An upset at the War by the Shore

Bryce Alderton

Don’t tell Robert Khoury to pay attention to the seeds.

The unseeded Khoury upset third-seeded Gregory Sturman of

Fullerton in boys 18s singles action Thursday, 7-5, 3-6, 6-0, in

quarterfinal action of the War by the Shore Junior Tennis Classic at

The Balboa Bay Club Racquet Club.

Khoury’s win, coupled with second seed in boys 18s Kaes Van’t

Hof’s 6-2, 6-2 win over Nicholas Jamros Wednesday, sets up a

semifinal match between the two today at 12:30 p.m.

Khoury and Van’t Hof are the only two remaining local players on

the boys 18s singles side, the most in all the boys singles draws.

Only one Newport-Mesa area player remains in the boys 14s, 12s and

10s singles divisions after Wednesday’s play.

Fourth-seeded Jake Fleming advanced to the quarterfinals after

defeating David Bloom, 6-0, 6-3 Wednesday afternoon, only the start

of a tennis-filled afternoon and night for Fleming.

On a warm summer afternoon, Fleming said after defeating Bloom

that he would be ready to go the rest of the day, shrugging off any

signs of fatigue.

This tournament marks Fleming’s first attempt at playing singles

in boys 16s. “Guys are bigger, stronger and hit harder so I try and

outsmart them and pick on their weaknesses,” Fleming said.

Fleming said the key to his win over Bloom was consistency.

“I like the baseline, but I also try to look for the short ball

and come in,” he said.

Fleming, teaming up with Kurt Wheeler from Salem, Ore., as the

top-seeded duo in boys 14s doubles, won their boys 14s doubles match

against Christopher Seckman and Taran Sondhu, Wednesday, 6-1, 6-4,

and face the third-seeded tandem of Silvio Chiba and Brandon Tran

today at 5 p.m.

Unfortunately for Fleming, his run in singles ended Wednesday

night with a loss to seventh-seeded Shimpei Suzuki, 6-2, 6-2.

Newport Beach’s Ryan Caughren continued his tournament run in boys

14s singles with a 6-4, 7-5, win over Anaheim’s Christian Isip and

will play third-seeded Michael Eraso today at 11 a.m.

Meanwhile, on the boys 12s singles side, second-seeded Charlie

Alvarado of Costa Mesa advanced to today’s 2 p.m. semifinal after he

beat Nipun Patel, 6-4, 6-4, and fourth-seeded Charlie Corum of

Newport Beach bested fellow Newport resident Erik Heimstaedt in boys

10s singles, 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 6-0. Corum plays in the semifinals today

at 11 a.m.

Newport Beach’s Henri Chomeau and partner Graham Witherby defeated

Huntington Beach’s Brian Hoang and Anthony Raczynski in boys 12s

doubles, 6-4, 6-1, Tuesday but lost to the top-seeded team of Daniel

Ho and Denis Nguyen Wednesday night, 6-0, 6-1. C.J. Chomeau and

Christopher Jackman will play in the semifinals in boys 12s doubles

today at 6:30 p.m.

On the girls side, third-seeded Taylynn Snyder took care of

business by beating Denise Cockrell in girls 18s singles, 6-1, 6-3,

to set up a semifinal match at 8 a.m. today against Kristin

Bronowicki.

Newport Beach’s Alexa Glatch also advanced Wednesday in girls 18s

to the semifinals with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Catrisha Cabanilla. Glatch

plays fourth-seeded Casey Knutson at 9 a.m. today.

Snyder and partner Serena Fermin are the top-seeded doubles team

in girls 18s and will face Newport Beach’s Carmen Khoury and Diana

Khoury today at 6:30 p.m.

Third-seed Amanda Rubenstein of Newport Beach is the only area

girl left in girls 16s singles, as she advanced to today’s 12:30 p.m.

semifinal match with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Laura Robinson. Rubenstein

plays No. 1 seed Lorren Butterwick of Laguna Beach today.

Two doubles matches in girls 16s can be seen today at 5 p.m. as

the top-seeded tandem of Newport Beach’s Jamison Steele and Laguna

Beach’s Sarah Fansler battle Ellie Cruikshank and Jenna Colgrove as

Newport Beach’s Danielle Drucker and Sarah Griffith battle Emma

Bronowicki and Rachel Henderson.

Two area players advanced to the quarterfinals in girls 14s with

wins Wednesday.

Second-seeded Nelly Radeva beat Samantha Reeves, 6-1, 6-0, and

will face Stacy Kaufman today at 8 a.m. while Newport Beach’s Jillian

Braverman defeated Dalya Perelman, 6-2, 6-3, and will play

fourth-seeded Brooke Fletcher today at 8 a.m. in a quarterfinal

match.

Braverman and Claire Rietsch team up in semifinal girls 14s

doubles action today at 6:30 p.m.

In girls 10s singles, Newport Beach’s Melissa Matsuoka moved on to

the semifinals today at 5 p.m. as she beat Nikki Sanders, 6-2, 6-0.