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 January:
Usue Arconada (Oct. 28, 1998), College Park, Md. – Won an ITF pro title at a $10,000 Event in Saint Martin, Guadeloupe. Also advanced to the singles and doubles finals at the Coffee Bowl ITF junior event in Costa Rica. She is coached by Frank Salazar.
Deiton Baughman (April 23, 1996), Carson, Calif. -- Reached the semifinals of the USTA Pro Circuit $10,000 Men’s Futures in Plantation, Fla., then won the title at the $10,000 Men’s Futures in Sunrise, Fla., the next week. He is coached by his father, Brad.
Ulises Blanch (March 25, 1998), Pompano Beach, Fla. – Turned in solid results at back-to-back ITF Grade 1 junior events in South America, advancing to the singles final at the Mundial Juvenil de Tenis Barranquilla in Colombia and reaching the singles semifinals and doubles final at the Coffee Bowl in Costa Rica. He is coached by Claudio Menna, Daniel Garcia, Gaston Briano and Diego Penna.
Samantha Crawford (Feb. 18, 1995), Atlanta, Ga. – Advanced to the singles final at the USTA Pro Circuit $25,000 women’s event in Plantation, Fla. She is coached by Michael Joyce.
Kayla Day (Sept. 28, 1999), Santa Barbara, Calif. – Advanced to the singles final at the Safina Cup ITF junior event in the Czech Republic. She works with USTA National Coach Adam Peterson.
Jared Donaldson (Oct. 9, 1996), Chepachet, R.I. – Won the singles title at the $50,000 Men’s Challenger in Maui, Hawaii, becoming the seventh youngest American to win a Challenger title and the third youngest player in the Top 200 now with the victory. Donaldson (pictured above) is coached by Taylor Dent.
Nicole Frenkel (April 29, 1998), Winchester, Mass. – Won seven of nine matches at consecutive $10,000 ITF pro events in Guadeloupe, reaching the singles final in Petit-Bourg and the semifinals in Saint-Martin. She is coached by Frank Salazar.
Taylor Fritz (Oct. 28, 1997), Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. – Advanced to the quarterfinals both at the Australian Open Junior Championships and the AGL Loy Yang Traralgon Junior International event the week before. Also advanced to the semifinals of the USTA Pro Circuit $15,000 Men’s Futures in Los Angeles to begin the month. He is coached by his father, Guy.
Michaela Gordon (July 26, 1999), Los Altos Hills, Calif. – Swept the girls’ singles and doubles titles at the Coffee Bowl ITF junior event in Costa Rica, winning the doubles championship with fellow Californian Claire Liu (May 25, 2000; Thousand Oaks, Calif.). She is coached by Brian Eagle and John Hubbell.
Nathan Han (April 15, 2001), Tulsa, Okla. – Advanced to the boys’ singles semifinals and reached the doubles final, with Govind Nanda (Feb. 17, 2001; Redlands, Calif.), at the prestigious Nike Junior International Teen Tennis 14-and-under event in Bolton, England. He is coached by Trent Tucker.
Olivia Hauger (Sept. 26, 1997), Tulsa, Okla. – Advanced to the singles semifinals at the Coffee Bowl ITF junior event in Costa Rica, then won a junior main-draw match at the Australian Open. She is coached by Trent Tucker.
Dasha Ivanova (Oct. 11, 1996), Beaverton, Ore. – Reached the singles semifinals at the $10,000 ITF pro tournament in Petit-Bourg, Guadeloupe. She is coached by Timothy Neilly.
Sofia Kenin (Nov. 1, 1998), Pembroke Pines, Fla. – Reached the singles and doubles semifinals at the Coffee Bowl ITF junior event in Costa Rica. She is coached by her father, Alex.
Madison Keys (Feb. 17, 1995), Rock Island, Ill. – Beat reigning Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova and Venus Williams to advance to the semifinals of the Australian Open, her first Grand Slam semifinal appearance, and is now ranked in the Top 20 for the first time. She is coached by Lindsey Davenport.
Andrea Kevakian (Dec. 3, 1997), Glendale, Calif. – Reached the singles semifinals and doubles final, with Ndindi Mwaruka (Dec. 24, 1997), at the Copa Gatorade ITF junior event in Caracas, Venezuela. She is coached by Amir Marandy.
Raveena Kingsley (July 23, 1998), Parkton, Md. – Advanced to the junior singles quarterfinals at the Australian Open, which was the best showing among American girls. She is coached by Phil Dent.
Vasil Kirkov (March 13, 1999), Tampa, Fla. – Qualified and reached the semifinals at the Ecuador Grade 1 ITF junior event. He is coached by his father, Stoyan.
Stefan Kozlov (Feb. 1, 1998), Pembroke Pines, Fla. – Partnered with Jared Donaldson to win the doubles title at the $50,000 Maui Challenger. He is coached by his father, Andrei, and works with USTA National Coach Nicolas Todero.
Caty McNally (Nov. 20, 2001), Cincinnati, Oh. – Swept the girls’ singles and doubles titles at the prestigious Nike Junior International Teen Tennis 14-and-under event in Bolton, England. She is coached by her mother, Lynn.
Sebastian Mermersky (April 9, 1999), Washington, D.C. – Won the boys’ doubles title at the Abu Dhabi Country Club ITF junior event in the United Arab Emirates, with Ammar Alhogbani (Dec. 15, 1998; Alexandria, Va.) and also reached the semifinals of the Fujairah ITF Junior Championships the following week.
Tommy Paul (May 17, 1997), Lumberton, N.J. – Reached the semifinals of the USTA Pro Circuit $10,000 Men’s Futures in Palm Coast, Fla. He works with USTA National Coach Diego Moyano.
Emil Reinberg (April 20, 1997), Atlanta, Ga. – The Georgia recruit won the doubles title at the Coffee Bowl in Costa Rica, then reached the singles semifinals at the Copa Gatorade in Venezuela. He is coached by Grant Stafford.
Gianni Ross (Feb. 4, 1999), La Grange, Ill. – Qualified and reached the semifinals at the Ecuador Grade 1 ITF junior event. He is coached by Jack Sharpe and Robbye Poole.
Francis Tiafoe (Jan. 20, 1998), College Park, Md. – Compiled a strong stretch at USTA Pro Circuit $10,000 Men’s Futures events in Florida, reaching the title match in Weston, the semifinals in Sunrise and the quarterfinals in Palm Coast. He is coached by Misha Kouznetsov.
Sachia Vickery (May 11, 1995), Hollywood, Fla. – Won two USTA Pro Circuit $25,000 titles in January in Sunrise, Fla., and Plantation, Fla. She is coached by Adrian Zeman.