Khoury misses out on second chance to impress

FOUNTAIN VALLEY ? When Robert Khoury chose to enter the Southern California Junior Sectional Championships, he had his mind on more than winning.

College representatives regularly patrol the tournament in search of players for their respective schools. Each match won was another opportunity for Khoury to impress and possibly earn a scholarship. Battling against a cold, a cut under his thumb from a second-set collision with the fence, and Thomas Shubert, Khoury lost 6-2, 4-6, 7-6, in the boys’ 18 singles round of 32 at Los Caballeros Tennis Racquet and Sports Club Wednesday.

“I could have gotten into a good college,” Khoury said. “That’s why I’m upset. I saw UCLA here. I just wanted to play some more matches.”

The result of the two hour, 45 minute match was all the more painful because Khoury said he had beaten Shubert twice before and Chris Kearny, who he would have faced in the round of 16, once.

“I told [Shubert] to enjoy it while he can,” Khoury said. “I have a winning record against most of these guys.”

Khoury was able to keep his tennis skills at a high enough level to qualify with two victories in the preliminary rounds, despite being away from competitive tennis for three to four months.

“I just lost interest,” Khoury said. “I got motivated again watching the Australian Open.”

Part of the reason for stepping away from the sport was because Khoury’s fiery emotions did not meld well with tennis. But the Newport Harbor High senior was able to harness them after dropping the first set.

He took the second set and had a break point and a double break point in two games early in the set, but was not able to capitalize.

Tied 4-4, Khoury was able to break Shubert and serve for the set. The powerful serve that carried him through his comeback had waned and Shubert broke back.

In the tie-breaker, Khoury fell behind 4-0, rallied to 6-4, but did not get any closer.

“I’m just tired,” said Khoury, who plans to play tennis at a community college.

Khoury still has an opportunity to play in front of college scouts in the out-bracket today at 1:30 p.m. at Los Caballeros.

In boys’ 16 singles, Costa Mesa resident Charlie Alvarado came in confident his speed could match Alex Brigham’s power. The last time the two met, Alvarado lost a close three-set match.

But as is the case in Southern California Jr. Tennis because the majority of players have faced each other, Brigham switched his game plan. Instead of using his power on the baseline, Brigham came to the net and put Alvarado away with a 6-1, 6-4 victory.

“He played a great game,” Alvarado said. “He came to the net and finished points better. He was really aggressive. He served and volleyed. He doesn’t usually do that.”

Alvarado, a Costa Mesa resident, was not prepared to dust off his lob shot and his hits down the line were not falling in.

“I just fought really hard,” said Alvarado, who qualified with three victories in the preliminaries. “I didn’t know what to do. The main draw is tough. Sectionals is one of the toughest tournaments. I just tried to run every ball down and catch him off guard.”

Alvarado moves on to the out-bracket and will play today at 11 a.m. against Michael Lin at Los Cabelleros.

Now Alvarado will take his game where all players with speed enjoy being ? on clay. His next tournament will be the Southern Open in Georgia beginning July 9.

“Hopefully I’ll do well,” Alvarado said. “I just like to run and get everything.”

Alexandria Walters, who did not have to qualify for the girls’ 16 round of 32, displayed no rust in advancing to the round of 16 with 6-1, 6-3 victory. Walters, a Newport Beach resident, had not played a competitive tournament in two weeks.

“I was just trying to keep the ball in and get in a nice groove,” Walters said. “She was a good player. We were both running side to side and she had some nice passing shots. She surprised me.”

Walters led 4-3 in the second set before winning the final two games.

“I had a couple of nice shots and she had a couple of errors,” Walters said of the second set. “I like the tournament atmosphere. It’s kind of cool. I just have to move my feet and keep the ball in.”

In the same draw, Cierra Gaytan-Leach advanced to the round of 16 with the same ease, 6-4, 6-2, against Tiffany Mai. The No. 6-seeded Corona del Mar resident was playing a day after her girls’ 18 doubles match in the same tournament.

The 14-year old Gaytan-Leach is also playing up from her normal age group, but she enjoys the differences.

“I like playing up. It’s better competition,” Gaytan-Leach said. “It’s sort of easier because I’m not as highly ranked as I am in 14s, so there is less on the line.”

Gaytan-Leach had no qualms about quickly dispatching a good friend in Mai.

“On the court it is about tennis and respecting each other’s games,” Gaytan-Leach said.

At the Costa Mesa Tennis Center, 10-year old Joseph Di Giulio easily cruised into the round of 16 in the boys’ 12 singles final. The No. 3-seeded Newport Beach resident won his match, 6-0, 6-0.dpt.22-tennis-5-kt-CPhotoInfoIE1S7IN120060622j18kdtncKENT TREPTOW / DAILY PILOTRobert Khoury of Newport Beach competes in the 104th annual Southern California Junior Sectional Championships at Los Caballeros Racquet and Sports Club on Wednesday. Khoury lost his second-round match in three games.dpt.22-tennis-4-kt-BPhotoInfoIE1S7ITF20060622j18kd4ncKENT TREPTOW / DAILY PILOTCharlie Alvarado goes for the backhand on Wednesday.