2017 Ojai Tennis Tournament Program

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The117th

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April 25-30 2017

Tennis Tournament

Rocket Rod Laver This year’s tournament honoree See story on page 8

Pac 12 Previews Who can you expect to see on the courts?

See story on page 14

Court Map Find your way to the action!

See story on page 22

Cover photo by Art Seitz

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THE 117th OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENt

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Schedule of Events Tuesday, April 25 • Ojai Valley Athletic Club: Men’s and Women’s Open Singles Qualifying Rounds

Wednesday, April 26 • Ojai Valley Athletic Club: Pac-12 Women’s team match: 11 a.m.

• Weil Tennis Academy: Pac-12 Women’s team matches: 11 a.m. & 3 p.m.

• Libbey Park: Two Pac-12 Men’s Team matches: noon and 3 p.m.

• Ventura College: Women’s California Community College Team Championship: noon • Pierpont Inn: Men’s California Community College Team Championship: 1 p.m.

Thursday, April 27 OJAI SITES • Libbey Park: Two Pac-12 Men’s Team Dual Matches, Junior Events • Ojai Valley Inn: Open Men’s singles • Ojai Valley Athletic Club: Junior matches and Pac-12 Women’s team matches: 11 a.m. & 3 p.m.

• The Thacher School: Boys’ CIF, Junior events • Villanova Preparatory School: Junior events • Ojai Valley School Upper Campus: Boys’ CIF • Weil Tennis Academy: Junior matches and Pac-12 Women’s team matches: 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

• Oak Grove School: Junior matches: all day • Camp Ramah: Junior matches: all day • Nordhoff High School: Junior events • Matilija Junior High School: Junior events • Private Courts: Junior events VENTURA SITES • Pierpont Racquet Club: Independent College Women’s singles & doubles • Ventura College: Community College Women’s singles & doubles, Independent College Women’s singles & doubles

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• Ventura High School: Junior events • Camino Real Park: Community College Women’s singles & doubles • Buena High School: Community College Women’s singles & doubles OXNARD SITES • Channel Islands Racquet Club: Community College Men’s singles & doubles • Pacifica High School: Community College Men’s singles & doubles • Hueneme High School: Community College Men’s singles

Friday, April 28 OJAI SITES • Libbey Park: Pac-12 Men’s team semifinals: noon & 3 p.m.

• Ojai Valley Inn: Open Men’s singles & doubles, Open Women’s singles • Ojai Valley Athletic Club: Junior matches & Pac-12 Women’s team semifinals: 1 p.m.

• The Thacher School: Boys’ CIF, Junior events • Weil Tennis Academy: Junior matches & Pac-12 Women’s team semifinals: 3 p.m.

VENTURA SITES • Pierpont Racquet Club: Independent College Men’s singles & doubles • Ventura College: Community College Women’s singles & doubles, Independent College Women’s singles & doubles • Camino Real Park: Community College Women’s singles & doubles • Buena High School: Division III College Men’s singles and doubles OXNARD SITES • Channel Islands Racquet Club: Community College Men’s singles & doubles; Division III College Men’s singles & doubles • Pacifica High School: Community College Men’s singles & doubles • Marriott Residence Inn Oxnard: Community College Men’s singles & doubles.

THE 117th OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENt

Saturday, April 29 ALL EVENTS IN OJAI • Libbey Park: Open Division Men’s & Women’s semifinals: 9 a.m.; Boy’s CIF singles & doubles finals: 11:30 a.m.; Pac-12 Women’s team championship finals: 3 p.m.; Pac-12 Men’s team championship finals: 6 p.m.

• Lower Libbey Park: Selected Junior event semifinals • Ojai Valley Inn: Boy’s & Girl’s 14 to 16 semifinals; Open Women’s Doubles quarterfinals and semifinals: noon & 3 p.m.;Open Men’s doubles semifinals: 1:30 p.m.; • Ojai Valley Athletic Club: Independent College Men’s singles and doubles; Independent College Women’s singles and doubles; Community College Men’s singles and doubles; Community College Women’s singles and doubles • The Thacher School: Division III College Men’s singles & doubles and selected Junior event semifinals

