DiGiulio captures national championship

junior tennis for Wed.Newport Beach 10-year-old, playing in the boys 12s, wins Wilson event in Palm Springs after upsetting top seed. Moved up into a higher age group? No problem for Joseph DiGiulio.

DiGiulio, who recently turned 10, is ranked ninth in the boys 12s in Southern California by the United States Tennis Association.

DiGiulio, the rising star from Palisades Tennis Club in Newport Beach, won the under-12 division at the Wilson junior tennis national championships.

The national championships were played at Rancho Las Palmas Country Club in Palm Springs.

The Newport Beach resident won six matches in five days.

On the way to the championship, DiGiulio defeated No. 1 seed Thai Kwiathowski from North Carolina on Sunday, 6-3, 3-6, 10-5, in the quarterfinal match.

On Monday in the semifinals, he defeated No. 8 seed Alex Scheinman from Los Angeles, 6-2, 6-1.

In the championship match Tuesday, DiGiulo defeated No. 7 seed Alexio Halebian, 6-3, 6-1.

This isn’t the first time he has beaten older players, and it probably won’t be the last.

In September 2004, DiGiulio made local headlines by winning the championship at the Costa Mesa tournament, 6-0, 6-0.

In July 2004, as a 9-year-old, he won the championship in two sets for the under-12 championship in the War by the Shore.

DiGiulio is not finished playing older players.

At the Palisades Tennis Club, DiGiulio is known well on the courts for playing older players, and beating them.

“It’s almost freakish, how good he is,” said personal coach Brian McQuaid.

“I’ve been coaching Joe for three years now. He’s not just a good tennis player, but he has a good head on his shoulders.”

DiGiulio has not followed the educational trend that most young tennis stars take. He still attends regular classes, and plays tennis during his free time, after school.

On the weekend of Nov. 14 and 15, DiGiulio will be competing in the Under 14 K-Swiss Masters invitational at Whittier Narrows Tennis Club.