Lingman Comes On Strong

Woodbridge junior Susanna Lingman, after taking a month off from tennis to reevaluate her game, has returned to the courts with a flourish.

Playing in only her third major tournament since her self-mandated vacation after the girls’ tennis season ended in December, Lingman upset third-seeded Angie Haynes of Compton, 7-5, 6-4, Wednesday to win the girls’ 18s championship of the Quiksilver/Roxy Junior Open at Los Caballeros Racquet Club.

“I’ve decided to rededicate myself to tennis,” said Lingman, 16. “It seems to be working so far. Hopefully, I can keep it going.”

Lingman, coming off a strong performance at the Ojai Valley Tennis Tournament, where she upset top-seeded Iris Ichim of Beverly Hills to advance to the semifinals, was the giant-killer again this week, upsetting top-seeded Andrea Yung of San Marino in the quarterfinals, fourth-seeded Jennifer Baker of Palm Desert in the semifinals and third-seeded Haynes for the title.

In the first set of the finals, each player appeared tight, struggling with her serve and committing numerous unforced errors. Lingman took a 3-1 lead, but Haynes, a left-hander, got a break and put the match back on serve, taking a 5-4 lead. Lingman rebounded, however. With strong serving and powerful returns, she closed out the set, winning three consecutive games.

Six unforced errors by Lingman early in the second set, helped Haynes grab a 3-0 advantage. Lingman fought back, losing just one more game before reeling off five games in row to win the title.

Lingman missed only four first serves in her final three games.

In the girls’ 16s, top-seeded Brooke Borisoff of Agoura Hills defended her title with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Lindsey Nelson of Orange.

Nelson, an eighth-grader who won the 14s title last year, took a 2-0 lead in the first set before Borisoff, 16, broke back after battling through six deuces. Each continued to break the other’s serve until Borisoff finally held to take a 5-3 lead.

With Borisoff leading, 40-15, in the final game, Nelson rallied back to deuce, but two straight errors ended the set.

Borisoff never trailed in the second set. She took a 3-0 lead before Nelson came back and won the next three games, but Borisoff began to dominate and quickly closed out the match, 6-3.

In the girls’ 14s, top-seeded Tracy Lin of Anaheim was defeated by second-seeded Nicole Leimbach of Colorado Springs, 6-3, 7-6.

In the girls’ 12s, top-seeded Cosima Ciobanu of Brea defeated fifth-seeded Jessica Nguyen of Chatsworth, 6-4, 6-2.

In the boys’ 12s, second-seeded Michael McClune of Irvine defeated fourth-seeded Jon Sappaiboon of Mar Vista, 6-3, 6-2.