Sunday, April 30 8 a.m. - Boy’s 14, Girl’s 14, Girl’s 16, Girl’s 18 doubles finals; Lower Libbey - Community College Men’s & Women’s doubles semifinals; Weil Tennis Academy - DIII Men’s singles semifinals 9:30 a.m. - Open Women’s singles finals; Boy’s 16 finals; Independent College Men’s & Women’s singles finals; 11 a.m. - Open Men’s singles finals; DIII Men’s singles finals; Community College Men’s & Women’s singles finals 12:30 p.m. - Open Women’s doubles finals; Girl’s 18 singles final; Independent College Men’s & Women’s doubles finals 2 p.m. - Open Men’s doubles finals; DIII Men’s doubles finals; Community College Men’s & Women’s doubles finals

THE 117th OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENt

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Mike Taggart Ventura Rental Party Centerb• Topa Mountain Winery bOjai Community Bank • Rabobank •bTennis Warehouse bE.J. Harrison & Sons • Plexipave Sport Surfacing Systems Wilson • Weil Tennis Academy • Ojai Valley Inn Ojai Valley Athletic Club • City of Ojai Southern California Tennis Association (SCTA) The Oaks at Ojai • Solinco • Rotary Club of Ojai b West Ojai Valley Lions Club • Citizens Business Bank Coast Transfer and Storage • A to Z Musical Services • Party Pleasers Suzanne’s Cuisine • Casa Barranca • Clos des Amis Ojai Vineyard • Osteria Monte Grappa • Ojai Valley Directory bMission Linen Supply • Main Course California • Spin Rotisserie & Spaghetteria Ojai Beverage Company • Valen Wines • Jim and Rob’s Fresh Grill • Lisa’s Cantina Thacher Winery • Hakane Sushi • Westridge Market • Porch Gallery •David Junod, CPA Ojai Pixie Tangerine Growers Association • Friend’s Ranchesb• Ojai Donut Shoppe

Please join us bat the Topa Mountain Winery for

A Special Evening with Rod Laver Friday, April 28th •b6:00pm for more info & to buy tickets: ojaitourney.org 6

THE 117th OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENt

THE 117th OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENt

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Photo courtesy of ATP Tour Inc.

Rocket Rod Tennis legend will be honored during this year’s event

R

od Laver, the superstar of tennis in the 1960s, will be the honoree at the 117th Ojai Tennis Tourna-

ment.

The 78-year-old Australian, the only player to win all four Grand Slam events—Wimbledon, U.S.

Open, French Open and Australian Open — twice in the same year, will be feted at the Thursday Night barbecue April 27 in Libbey Park.

See page 10

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THE 117th OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENt

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From page 8

He also will be the guest of honor at an “Evening with Rod Laverâ€? the next night at the Topa Mountain Winery. Tickets can be purchased at www.ojaitourney. org. “I’m honored to be asked and excited about seeing young players coming up, the new breed,â€? Laver explained. “I’m happy to be involved in it.â€? ,W ZLOO EH WKH ÂżUVW WLPH /DYHU ZLOO DWWHQG 7KH 2MDL which features top college programs including the Pac-12 men’s championships, high-level age-group competition and professional Open divisions for men and women.

Laver has lived in Southern California since the late 1960s, following his marriage to California resident Mary Benson in 1966, but has ventured to Ojai only once, to play golf at the Ojai Valley Inn a decade

“

Stan asked me one time, ‘Have you been

to Ojai?’ He told me it’s an old tournament and all of us have played there. He told me so many great things about the Ojai tournament.

�

— Rod Laver ago. “I heard about it (The Ojai) through Stan Smith and Bob Lutz and some others,� Laver said. “Stan asked me one time, ‘Have you been to Ojai?’ He told me it’s an old tournament and all of us have played there. He told me so many great things about the Ojai tournament. For sure, it’s not far away.�

Laver has lived in Corona del Mar, Santa Ynez, Rancho Mirage and currently resides in Carlsbad.

He’s been honored worldwide, a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, recognized as an Australian National Living Treasure and is a member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). The Center Court Stadium in Melbourne Park, where the Australian Open has been played since 1988, was renamed Rod Laver Arena in 2000.

