Hot Shots

by Pam Olley

Spring 2017

The 2017 Ontario Indoor Junior Provincial Championships were showcased across several indoor clubs during the March Break.

While many families use March Beak to catch some winter sunshine, those with keen junior tennis players often stay in Ontario to play the Indoor Junior Provincial Championships. This tradition was started roughly twenty years ago when the player development committee sought input from juniors on when the best time was to hold an indoor provincial event. Holding these events during this holiday week works well for players from all over the province as they can participate in an event with full feed in consolation and doubles without taking extra time from school to travel or participate. It equally works well for indoor clubs who often suspend regular programming during spring break because so many families go away.

The Under 12s played at ACE in Burlington during the first half of the break. In the girls singles Kayla Cross, seeded #3, defeated Iulia Bucea, seeded #7, in a tough three set final, 3-6,6-2, 6-2; While top seeded Sasha Rozin won the boys final over unseeded Duncan Chan 6-2, 6-2.

The following players were placed 1 to 6 in singles and were doubles finalists

U12 Boys’ Singles: Sasha Rozin, Duncan Chan, Aleksandar Mitric, Aleksandar Ivancevic, Matthew Overvelde, Milos Micic.
Doubles: Matthew Overvelde & Sasha Rozin, Denis Granulo & Stefan Simeunovic (Oakville).
U12 Girls’ Singles: Kayla Cross, Iulia Bucea, Cadence Brace, Maria Popova, Victoria Mboko, Madison Lee.
Doubles: Kayla Cross & Maria Popova, Cenan Liu & Victoria Mboko.

The Under 14s were at White Oaks, Niagara on the Lake for the second half of the break week. The top seeds prevailed in both the boys and the girls singles events. Marko Stakusic beat 7th seeded Eric Kovacs 6-3,6-2 in the final while Dasha Plekhanova took on unseeded Katja Viberg for her 6-2,6-3 win in the final.

The following players were placed 1 to 6 in singles and were doubles finalists

U14 Boys’ Singles: Marko Stakusic, Eric Kovacs, Alessandro Sant’Angelo, David Gauberg, Kevin Bence Kovacs, Alex (Xiang) Lu.
Doubles: Alex (Xiang) Lu & Marko Sakusic, Kevin Bence Kovacs & Eric Kovacs.
U14 Girls’ Singles: Dasha Plekhanova, Katja Viberg, Dharani Niroshan, Victoria Mboko, Jessica Luisa Alsola, Samantha Horwood.
Doubles: Jessica Luisa Alsola & Dharani Niroshan, Dasha Plekhanova & Maria Popova.

Front Row: Dasha Plekhanova (Champion), Katja Viberg (Finalist), Victoria Mboko (4th), Jessica Alsola (5th) Dharani Niroshan (3rd), Samantha Horwood (6th)
Back Row: Andrew Chappell (OTA), Alessandro Sant'Angelo (3rd), Alex Lu (6th) Marko Stakusic, (Champion), Erik Kovacs, (Finalist), David Gauberg, (4th), Kevin Kovacs (5th), Giovanni Rodriguez,Tennis Director, White Oaks Resort

The Under 16 girls played in Ottawa at the Ottawa Athletic Club early in the week, where Viktoriya Tabunshchyk defeated 8th seeded Sofia Kostirko to take the singles title. Meanwhile the under 16 boys played at Veneto Tennis Club in Woodbridge where the top two seeds faced off in the final and Nick Lagaev edged out Daniel Fainblum 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3.

The following players were placed 1 to 6 in singles and were doubles finalists

U16 Boys’ Singles: Nick Lagaev, Daniel Fainblum, Joshua Lapadat , Michael Pawlowicz, Alex Oancea, Alvin Nicholas Tudorica.
Doubles: Joshua Lapadat & Isaac Ogilvy, Neil Kandhai & Nick Lagaev.
U16 Girls’ Singles: Viktoriya Tabunshchyk, Sofia Kostirko, Oleksandra Gorchanyuk, Rachel Krzyzak, Jada Bui ,Rachel Hanford.
Doubles: Jada Bui & Corina Spasojevic, Kailen Galazka & Viktoriya Tabunshchyk.

Ontario Racquet Club in Mississauga hosted the under 18s. The 6th and 7th seeded boys, Victor Krustev and Justin Boulais reached the final with Krustev taking the honours 7-5.6-1. Brindtha Ramasamy took the girls title beating unseeded Sofija Zecevic in the final.

U18 Boys’ Singles: Victor Krustev, Justin Boulais, Jonathan Sorbo, Nick Lagaev, Liam Draxl, Michael Pawlowicz.
Doubles: Victor Krustev & Peter Kuszynski , Justin Boulais & Ryan Navarro.
U18 Girls’ Singles: Brindtha Ramasamy, Sofija Zecevic, Natasha Sengphrachanh, Viktoriya Tabunshchyk, Alexandra Mikhailuk, Alisia Stephanie Manolescu.
Doubles: Jada Bui & Mya Bui, Viktoriya Tabunshchyk & Daniela Voloh.

Thanks to all the clubs, volunteers, organizers, parents and players for another very successful indoor provincials week!

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