December Honor Roll

January 25, 2013 07:15 AM
The monthly USTA Player Development Player and Coach Honor Roll recognizes the top performing young Americans and their coaches each month.
 
Here is a look at some of the most outstanding performances turned in by American tennis players ages 20 and younger in December:
 
Tyra Black (March 2, 2001), Boca Raton, Fla. – Black, the younger sister of Alicia Black, upended Josie Frazier (Phoenix, Jan. 20, 2001) to win the Girls' 12s USTA Winter National Championship. She is coached by USTA National Coach Freddie Rodriguez.
 
Jenson Brooksby (Oct. 26, 2000), Sacramento, Calif. – Brooksby reached the final of the Junior Orange Bowl Boys' 12s draw, bowing to Israel’s Yshai Oliel in the title match. He is coached by Joseph Gilbert.
 
Kelly Chen (May 9, 1999), Cerritos, Calif. – Chen edged Helen Altick (Monroe, La., May 20, 1998) to capture the Girls' 14s title at the USTA Winter National Championships, becoming the only unseeded player in any singles draw to win a title.
 
Zeke Clark (July 19, 1998), Tulsa, Okla. – Clark advanced to the title match of the Junior Orange Bowl Boys' 14s draw, falling to fellow American Michael Mmoh in the final. He then reached the Boys 14s' final at the USTA Winter National Championships. He is coached by Trent Tucker.
 
Abigail Desiatnikov (Jan. 22, 2001), Gates Mills, Ohio – Desiatnikov came away from the Junior Orange Bowl the Girls' 12s champion, defeating Serbia’s Jovana Vukovic in the final. She is coached by Rick Shy.
 
George Goldhoff (Jan. 14, 1995), Irvine, Calif. – Goldhoff, the top seed in December’s USTA Winter National Championships Boys' 18s draw, held strong to defeat David Hsu (San Jose, Ca., March 1, 1996) in the title match, 2-6, 6-0, 6-3. He is coached by Jimmy Johnson.
 
Madison Keys (Feb. 17, 1995), Rock Island, Ill. – Keys capped her fall tear by winning the USTA Australian Open Wild Card Playoffs for the second year in a row, gaining a main-draw wild-card entry into the Australian Open. She is coached by USTA National Coach Juan Todero.
 
Sameer Kumar (Carmel, Ind.), July 10, 1997 – The No. 1 seed in the Boys' 16s draw at the USTA Winter National Championships, Kumar held on to beat No. 9 seed Hampton Drake (Hilton Head, S.C.), 4-6, 6-4, 6-2, in the title match. He is coached by Bryan Smith.
 
Thai-Son Kwiatkowski (Feb. 13, 1995), Charlotte, N.C. – Kwiatkowski reached the Boys' 18s semifinals at the Orange Bowl International Tennis Championships. He works with USTA National Coach Stanford Boster.
 
Jamie Loeb (March 8, 1995), Ossining, N.Y. – Loeb, as the top seed, defeated fellow American Ellyse Hamlin (Nov. 9, 1996, Fairfield, Conn.) to capture the Girls' 18s USTA Winter National Championships. She is coached by Felix Alvarado.
 
Keenan Mayo, Roseville, Calif. – One of four top seeds to win at the USTA Winter National Championships, Mayo defeated fourth-seeded Brandon Nakashima (San Diego, Aug. 5, 2001), 6-4, 6-3, to capture the Boys' 12s crown. He is coached by Arthur Petuschkov.
 
John McNally, Cincinnati – McNally, the No. 2 seed in the Boys' 14s USTA Winter National Championships, overcame No. 4 Zeke Clark to claim the title. He is coached by his mother Lynn.
 
Michael Mmoh (Jan. 10, 1998), Temple Hills, Md. – Mmoh, who helped the United States win World Junior Tennis gold in August, won the Boys' 14s Junior Orange Bowl title, overcoming Zeke Clark in the final, 6-1, 6-3. He is coached by Red Ayme.
 
Ena Shibahara, Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. – Shibahara, the No. 15 seed in the Girls' 16s draw at the USTA Winter National Championships, defeated No. 4 seed Melissa Lord (Bloomfield, Conn., Jun. 24, 1997), 6-3, 6-2, to capture the title.
 

Back

 
 

 
 
Close