Down to Finals at 2018 USTA Florida ‘Bobby Curtis’ Jr. State Tennis Championships

We’re into the finals at the 2018 USTA Florida “Bobby Curtis” Junior State Singles Championships, where a handful of juniors will join past champions and eventual world No. 1s Chris Evert, Jennifer Capriati, Jim Courier and Andy Roddick in hoisting the top tennis trophy in Florida.

Players were tested as the boys’ and girls’ quarterfinals and semifinals were played in the same day in the 90 degree heat at the USTA National Campus in Orlando.

The story of the tournament on Tuesday was 13-year-old Alexis Blokhina (Plantation) who upended the field in the girls’ 18s division. After toppling No. 1 seed Alana Wolfberg (Orlando) 6-2, 7-5 in the quarterfinals, she then beat Emma Heiderscheit (Bonita Springs), a powerhouse player a good foot taller, 6-3, 6-3 to move into her first tournament final of the year.

In the final she will face No. 3 seed and former 12s champion Sophia Edwards (Nokomis), who in her semifinal upset No. 2 seed Jaleesa Leslie (Apopka) 6-2, 7-6(1). Blokhin’s younger brother Nathan is also into the boys’ 12s finals.

The boys’ 18s were also upset-filled as two higher seeds fell in the semifinals. No. 3 seed David Lins (Boca Raton) toppled top-seeded John Bernard (Bonita Springs) 6-0, 6-3, and No. 6 Matthew Segura (Apopka) ousted No. 2 Anuj Watane (Orlando) 6-1, 6-1.

The boys’ and girls’ 18s finals will be broadcast live with commentary at www.youtube.com/ustaflorida at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. EST.

The boys’ 14s semis saw No. 7 Phillip Dell (Bradenton) topple No. 1 seed Solomon Giles (Pembroke Pines) 6-3, 6-4. In the final Dell will face No. 2 seed Yannik Rahman (Miami) who upheld his seeding by downing No. 5 Santiago Cardenas (Tampa) 6-0, 6-3.

The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds advanced to the finals in the girls’ and boys’ 16s, and the girls’ 14s.

Here are the full Day 4 results from the 2018 Bobby Curtis singles (seeded upsets in bold):

Girls’ 18 Singles (Quarterfinal Round)
Alexis Blokhina (Plantation, FL) def. Alana Wolfberg (1) (Orlando, FL) 6-2; 7-5
Jaleesa Leslie (2) (Apopka, FL) def. Emma Shelton (9) (Gainesville, FL) 6-3; 6-4
Sophia Edwards (3) (Nokomis, FL) def. Stephanie Sanchez (8) (Hollywood, FL) 6-0; 6-3
Emma Heiderscheit (Bonita Springs, FL) def. Jordana Ossa (12) (Miami, FL) 7-5; 6-3

Girls’ 18 Singles (Semifinal Round)
Sophia Edwards (3) (Nokomis, FL) def. Jaleesa Leslie (2) (Apopka, FL) 6-2; 7-6(1)
Alexis Blokhina (Plantation, FL) def. Emma Heiderscheit (Bonita Springs, FL) 6-3; 6-3

Boys’ 18 Singles (Quarterfinal Round)
John Bernard (1) (Bonita Springs, FL) def. Keaton Allwardt (16) (Boca Raton, FL) 7-5; 6-2
Anuj Watane (2) (Orlando, FL) def. Randy Wilson (Miami, FL) 6-0; 6-3
David Lins (3) (Boca Raton, FL) def. Logan Zapp (5) (Fleming Island, FL) 6-2; 6-2
Matthew Segura (6) (Apopka, FL) def. Carlos Grande (Coral Gables, FL) 6-1; 6-2

Boys’ 18 Singles (Semifinal Round)
David Lins (3) (Boca Raton, FL) def. John Bernard (1) (Bonita Springs, FL) 6-0; 6-3
Matthew Segura (6) (Apopka, FL) def. Anuj Watane (2) (Orlando, FL) 6-1; 6-1

Girls’ 16 Singles (Quarterfinal Round)
Elaine Chervinsky (1) (Boca Raton, FL) def. Maria Drobotova (8) (Deerfield Beach, FL) 6-0; 6-0
Anastasia Sysoeva (2) (Bradenton, FL) def. Kassandra Di Staulo (Weston, FL) 6-1; 6-1
DJ Bennett (6) (Belleview, FL) def. Violeta Martinez (3) (Port Saint Lucie, FL) 6-0; 6-0
Juliette Finch (7) (Delray Beach, FL) def. Hope Moulin (15) (Lithia, FL) 6-4; 6-0

Girls’ 16 Singles (Semifinal Round)
Elaine Chervinsky (1) (Boca Raton, FL) def. DJ Bennett (6) (Belleview, FL) 6-2; 6-2
Anastasia Sysoeva (2) (Bradenton, FL) def. Juliette Finch (7) (Delray Beach, FL) 6-2; 7-5

