 

Flight B (games won-lost)

Eastern (Island Grinders): 95-37

Southern WC (CBRC Tornadoes): 93-55

Northern (BLS): 0-96

 

Flight C (games won-lost)

Texas (ATA Dream Team): 159-86

Missouri Valley (Quail Creek): 151-112

New England (North Shore Legends): 117-145

Middles States WC (Delaware Nightmare): 79-163

 

Flight D (games won-lost)

Southern (Southern Reign): 180-36

Pacific Northwest (PNW Elite): 132-132

Southwest (Team ATA): 49-113

Midwest WC (Grant County CTA): 40-120

 

INTERMEDIATE RESULTS

 

1-4 Playoff Results (Championship Semifinals)

Texas (Berry Creek) def. Southern California (iStringing Team Tenacity) 54-46

Northern California (Laguna Creek Racquet Club)def. Mid-Atlantic (Tennis ADDicts) 55-44

 

5-8 Playoff Results

Pacific Northwest (Servivors) vs. Southern (Hendersonville)

Eastern (Island Grinders) vs. Middle States (Ox Strong)

 

9-12 Playoff Results

Northern (BLS) vs. Missouri Valley (RH-91)

Northern California WC (Stonegate Tennis Academy) vs. Southwest (Team TCA)

 

13-16 Playoff Results

New England (New Hampshire Rogues) vs. Florida (Miami Thunder)

 

FINAL INTERMEDIATE FLIGHT STANDINGS

 

Flight A (games won-lost)

Southern California (iStringing Team Tenacity): 139-127

Pacific Northwest (Servivors): 138-142

Northern (BLS): 135-134

New England (New Hampshire Rogues): 131-140

 

Flight B (games won-lost)

Texas (Berry Creek): 105-59

Southern (Hendersonville): 83-101

Missouri Valley (RH-91): 71-99

 

Flight C (games won-lost)

Mid-Atlantic (Tennis ADDicts): 156-91

Eastern (Island Grinders): 154-90

Northern California WC (Stonegate Tennis Academy): 116-118

Florida (Miami Thunder): 50-177

 

Flight D (games won-lost)

Northern California (Laguna Creek Racquet Club): 120-27

Middle States (Ox Strong): 73-101

Southwest (Team TCA): 50-115