Laver makes an annual trip to the court that carries his name to present the men’s championship trophy at the Australian Open. He was happy to hand it to his good friend Roger Federer in late January. It was )HGHUHUœV ¿UVW *UDQG 6ODP WULXPSK VLQFH DW :LPbledon and he did it at age 35.

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THE 117th OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENt

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Tennis legends (from left) Bjorn Borg, Rafael Nadal, Rod Laver, Roger Federer and John McEnroe pose for a selĂže at the Laver Cup opening press conference.

Photo courtesy of ATP Tour Inc.

Federer took a second ATP major tournament at Indian Wells in March. Laver was there for it, too.

Two weeks later, Federer won the Miami Open. “Roger is playing the best tennis KHÂśV SOD\HG LQ ÂżYH \HDUV ´ /DYHU said. “He said to me, ‘I’m timing the ball so well, I’m excited every time I step on the court.â€?

Federer played an integral role in the formation of the Laver Cup, an international competition that will match an European team against The World team in Prague, Czech Republic, in September.

It will have a mix of singles and doubles. Federer and Rafael Nadal have committed to the European team, which will be captained by Bjorn Borg. The World team will be captained by John McEnroe. “Roger Federer knows a lot about history,� Laver said. “He said, ‘We’re going to lose (knowledge) about all the people who came before like Lew Hoad and Frank Sedgman. He put my name up (to help link the past with the present) and I’m thrilled to do this.�

Laver’s career bridged the gap between the amateur era and the professional era of those players eligible to compete in the Grand Slam tournaments. He won at Wimbledon in 1961 and 1962, then turned pro. With the advent of the Open era in 1968, Laver returned to win Wimbledon for a third time and added a fourth title in 1969. It can only be speculated how many other Wimbledon, U.S. Open, French and Australian titles he could have won collectively in the same year during his banishment from playing in them by making a living, but it seems logical that several more would have been within his talent.

Laver was ranked No. 1 in the world from 1964 to 1970.

Photo by Ben Solomon, Laver Cup

From page 10

Queen Elizabeth of England presents the 1962 Wimbledon trophy to Rod Laver of Australia. This was the third of four legs to LaverÕs Þrst Grand Slam.

/DYHU DOVR OHG $XVWUDOLD WR ÂżYH Davis Cup championships, from 1958 to 1962 and again in 1973. He won 11 Grand Slam singles titles, six in Grand Slam doubles and two Grand Slam mixed-doubles crowns.

Named the Rocket by Australian Davis Cup captain Harry Hopman, THE 117th OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENt

who also coached a young Laver in his native state of Queensland, Laver is regarded by many as the greatest player of all time. Wrote famous tennis journalist Bud Collins: “I remain unconvinced that there was ever a better player than Rod Laver.�

THE 117th OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENt

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Photo courtesy of the U.S. Open

US Open Junior doubles winners Ena Shibahara (left) and Jada Hart are now freshman at UCLA. The pair won The Ojai Open doubles two of the past three years.

Pac-12 Women’s preview This year, there will be a twist

Once again, the 117th Ojai Valley Tennis Tournament will serves up the NCAA’s best in women’s tennis when it hosts the Pac-12 Conference this week, but this year there is a twist. The Pac-12 women will follow suit with their male counterparts and will compete for a conference crown as teams instead of individuals.

The Pac-12 Women’s Dual Team championships will be contested in single-elimination bracket fashion and will begin play with three dual-team matches April 26 and conclude with the Pac-12 women’s title match April 29 at 3 p.m. at Libbey Park.

The Pac-12 Women’s Dual Team championships are co-hosted

by the Ojai Valley Athletic Club and the neighboring Weil Academy EHJLQQLQJ $SULO ZLWK TXDUWHU¿QDO SOD\ $SULO DQG WKH VHPL¿QDOV April 28.

This event will showcases many of the best collegiate players ahead of May’s NCAA national championships.

Reigning NCAA champion Stanford, Cal, UCLA, USC and Arizona State won at least a round at the 2016 NCAA Division I Tennis Championships and will compete IRU WKH 3DF ¶V ¿UVW ZRPHQ¶V GXDO team crown at The Ojai.

