Di Giulio grows in win

FOUNTAIN VALLEY — Last year, Joseph Di Giulio reached the semifinals of the Southern California Junior Sectional Championships. He did it again Saturday at the Fountain Valley Tennis Center. But there’s something different about the Newport Beach resident this year.

Sure he’s improved over the past year. But he’s also grown with regard to height. It was a classic growth spurt, shooting up nearly four inches since last year.

Di Giulio, a 14-year-old who is now 5 feet, 6 inches, also showed maturity during his three-set win Saturday. He seemed primed for an upset, ready to be dumped in the quarterfinals against Brendan McClain.

But then came the third set and it belonged to Di Giulio. He owned it.

Di Giulio, seeded No. 2 in the boys’ 14 singles division, dominated play in the third set and advanced to today’s semifinals in the 107th annual United States Tennis Assn. junior tournament.

McClain of Ventura was left humbled, watching the No. 5-ranked boys’ 14 singles player in the nation come alive in the third set. The No. 8 seed, McClain, was able to produce some impressive winners during the second set, but Di Giulio proved to be too much, winning, 6-0, 4-6, 6-1.

“[Di Giulio] just played really well,” McClain said. “I was a little bit sloppy and he jumped all over me. I played all right. I would have liked to play better the first set. That might’ve changed things, but he just played too good.”

Don’t let that the first-set score fool you. Di Giulio was surely in control, but he had to play to deuce in four games during the first set. In the third game of the first set, Di Giulio played to a sixth deuce before grabbing the win and some valuable momentum.

Getting in rhythm was needed for Di Giulio, who had not played in a tournament for two months before the junior sectionals. He has been mostly training. Recently, he was one of eight selected by the USTA to train in Barcelona, Spain.

He said he had fun, taking in the sights and also gaining great experience, training with the best players who were born in 1995.

But he was eager to play in the junior sectionals and improve on his finish last year. He’ll have his chance today when he takes on Irvine’s Gage Brymer, the No. 6 seed, at Los Caballeros Racquet & Sports Club at 2 p.m.

Brymer upset the No. 4 seed, Gregory Garcia, 6-3, 6-2, in the quarterfinals. Today’s winner advances to the final Monday at 11 a.m. at Los Cab.

The title match could very well be a dream matchup, or at least a reunion of sorts, if the top two seeds meet. TJ Pura of Los Angeles is the top seed. Two years ago, Di Giulio played a part with Pura in a tennis documentary called, “50,000 Balls.” It aired on ESPN Classic on June 21 and will be shown on ESPNU on July 3 at 7 p.m.

Pura, who is ranked No. 5 in the nation in the boys’ 14 singles division, plays against No. 3-seeded Drew Dawson of Irvine in today’s semifinals.

Di Giulio wasn’t the only one in his family to reach the semifinals. His younger brother, Austin, played in a semifinal match in the boys’ 10 singles division. Austin, the No. 2 seed, lost to Bryce Pereira, the No. 4 seed, 2-6, 3-6.