DiGiulio captures national championship

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.