Stanford beat Oklahoma State, LQ WKH 1&$$ ¿QDO DV the No. 15 seed. Key returners from the Cardinal’s championship

team include seniors Taylor Davidson (2015 Pac-12 Championship Doubles winner at The Ojai) and Caroline Doyle and sophomores Melissa Lord and Caroline Lampl.

Last year at The Ojai, Lord reached the Pac-12 Women’s Championship GRXEOHV ¿QDO DQG /DPSO DGYDQFHG to the Pac-12 Women’s Invitational VLQJOHV ¿QDO Cal also reached last year’s NCAA Final Four after completing the 2016 regular season as the Pac-12 champion and the country’s No. 1-ranked team. The Bears are anchored by 2016 NCAA Division , :RPHQ¶V 'RXEOHV ¿QDOLVWV 0DHgan Manasse (Redondo Beach) and Denise Starr.

8&/$¶V UHVKXIÀHG UHORDGHG See page 16

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THE 117th OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENt

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From page 14

roster features freshmen Ena Shibahara (Palos Verdes) and Jada Hart (Colton). Shibahara won The Ojai’s last two Women’s Open division singles crowns and paired with

Hart to win The Ojai’s 2015 Open doubles title and place as doubles runner-up in 2016.

USC’s well-rounded team is spearheaded by the doubles duo of

senior Zoe Katz (Los Angeles), the 2015 Pac-12 Women’s Invitational Doubles champ at The Ojai, and junior Gabby Smith.

Pac-12 Men’s preview It could be deja vous all over again

Since the Ojai Valley Tennis 7RXUQDPHQW ¿UVW KRVWHG WKH 3DF Men’s Dual Team Championships in 2012, only UCLA and USC have won the conference title at Libbey Park — USC in 2012 and 2015, and UCLA in 2013, 2014 and 2016.

The 2017 Pac-12 ChampionWalk-Ins Welcome

ships at the 117th Ojai, that begins April 26 and concludes with the championship match at Libbey Park at 6 p.m. April 29, may not deviate from that course. The crosstown Los Angeles rivals have bulked up their roster with impact freshmen whose successes in recent years at

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THE 117th OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENt

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Defending Pac-12 champion and 2016 NCAA Division I quarter¿QDOLVW 8&/$ GHIHDWHG &DOLIRUQLD LQ ODVW \HDU¶V ¿QDO DW 7KH 2MDL This year, the Bruins are bolstered See page 18

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From page 16

the 2016 NCAA Division I doubles championships and are, arguably, the nation’s best collegiate doubles team.

6WDQIRUG D 3DF ¿QDOLVW ¿JXUHV WR FRQWHQG EHKLQG LWV MXQLRU Tom Fawcett, who won a round at the 2016 NCAA Division I singles championships, and its top doubles duo in senior Yale Goldberg and sophomore Sameer Kumar.

UCLA, USC, Cal and Stanford feature many familiar to The Ojai, as several players previously made their name here while in high school.

UCLA’s Brymer is one of two players in Ojai history to win The Ojai’s Boys’ CIF crown three consecutive years — 2011 to 2013.

Bruins junior, Austin Rapp, won the Boys’ CIF title in 2014, a year

after winning The Ojai’s Boys’ 16 singles competition. Rapp’s brother, Connor, a freshman at UCLA, was D %R\V¶ VLQJOHV ¿QDOLVW DW 7KH Ojai in 2015.

USC’s Holt won the Men’s Open doubles title and advanced to WKH 0HQ¶V 2SHQ VLQJOHV ¿QDO ODVW year at The Ojai. Holt also won the Boys’ CIF doubles title in 2014. Riley Smith also played in The Ojai’s Men’s Open singles event as a high school senior last year.

Stanford sophomore Michael Genender won The Ojai’s Boys’ CIF singles title in 2015, a year after losing to Austin Rapp in the ¿QDO Cal freshman Bjorn Hoffmann ZDV D %R\V¶ &,) VLQJOHV ¿QDOLVW DW The Ojai in 2015 and 2016.

Photo by Holly Roberts / Pac-12 Conference

by the return of senior Gage Brymer. Junior Martin Redlicki, last year’s NCAA Division I doubles champion, teams with freshman Evan Zhu to create another formidable doubles tandem.

