Brandon Holt Keeps Cool In Desert Heat With First-Round Win At the ASICS Easter Bowl


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Copyright © 2016. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis.

Brandon Holt Tennis News

Photo by David Kenas

After three hours and 39 minutes playing in the blazing Indian Wells heat, Brandon Holt watched the final ball sail long and couldn’t even muster enough energy to raise his arms in triumph.

But it’s not like Holt to show much expression on the court as the 17-year-old from Rolling Hills, Calif., has been recognized on multiple occasions for his sportsmanship and calm demeanor on the court.

“When the match is over, it’s over, and I didn’t want to rub it in his face,” said Holt, after his comeback, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3), victory over qualifier Sam Turchetta on Tuesday in the first round of the ITF boys’ singles division in the 49th Annual ASICS Easter Bowl taking place at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. “I’m just glad I played at 8 o’clock and not right now (noon) because I would have died.”

The No. 8-seeded Holt, who is the son of tennis Hall of Famer Tracy Austin, said he’s in good shape and would use the rest of the day to recover from his long match. He said he was fortunate that his first-round doubles match wasn’t scheduled until Wednesday.

Last month, Holt traveled with a group of seven other top USTA players and coaches to Brazil to compete in ITF tournaments and suffered a full body cramp in one of his matches. “So I was curious how I would do out here,” he said.

Since returning to Southern California, Holt said he has yet to find his game transitioning from the clay to the hard courts. “I never really felt comfortable today,” he said. “I didn’t know what was going on. Something’s not clicking. Maybe it’s coming off the clay. I don’t know what it is.”

Holt served for the match twice, leading 5-3 in the third and again at 6-5. Holt said he sensed Turchetta getting tired during a long deuce game at 5-all. But the Pound Ridge, N.Y., resident Turchetta wouldn’t quit. “Serving didn’t make a huge difference because there was a ton of breaks in the match,” Holt said. “I mean, I know I should hold my serve. But I knew it wasn’t in a dire circumstance that I lost my serve.”

A day after the ITF boys’ division lost its top-seeded player, the top girls’ ITF seeded singles player, Maria Mateas, had no trouble in her first-round match against Carson Branstine, 6-1, 6-2. “I knew it was important not to stay out there long because of the heat,” said Mateas, of Braintree, Mass., who also trains in Florida with the USTA and her USTA coach Henner Nehles. “(The heat) actually felt worse just sitting around in it. I think I was just really focused for it to bother me during my match.”

Also top-seeded in the doubles with partner Alexandra Sanford, the pair had a tough match against Hanna Chang and Emma Higuchi, but survived the first round, 6-2, 2-6, 10-6.

Moving on easily was defending champion Claire Liu, the No. 3 seed from Thousand Oaks, Calif., who beat Darya Possokhova, 6-0, 6-1.

In boys’ 16s action the No. 1 (Carson Haskins), No. 2 (Christian Alshon), No. 3 (Kevin Zhu), No. 4 (Robert Maciag), No. 5 (Trey Hilderbrand) and No. 6 (Jaycer Lyeons) seeds all moved on to the Round of 16.

In the girls’ 16, unseeded Gabriella Price of Montebello, N.Y., who won the girls’ 12s last year, upset the No. 4-seeded Sydney Jones of Carrollton, Texas, 6-4, 6-3.

Both boys’ and girls’ singles final in the 14s and 12s will be contested on Wednesday. In the boys’ 14s, No. 5-seed Andrew Dale (Leesburg, Va.) will take on No. 12 Alex Lee (Oak Brook, Ill.) In the girls’ 14s singles final No. 13 Skyler Grishuk (Aliso Viejo, Calif.) will face No. 12 Ava Hrastar (Duluth, Ga.)

In the boys’ 12s singles final it will be No. 11 seeded Max Fardanesh (Albany, Calif) against the top-seeded Samuel Landau (Los Angeles). In the girls’ 12s singles final it will be No. 1-seeded Nikki Yanez (Sarasota, Fla.) to face No. 2 Katrina Scott (Woodland Hills, Calif.)

Boys’ ITF Singles First-Round Scores
Sam RIFFICE (USA) [5] def. Sebastian KORDA (USA) 6-0 6-1
Nathan PONWITH (USA) [3] def. Ryan SEGGERMAN (USA) 6-3 6-4
Ben GOLDBERG (USA) def. Abhijeet JOSHI (USA) 7-6(4) 6-2
Brandon HOLT (USA) [8] def. Sam TURCHETTA (USA) 4-6 6-3 7-6(3)
Kyrylo TSYGURA (USA) def. Andrew FENTY (USA) 7-6(2) 6-0
Danny THOMAS (USA) def. Oliver CRAWFORD (USA) [9] 6-1 7-5
Timothy SAH (USA) def. Austen HUANG (USA) 6-3 6-4
Liam CARUANA (ITA) [10] def. Connor HANCE (USA) 6-2 6-2
Olukayode AYENI (USA) [16] def. Karl POLING (USA) 6-2 7-5
Brian CERNOCH (USA) def. Patrick KYPSON (USA) [15] 6-3 6-1
Bryce PEREIRA (USA) def. Brandon LAM (USA) 6-7(5) 6-3 7-6(5)
Paul BARRETTO (USA) def. Boris KOZLOV (USA) 6-4 6-1
Noah SCHACHTER (USA) def. Morgan DILL (USA) 6-2 6-3

