CdM duo denied in semifinals

NEWPORT BEACH — Fabian Matthews and Cierra Gaytan-Leach had never played doubles before this week at the Roy Emerson Adoption Guild Classic.

And, even after losing in straight sets in the open mixed doubles semifinals Saturday at Newport Beach Tennis Club, the Corona del Mar High students hope to play together again.

“How about at the sectionals in November?” Matthews asked after they lost, 6-4, 6-0, to No. 1-seeded Debbie Graham and Andy Stewart.

The two standouts did appear to make a good pair, especially in the first set and especially given the level of competition. Graham won the 1990 NCAA singles title as a junior at Stanford, and helped the Cardinal to three consecutive national championships. She went on to play for 10 years on the WTA Tour, and was ranked as high as No. 28 in singles and No. 9 in doubles.

“They’re a really good team,” said Matthews, who won his second straight CIF Southern Section doubles title with Dustin Hladek on May 26. “I don’t know if we’d play anybody like that in the juniors. They got every ball back.”

Gaytan-Leach and Matthews were ahead a break of serve twice in the first set, the last time at 4-3. But they lost the last three games of the set.

In the second set, it was a bit more difficult, as they failed to win a game. But both CdM students said after the match that it was good competition.

“It’s fun,” said Gaytan-Leach, who advanced to the women’s doubles final at the Adoption Guild last year with partner McCall Jones. “I played it last year too and got some experience. It’s good to mix it up a little bit and play against different people.”

The pairing with Matthews happened when it came up in a conversation with Gaytan-Leach and Matthews’ younger sister, Tisha, who are in the same math class at CdM.

“We’re going to play some more together,” Gaytan-Leach said. “It’ll be fun.”

CdM senior Jill Damion, who is headed to UC Santa Barbara, lost both of her matches against similarly tough competition Saturday. She lost to No. 1-seeded Dianne Matias of USC, 6-3, 6-2, in the semifinals of the women’s open singles division.

In the women’s open doubles division, Damion and partner Micaela Hein fell to Matias and her USC teammate Judith Devara, the No. 2 seed, 6-2, 6-3.

MATT SZABO may be reached at (714) 966-4614 or at matthew.szabo@latimes.com.