Di Giulio, McKennon, Stalder win tennis titles

Newport Beach residents Joseph Di Giulio and Max McKennon, as well as Costa Mesa resident Reese Stalder, all won tennis titles recently at the 110th annual Southern California Junior Sectional Doubles Championships.

Di Giulio captured the boys’ 18 doubles title on Nov. 11 with his partner Robbie Bellamy of Pacific Palisades.

The No. 2-seeded team, Di Giulio and Bellamy defeated top-seeded Garrett Auproux and Gregory Garcia, 6-2, 6-3, in the championship match at Los Caballeros Racquet & Sports Club.

In 18s mixed doubles, Di Giulio and partner Alyza Benotto of Los Angeles made the finals before falling to Auproux and Maegan Manasse, 7-5, 6-0.

Stalder, a sophomore at Newport Harbor High, won the boys’ 16 doubles title with his partner Billy Rowe of Coronado. They were seeded fifth but upset No. 3-seeded Kimo Barrere and Garrett Mak, 6-7, 6-2, 10-6 in the quarterfinals. Stalder and Rowe then got past top-seeded Taylor Fritz and Riley Smith, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, in the semifinals and dispatched No. 4-seeded Kalman Boyd and Austin Rapp, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6, in the title match.

After winning at Junior Sectionals, Stalder is now ranked No. 1 in Southern California in boys’ 16 doubles.

McKennon also won titles in boys’ 10 and mixed doubles. He and partner J.J. Henderson of Palm Desert, the top-seeded team, captured the boys’ 10 title by defeating Cody Emery and Elias Weeks, 6-1, 6-4, in the title match. McKennon also won in mixed with partner Maxi Duncan of El Segundo. They beat top-seeded Justine Dondonay and Jinta Sasamori, 6-3, 6-3 in the championship match.

— Matt Szabo