USC, NCAA Division I national FKDPSLRQV LQ ¿YH RI WKH SDVW HLJKW years, has only two freshmen on its roster, Brandon Holt and Riley Smith — 2015 U.S. Open Junior GRXEOHV ¿QDOLVWV +ROW VRSKRPRUH Logan Smith and senior Nick Crystal — who was in last year’s NCAA Division I singles championship ¿HOG ² OHDG D EDODQFHG VLQJOHV attack.

Cal, a 2016 NCAA Division I VHPL¿QDOLVW KDV WKH WDOHQW WR PDNH D UHWXUQ WULS WR WKH 3DF ¿QDO %HDUV seniors Filip Bergevi and Florian /DNDW UHDFKHG WKH TXDUWHU¿QDOV RI

USC freshman Brandon Holt, Clay Thompson, Jakob Vos, Mike Taggart, USC freshman Riley Smith and Deiton Baughman following The Ojai MenÕs Open doubles Þnal last year.

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THE 117th OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENt

LIBBEY PARK / OJAI VALLEY ATHLETIC CLUB

THE 117th OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENt

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OfďŹ cial stringers of the 117th Annual Ojai Tennis Tournament

2017 Session Session Session Session Session Session

#1#2#3#4#5#6-

June 12-15 June 19-23 June 26-30 July 3-7 July 10-14 July 17-21

Instagram: uclatenniscamp Facebook: Billy Martin Tennis Camp www.uclasportscamp.com Twitter: @ UCLA Tennis Camp

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THE 117th OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENt

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THE 117th OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENt

VENUE Libbey Park Libbey Park South Matilija Jr. High Nordhoff High School Ojai Valley Athletic Club Ojai Valley School-upper campus Ojai Valley Inn Thacher School Villanova School Weil Tennis Academy Camp Ramah Oak Grove School

CODE LP LPS MJH N OAC OSU OVI T V WTA CR OG

ADDRESS Ojai Avenue Ojai Avenue 703 El Paseo Rd. 1401 Maricopa Hwy. 409 Fox St. 10820 Reeves Road 905 Country Club Road 5025 Thacher Rd. 12096 Ventura Ave. 428 Bryant Circle 385 Fairview Rd. 220 Lomita Ave.

THE 117th OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENt

CODE

PRIVATE COURTS

057 065 260 350 500 574 670 883 897

12057 Sulphur Mountain Rd. 10065 Ojai-Santa Paula Rd. 260 Fairview Rd. 3500 Maricopa Hwy. 500 W. Country Dr. 574 Quail Oaks Rd. 670 Del Norte Dr. 10883 Oak Knoll 897 La Luna

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Photo by Morey Spellman/The Ojai Tournament

IN 2016, MenÕs California Community College Athletic Association Dual Team State Champions Irvine Valley College defeated American River College, 5-1.

California Community College Athletic Association preview The California Community College Athletic Association’s (CCCAA) men’s and women’s team and individual singles and doubles championships return to the 117th Ojai Valley Tennis Tournament this week.

The CCCAA’s State Championships have been contested here since 2013.

The CCCAA’s 2017 State indi-

vidual championships at The Ojai represent a true state championship.

The men’s and women’s indiYLGXDO GUDZV DUH RSHQ WR TXDOL¿HUV from all 84 California community/ MXQLRU FROOHJHV WKDW ¿HOG PHQ¶V DQG women’s tennis programs.

Each men’s and women’s individual singles and doubles tournament features a bracket of 128 entries (seeds are chosen by the

CCCAA coaches).

The competitions are played at various sites throughout Ventura and Oxnard April 27 aand April 28, at the Ojai Valley Athletic Club April 29, and conclude May 1 with the men’s and women’s singles and GRXEOHV ¿QDOV DW /LEEH\ 3DUN The reigning CCCAA State singles champions are expected to return to The Ojai – Irvine Valley See page 28

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THE 117th OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENt

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From page 26

College sophomore Javi Callejo, D 6SDQLDUG ZKR ZDV DOVR D ¿QDOLVW in the 2016 CCCAA State men’s doubles tournament, and San Diego Mesa College sophomore Danielle Garrido – as well as 2016 CCCAA

State women’s doubles champion Linda Guerzize, from College of the Desert.

2016 CCCAA State women’s singles runner-up Clarisa Colling, of Orange Coast College, is among

the top-ranked singles players in the state.

