Brooke Austin just can’t seem to catch a break when it comes to draws in Southern California tournaments. Faced with a very tough draw in the Girls 18s Division in four consecutive important ITF events in Southern California over the past two years, the 17-year-old Indianapolis resident survived three match points to upset top-seeded Jamie Loeb of Ossining, N.Y., 5-7, 7-6(7), 6-3, in the second round of the 46th annual ASICS Easter Bowl.
Today, Rockville Centre, N.Y.'s Noah Rubin, the top seed in the Boys 18s Division, will face Californian Robbie Bellamy after a first-round bye.
“After last week I sort of knew this was going to happen,” said last year’s ASICS Easter Bowl 18s finalist Austin. Last week, Austin won just three games in a first-round loss to unseeded Mayo Hibi at the Carson USTA International Spring Championships. Last year, Austin lost to a very tough player in Belinda Bencic of Bradenton, Fla., in the second round at Carson, and then came to the ASICS Easter Bowl and upset fifth-seeded Samantha Crawford in the first round, eventually making it to the final where she fell to Taylor Townsend.
“I was just trying to win one point at a time,” said Austin. “And to stay aggressive and to keep her moving as much as I could. Because I knew if she got her feet set the point would be over.”
Results of note for local area juniors at the Easter Bowl:
Boys’ 18s Singles (Round of 64)
►Dennis Uspensky (15) Atlantic Beach, N.Y. def. Logan Staggs Tracy, Calif. 7-5, 6-4
►Jake Stefanik Coral Springs, Fla. def. Matthew Nardella Manlius, N.Y. 3-6, 6-2, 7-6(2)
►Logan Smith Carlsbad, CA def. Lamar Remy Roslyn, NY 6-4, 6-1
►Daniel Kerznerman (7) Brooklyn, N.Y. def. Christian Langmo Boca Raton, Fla. 6-3, 6-3
Girls’ 18s Singles (Round of 32)
►Louisa Chirico (14) Harrison, N.Y. def. Kaiulani Boyer Irvine, Calif. 6-2, 6-2
►Brooke Austin Indianapolis, Ind. def. Jamie Loeb (1) Ossining, N.Y. 5-7, 7-6(7), 6-3
►Denise Starr (11) Brooklyn, NY def. Lauren Marker Rancho Mirage, CA 7-5, 6-1
Boys’ 16s Singles (Round of 64)
►Robert Levine (17) Bedford, N.Y. def. Gianni Ross Burr Ridge, Ill. 6-0, 0-6, 6-0
►Artemie Amari New York, N.Y. def. Grayson Broadus (17) Carrollton, Texas 6-1, 6-2
►Daniel Grunberger (6) Great Neck, N.Y. def. Grey Hamilton Southern Pines, N.C. 6-2, 6-2
►James Wasserman New York, N.Y. def. Martin Joyce (17) Hinsdale, Ill. 6-2, 6-2
►Alexander Lebedev (10) Island Park, N.Y. def. Austin Hussey Edgewood, Ky. 2-6, 6-2, 6-1
Boys’ 14s Singles (Round of 32)
►Connor Hance (2) Torrance, CA def. Sam Turchetta (17) Pound Ridge, NY 6-1, 6-1
Girls’ 16s Singles (Round of 64)
►Dominique Schaefer (17) Ventura, Calif. def. Alexandra Sabe Rye, N.Y. 6-1, 6-2
►Rebecca Weissmann (17) Loveland, Colo. def. Jessica Livianu Brooklyn, N.Y. 6-2, 6-1
►Madison Battaglia Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. def. Jada Hart Colton, Calif. 6-2, 7-6(1)
Boys’ 14s Singles (Round of 16)
►Connor Hance (2) Torrance, CA def. Sam Turchetta (17) Pound Ridge, NY 6-1, 6-1
Girls’ 14s Singles (Rounds of 32)
►Loren Haukova Elmsford, N.Y. def. Kariann Pierre-Louis Miami, Fla. 6-4, 6-2
►Rachel Lim Briarcliff Manor, N.Y. def. Delaney Nothaft (4) Tempe, Ariz. 2-6, 6-2, 6-3
►Alexa Graham (17) Garden City, N.Y. def. Kelly Chen (2) Cerritos, Calif. 7-6(5), 6-2
