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(l to r) Evan Wen, Victor Lilov, Katrina Scott and Katja Wiersholm.
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By Sally Milano
U.S. juniors made history for the second straight year at the 14-and-under Junior International Teen Tennis tournament in Bolton, England, as all-American finals were contested in both the boys' and girls' draws.
Thirteen-year-olds Victor Lilov of Raleigh, N.C., and Katja Wiersholm of Kirkland, Wash., captured singles titles at the prestigious event, with Lilov defeating 14-year-old Evan Wen of Morristown, N.J., 6-3, 0-6, 6-3, in the boys' championship, and Wiersholm beating 13-year-old Katrina Scott of Woodland Hills, Calif., 6-4, 6-4, in the girls' final.
Last year, Cori Gauff beat Alexandra Yepifanova to win the girls' title, and Toby Kodat defeated Martin Damm in the boys' championship, marking the first time in the 24-year history of the renowned tournament – which counts Andy Murray, Kim Clijsters, Justine Henin and Caroline Wozniacki among its previous finalists – that all four singles finalists were from the same country.
In doubles action, Wiersholm and 13-year-old Robin Montgomery of Washington, D.C., won the girls' doubles title, posting a 6-4, 6-2 victory over France's Oceane Babel and Laia Petretic. Lilov and Wen fell in the boys' doubles championship match to top seeds Milli Poljicak and Dino Prizmic of Croatia, 3-6, 6-4 [10-5].
The eight-player U.S. contingent that traveled to Bolton, along with USTA National Coaches Lori Riffice and Jon Glover, will now head to Tarbes, France, to play in the prestigious 14-and-under Les Petits As.