The CCCAA’s week-long tennis extravaganza begins with the men’s and women’s Dual Team State Championships in Ventura.

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Photo by Morey Spellman/The Ojai Tournament

From page 28

The Abilene Christian womenÕs team collects their trophy at The Ojai in 2016 and are expected to return players this year.

Regional play began earlier in April and comes to a conclusion April 26 as the women’s State championship is hosted by Ventura College and the men’s State championship is hosted by the Pierpont Racquet Club.

Irvine Valley College’s men defeated American River College and Cerritos College’s women ousted De Anza College to win the 2016 CCCAA State team titles.

Once again, Abilene Chris-

30

tian and Grand Canyon University will bring players to compete in the men’s and women’s independent college division.

Last year, Felix Schueller beat Grand Canyon teammate Adrian Legarreta for the singles titles.Henry Adams and Jason Proctor, from Abilene Christian, partnered to win the doubles.

Pomona-Pitzer’s women were well represented last year as Mary Zhao won the singles, and Abilen’s

THE 117th OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENt

Kaysie Hermsdorf and Lucile Pothier took the doubles.

Over the weekend, Ojai fans can watch some of the best Division III players as they start play in Ventura, but will work their way up to /LEEH\ 3DUN IRU WKH ¿QDOV RYHU WKH weekend.

Mike Gennette’s Cal Lutheran men’s team is led by top player Ransom Braaten, a transfer from Lewis University.

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-XQH WK 6RXWKHUQ &DOLIRUQLD -U 6HFWLRQDOV 0XOWLSOH 6LWHV Contact: Megan Heneghan | 310-824-2559 | heneghan@scta.usta.com

ADULT TENNIS 0D\ 6DQWD %DUEDUD 7HQQLV &OXE &ODVVLF 6DQWD %DUEDUD 7HQQLV &OXE 0D\ 0L[HG 2YHU /HDJXH 6HFWLRQDOV &ODUHPRQW &OXE 0D\ -XQH 0HQ V 1DWLRQDO +DUGFRXUWV :HVWODNH 7HQQLV 6ZLP &OXE -XQH 1753 6HFWLRQDOV /DNHZRRG 7HQQLV &HQWHU Contact: Madeline Segura | 310-208-3668 | segura@scta.usta.com

COMM COMMUNITY UNITY TENNI TENNIS S 0D\ SP UG $QQXDO 6DQWD %DUEDUD 7HQQLV 3DWURQV *ROI 7RXUQDPHQW )XQGUDLVHU *OHQ $QQLH *ROI &OXE SURFHHGV VXSSRUW SURJUDPV WKDW JLYH ORFDO NLGV WKH JDPH RI WHQQLV 0D\ DP 9HQWXUD &RPPXQLW\ 7HQQLV 'D\ &DPLQR 5HDO 3DUN 3OD\ 'D\ 3RWOXFN DQG 5RXQG 5RELQ

)RU PRUH LQIRUPDWLRQ FRQWDFW *LQD +DYHOND KDYHOND#VFWD XVWD FRP

THE 117th OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENt

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We have Individual, Family, Corporate and Young Adult Club Memberships!

Lessons in Tennis & Swim are available for all ages & levels.

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CA LL US TODAY TO GET YOUR PROJECT UNDERWAY! Dave Meisch, Owner Lic. # 536193 Office: (805)-646-8209 â&#x20AC;˘ Mobile: (805) 302-3460 topgunbuilder1@gmail.com â&#x20AC;˘ topgunojai.com 32

THE 117th OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENt

THE 117th OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENt

33

2016 Winners and Finalists

34

Boys’ 14s Singles: Ali Amiri def.

Maxwell McKennon

Girls’ 18s Singles: Alexa Ryngler def.

Tatum Burger

Men’s Comm. College Singles:

Men’s Indept. College Singles:

Javi Callejo def.

Hironori Koyanagi

Felix Schueller def.

Adrian Legarreta

Girls’ 14s Singles: Jenna DeFalco def.

Scout Mathews

Girls’ 18s Doubles: Devon Jack/Kalani Soli def.