Boys’ 16 Singles (Quarterfinal Round)
Jameson Corsillo (1) (Boca Raton, FL) def. Julen Morgan (Miami, FL) 6-2; 6-1
Emilio Van Cotthem (2) (Fort Pierce, FL) def. Dante Russo (Deerfield Bch, FL) 7-5; 6-0
Ben Shelton (3) (Gainesville, FL) def. Adam Duan (7) (Davie, FL) 6-0; 6-2
Kian Vakili (10) (Longwood, FL) def. Jacob Lowen (4) (Boca Raton, FL) 3-6; 7-5; 6-4

Boys’ 16 Singles (Semifinal Round)
Jameson Corsillo (1) (Boca Raton, FL) def. Kian Vakili (10) (Longwood, FL) 6-3; 6-2
Emilio Van Cotthem (2) (Fort Pierce, FL) def. Ben Shelton (3) (Gainesville, FL) 5-7; 6-3; 7-5

Girls’ 14 Singles (Quarterfinal Round)
Natalie Block (1) (Plantation, FL) def. Mia Slama (8) (Boca Raton, FL) 6-1; 6-1
Nikki Yanez (2) (Sarasota, FL) def. Jasmin Makela (6) (Boca Raton, FL) 6-3; 6-3
Ava Krug (7) (Lakewood Ranch, FL) def. Lexington Reed (Orlando, FL) 7-6(5); 6-3
Gabriela Smashey (12) (Cooper City, FL) def. Blanka DeMicheli (Boca Raton, FL) 6-0; 6-2

Girls’ 14 Singles (Semifinal Round)
Natalie Block (1) (Plantation, FL) def. Gabriela Smashey (12) (Cooper City, FL) 6-2; 6-1
Nikki Yanez (2) (Sarasota, FL) def. Ava Krug (7) (Lakewood Ranch, FL) 1-6; 6-4; 6-4

Boys’ 14 Singles (Quarterfinal Round)
Solomon Giles (1) (Pembroke Pines, FL) def. Andres Escalona (14) (Weston, FL) 6-0; 6-0
Yannik Rahman (2) (Miami, FL) def. Martin Mesia (13) (Weston, FL) 6-2; 6-1
Phillip Dell (7) (Bradenton, FL) def. Peter Anastasakis (4) (Bradenton, FL) 6-3; 5-7; 6-2
Santiago Cardenas (5) (Tampa, FL) def. Jonathan Irwanto (Miami Shores, FL) 4-6; 7-5; 7-6(3)

Boys’ 14 Singles (Semifinal Round)
Phillip Dell (7) (Bradenton, FL) def. Solomon Giles (1) (Pembroke Pines, FL) 6-3; 6-4
Yannik Rahman (2) (Miami, FL) def. Santiago Cardenas (5) (Tampa, FL) 6-0; 6-3

Girls’ 12 Singles (Round of 16)
Gabriella Goyins (10) (Pensacola, FL) def. Lauren Kettlewell (6) (Doral, FL) 5-7; 7-5; 6-3

Girls’ 12 Singles (Quarterfinal Round)
Sophie Llewellyn (1) (Tarpon Springs, FL) def. Mary Boyce Deatherage (5) (Maitland, FL) 6-3; 6-4
Gabriella Goyins (10) (Pensacola, FL) def. Susana Souhrada (3) (Boca Raton, FL) 6-3; 6-1
Natalie Outcalt (11) (Ponte Vedra Beach, FL) def. Victoria Osuigwe (8) (Bradenton, FL) 7-6(2); 6-2
Jordan Fenton (13) (Biscayne Park, FL) def. Sofya Vinogradova (9) (Miami Beach, FL) 6-3; 6-4

Girls’ 12 Singles (Semifinal Round)
Sophie Llewellyn (1) (Tarpon Springs, FL) def. Jordan Fenton (13) (Biscayne Park, FL) 6-0; 6-4
Natalie Outcalt (11) (Ponte Vedra Beach, FL) def. Gabriella Goyins (10) (Pensacola, FL) 6-1; 7-6(4)

Boys’ 12 Singles (Quarterfinal Round)
Andrew Salu (1) (Sarasota, FL) def. Oumar Diallo (7) (Miramar, FL) 6-0; 6-0
Nathan Blokhin (2) (Plantation, FL) def. Abhishek Thorat (8) (Lithia, FL) 7-6(6); 6-1
Tanner Povey (3) (Indian Rocks Beach, FL) def. Santiago Padilla Cote (6) (Plantation, FL) 6-2; 6-1
Tristan Stringer (5) (Orlando, FL) def. Yubel Ubri (4) (Miami Beach, FL) 6-2; 6-1

Boys’ 12 Singles (Semifinal Round)
Tanner Povey (3) (Indian Rocks Beach, FL) def. Andrew Salu (1) (Sarasota, FL) 6-4; 6-4
Nathan Blokhin (2) (Plantation, FL) def. Tristan Stringer (5) (Orlando, FL) 6-4; 6-0

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The 70th USTA Florida “Bobby Curtis” Junior State Singles Championships runs from June 9-13, 2018.

In 2012 the tournament was renamed the USTA Florida “Bobby Curtis” Junior State Championships in honor of legendary Florida junior tennis organizer Bobby Curtis.

Results will be posted daily in the news section at www.ustaflorida.com.

For more info, including links to draws and entry lists, go to www.ustaflorida.com/bobbycurtis2018.