Girls’ Tennis: Willson falls in round of 32
SOUTH EL MONTE — Corona del Mar High freshman Danielle Willson appears to have a very bright future in tennis.
There were flashes of greatness on Thursday afternoon at Whittier Narrows Tennis Center.
But in the end, Willson fell to an older and more experienced player.
Santa Barbara High senior Summer Garrison topped Willson, 6-2, 6-4, in a CIF Southern Section Individuals singles round of 32 match.
Willson will not join CdM doubles teammates Riley Gerdau and Siena Sharf in the round of 16 Friday at Seal Beach Tennis Center. But overall, it was the end to a stellar season.
Santa Barbara Coach Greg Tebbe approached Willson after the match.
“You have an incredible game,” Tebbe said. “I think you’re going to be an incredible player … Go ahead and smile once in a while, because you have a great game.”
Willson was inconsistent, with too many unforced errors to hang with Garrison, to whom she lost in a tiebreaker when the teams met in a nonleague meeting earlier this year. Garrison was the opposite, a steady player who was able to play good defense to stay in the points.
Garrison broke Willson’s serve in the third game of the first set and won it going away.
“In the first set, I was really tight,” Willson said. “I stopped in the middle of my strokes and I should have gone for more, I guess. I just needed to be more consistent and move her more to the corners.”
Willson was ahead a break of serve at 4-2 in the second set, but Garrison rallied to win the last four games and win the match.
Willson, the Pacific Coast League runner-up, was the first CdM singles player to advance to CIF Individuals since Lynda Xepoleas in 2010.
“I guess I’m really happy to get where I was,” Willson said. “I’ll just come back next year and fight harder, try to get farther than I did this year. I mean, I thought overall I played pretty good throughout the season.”
CdM Coach Brian Ricker said many opposing coaches have remarked to him about the potential of Willson, a dedicated tournament player.
“When she can put it together by eliminating those unforced errors, then start to come forward and take some of those easy balls out of the air, she’s going to really jump,” Ricker said. “Her potential is outstanding.”