Martina Bocchi/Alyssa Rudin

Men’s Comm. College Doubles:

Men’s Indept. College Doubles:

Bruno Figlia/Scott Paz def.

Sam Cohen/Javi Callejo

Henry Adams/Jason Proctor def.

Nico Agritelley-Joshua Sheehy

Boys’ 16s Singles: Matthew Tsolakyan def.

Max Wild

Boys’ CIF Singles: Connor Hance def.

Bjorn Hoffmann

Women’s Comm. College Singles:

Women’s Indept. College Singles:

Danielle Garrido def.

Clarissa Colling

Mary Zhao def.

Kaysie Hermsdorf

Girls’ 16s Singles: Jennifer Richards def.

Elle Christensen

Boys’ CIF Doubles: Connor Lee/Bryce Pereira def.

Keegan Smith/Ivan Thamma

Women’s Comm. College Doubles:

Women’s Indept. College Doubles:

Linda Guerzize/Yu Yamada def.

Polina Gorshinina/Van Nguyen

Kaysie Hermsdorf/Lucile Pothier def.

Erin Walker-Whitney Williams

THE 117th OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENt

2016 Winners and Finalists

Men’s Division III Singles: Skyler Butts def.

Daniel Morkovine

Pac-12 Men’s Dual Match Championship: No. 1 UCLA def. No. 3 California, 4-1

Men’s Division III Doubles: Skyler Butts/Daniel Morkovine def.

Graham Maassen/Spencer Simonides

Women’s Pac-12 Singles: Meagan Manasse def.

Catherine Harrison

Women’s Pac-12 Invitational Singles:

Olivia Hauger def.

Caroline Lampl

Men’s Open Singles: Deiton Baughman def.

Brandon Holt

Women’s Open Singles: Ena Shibahara def.

Katherine Sebov

Women’s Pac-12 Doubles:

Women’s Pac-12 Invitational Doubles:

Men’s Open Doubles:

Women’s Open Doubles:

Alexandra Osborne/Ebony Panoho def.

Terri Fleming/Alaina Miller def.

Brandon Holt/Clay Thompson def.

Kaitlyn Christian/Megan McCray def.

Melissa Lord/Carol Zhao

Samantha Hampton/Kassidy Jump

Deiton Baughman/Riley Smith

Jada Hart/Ena Shibahara

THE 117th OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENt

35

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THE 117th OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENt

Welcome

, t n e m a n r Tennis Tou s for a quick, Please join u nch to healthy lu hes. c t a m r u o y l fue st! e b e h t u o y Wishing

THE 117th OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENt

37

Photo by Holly Roberts

Juvenile courts

Dakota Martin (from right) lunges for a ball as High Performance coach Jim Kasser looks on.

Group works to introduce tennis to the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s youths Planning and executing The Ojai Tennis Tournament takes many months of work and many hundreds of volunteers. Even with that large of a task, the Ojai Valley Tennis Club (OVTC) has secondary yearround activity as well.

The all-volunteer group conducts and supports programs that introduces tennis to the Ojai Valley youths and encourages their continued participation.

The clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Youth Tennis Com-

mittee â&#x20AC;&#x201D; along with additional volunteers and donations from Ojai residents and organizations â&#x20AC;&#x201D; organizes, executes and supports several youth-tennis related events throughout the year.

The Committee works in cooperation with the Ojai Recreation DeSDUWPHQW WKH 2MDL 8QLÂżHG 6FKRRO District and many Ojai tennis coaches who donate their time and expertise.

At the Thursday barbecue, dur-

ing this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ojai Tennis Tournament, Sportsmanship Awards, including the Lucking Trophy, will be presented to youth tennis enthusiasts who have been nominated by Ojai teaching pros.

Also on the Thursday afternoon during the tournament a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ten and Underâ&#x20AC;? formerly called â&#x20AC;&#x153;Quick Startâ&#x20AC;? Challenge will be held at the lower Libbey courts. This is the culmination of the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Ten and Underâ&#x20AC;? program that has taken place at all See page 40

38

THE 117th OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENt

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THE 117th OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENt

39

From page 38

Photo by Holly Roberts

Tennis professional Mark Weil (left) works with a group of youth at the Libbey Park tennis courts during a High Performance Clinic.

Photo by Holly Roberts

Winners of the 2016 Sportsmanship Awards and Youth Tennis Committe members include (from left) Veronica Palmer, Jakob Vos, Jacinta Quackenbush, Shawn Rothermel, Max Mendoza, Chris Boydston, Craig Fugle, Campbell Gaston and Eric Schmidt.

Ojai Valley Elementary Schools throughout the school year.

Interested and capable players are invited to demonstrate their newly acquired skills and â&#x20AC;&#x153;challengeâ&#x20AC;? each other in Quick Start format.

In late spring, a High Performance Clinic is organized where Ojai area tennis pros sharing their knowledge with a select group of young tennis players for a day.

During the Christmas/New Year 40

holiday a Parent/Child Tournament takes place where 64 players (32 youth and 32 adults) form teams and play a back-draw tournament.

In addition, the OVTC provides funding to the Ojai Recreation Department to support the youth tennis programs, including Youth Team Tennis, group and individual lessons and the Ventura County Junior Tennis Association tournaments held in the Ojai Valley during the year. These youth programs THE 117th OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENt

are made possible by the contributions of sponsors includling Mike Taggart, a local philanthropist and tennis fan, the USTA and SCTA, the Ojai Recreation Department, Ojai Community Bank, Ojai Rotary and the OVTC. Tax deductible contributions can be made to OVTC Youth Tennis, P.O. Box 482 Ojai, CA 93024.

Email JHMVOS@AOL.COM for more information.

Â&#x2C6; 7YQQIV 7GLSSP ERH 'EQT EKIW Â&#x2C6; )UYIWXVMER 'EQT EKIW Â&#x2C6; 6SFSXMGW 'EQT EKIW Â&#x2C6; )RKPMWL 0ERKYEKI 'EQT EKIW Â&#x2C6; .YRMSV 'EQT EKIW

THE 117th OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENt

41

Photo by Holly Roberts

Connor Lee, from San Marino, competes in the 2016 BoysĂ&#x2022; CIF doubles division.

Ojai tennis fans have grown accustomed to seeing Ena ShiEDKDUD SOD\ RQ ÂżQDOV ZHHNHQG at The Ojai the past few years in the Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Open division.

Shibahara won the Open singles title the past two years, and teamed with Jada Hart to win the doubles back-to-back in 2014 and 2015, before fallLQJ LQ ODVW \HDUÂśV ÂżQDO This year, Shibahara and Hart will return to The Ojai, but this time as UCLA Bruins as the freshmen will contest WKH ÂżUVW ZRPHQÂśV 3DF WHDP championship.

Shibahara and Hart captured the U.S. Open Girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; doubles title in New York in September and are considered one of the best teams in all of college tennis.

Like Shibahara and Hart, fellow teenager and college freshman Brandon Holt will DOVR SOD\ KLV ÂżUVW 2MDL IRU KLV school, USC. Holt made a run all the way to the Mensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Open sin42

JOHV ÂżQDO ODVW \HDU ORVLQJ WR Deiton Baughman in a close ÂżQDO %DXJKPDQ LV FXUUHQWO\ DQ assistant coach at USC, but will return to Ojai to try and defend his title.

In the Boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; CIF Interscholastic division, UCLA recruit Connor Hance of Peninsula High is back to try and defend his Ojai singles. Last year, the senior Hance beat current Cal player Bjorn Hoffmann, of &RURQD GHO 0DU LQ WKH ÂżQDO 6-2, 6-2.

Last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s doubles winners Connor Lee and Bryce Pereira, of San Marcos, are expected to return, competing for San Marino High School.

Other top singles players include Ryan Seggerman (Coronado), Ivan Thamma (Point Loma), Kyle Pham (Corona del Mar) and Brandon Lam (Westlake). Watch out for Newport Harbor freshman Max 0F.HQQRQ D ÂżQDOLVW LQ WKH Boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 14s last year at The Ojai.

Photo by Holly Roberts

Open and Junior division preview

Newport Harbor freshman Max McKennon, a Ă&#x17E;nalist in the BoysĂ&#x2022; 14s last year at The Ojai, will play in the CIF Interscholastic division at The Ojai.

THE 117th OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENt

THE 117th OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENt

43

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THE 117th OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENt

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