Girls’ ITF Singles First-Round Scores
Morgan COPPOC (USA) [5] def. Regina PITTS (USA) 6-2 7-5
Nicole CONARD (USA) def. Clarissa HAND (USA) 6-4 2-6 6-3
Hanna CHANG (USA) def. Hurricane Tyra BLACK (USA) [12] 7-6(2) 6-3
Alexandra SANFORD (USA) [8] def. Cameron CORSE (USA) 6-2 6-0
Maria MATEAS (USA) [1] def. Carson BRANSTINE (USA) 6-1 6-2
Claire LIU (USA) [3] def. Darya POSSOKHOVA (USA) 6-0 6-1
Salma EWING (USA) def. Naomi CHEONG (USA) 6-1 6-2
Sara CHOY (USA) def. Taylor JOHNSON (USA) [6] 6-7(5) 6-3 6-2
Nadia GIZDOVA (USA) def. Kelly CHEN (USA) [11] 6-4 Ret.
Meible CHI (USA) def. Alexa RYNGLER (USA) 4-6 6-0 6-0
Kalani SOLI (USA) def. Hannah LAIRMORE (USA) 6-4 6-1

Boys’ ITF Doubles First-Round Scores
Vasil KIRKOV (USA) / Sebastian KORDA (USA) def. Brian CERNOCH (USA) / Sam RIFFICE (USA) 6-3, 6-3
John MCNALLY (USA) / J.J. WOLF (USA) [1] def. Boris KOZLOV (USA) / Karl POLING (USA) 7-6(4), 6-1
Trent BRYDE (USA) [7] / Patrick KYPSON (USA) def. Max PHAM (USA) / Noah SCHACHTER (USA) 7-5, 6-2
Jarod HING (USA) / Keegan SMITH (USA) def. Abhijeet JOSHI (USA) / Justin LEE (USA) 6-2 6-2
Robert LOEB (USA) / Nathan PERRONE (USA) def. Timothy SAH (USA) / Sangeet SRIDHAR (USA) 3-6, 7-6 (5), [10-8]
Alexander BROWN (USA) / def. Sean SCULLEY (USA) def. Brian SHI (USA) / Danny THOMAS (USA) 6-4, 6-3
Olukayode AYENI (USA) / def. Sean HILL (USA) def. Keenan MAYO (USA) / Govind NANDA (USA) 6-1, 3-6, [10-7]

Girls’ ITF Doubles First-Round Scores
Kate PAULUS (USA) / Alana SMITH (USA) def. Janice SHIN (USA) / Marlee ZEIN (USA) 7-6(5), 6-2
Maria MATEAS (USA) / Alexandra SANFORD (USA) [1] def. Hanna CHANG (USA) / Emma Higuchi (USA) 6-2, 2-6, [10-6]
Meible CHI (USA) / Alexis NELSON (USA) def. Alycia PARKS (USA) / Mikayla PARKS (USA) 6-2, 6-0
Morgan COPPOC (USA) / Annette GOULAK (USA) def. Rachel LIM (USA) / Jessica LIVIANU (USA) 6-3, 6-3
Salma EWING (USA) / Regina PITTS (USA) def. Victoria EMMA (USA) [6] / Sofia SEWING (USA), 6-2, 6-3
Camille FAVERO (USA) / Darya POSSOKHOVA (USA) def. Alexandra ANGYALOSY (USA) / Hannah (USA) 6-4, 7-5
Nicole CONARD (USA) / Malkia MENGUENE (USA) def. Taylor BRIDGES (USA) / Kylie MCKENZIE (USA) 7-6(1), 4-6, [10-3]
Dalayna HEWITT (USA) [8] / Kariann PIERRE-LOUIS def. Abigail DESIATNIKOV (USA) / Sydney VAN ALPHEN (USA) 6-2, 6-1

Boys’ 16 Singles (Round of 32)
Christian Alshon (2) (Boca Raton, FL) def. Diego Nava (Woodland Hills, CA) 1-6, 6-1, 6-3
Bradley Frye (14) (Overland Park, KS) def. Bill Duo (Portage, MI) 6-3, 6-2
Brandon Nakashima (8) (San Diego, CA) def. Alex Gee (Bellaire, TX) 6-2, 6-2
Lukas Greif (11) (Evansville, IN) def. Siddharth Chari (Saratoga, CA) 6-2, 6-1
Robert Maciag (4) (Sterling, VA) def. Joshua Xu (Chandler, AZ) 6-3, 6-2
Matthew Rodriguez (Highland Beach, FL) def. Nevin Arimilli (10) (Austin, TX) 6-4, 6-4
Trey Hilderbrand (5) (San Antonio, TX) def. Maximilian Wild (Murrieta, CA) 7-5, 6-4
Benjamin Gollin (Solana Beach, CA) def. Nathan Han (16) (Tulsa, OK) 6-2, 6-4
Ajai Shekhera (9) (Campbell, CA) def. Henry Patrick Cacciatore (Tampa, FL) 6-3, 6-4
Adam Neff (Bradenton, FL) def. Drew Baird (7) (Holly Springs, NC) 7-5, 6-3
Jenson Brooksby (15) (Carmichael, CA) def. Steven Sun (Boca Raton, FL) 6-4, 4-6, 7-5
Kevin Zhu (3) (Pearland, TX) def. William Woodall (Washington, DC) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
Axel Nefve (Hinsdale, IL) def. Jake Sands (12) (Pacific Palisades, CA) 6-4, 6-2
Jaycer Lyeons (6) (San Antonio, TX) def. William Grant (Boca Raton, FL) 7-6(4), 6-4
Tyler Zink (Bradenton, FL) def. Nikita Larichev (Lexington, MA) 6-1, 6-1
Carson Haskins (1) (Ballwin, MO) def. Rafael Grovas (San German, PR) 6-0, 6-0

Boys’ 16 Doubles (Quarterfinal Round)
Axel Nefve (Hinsdale, IL) / William Woodall (Washington, DC) def. Alex Gee (Bellaire, TX) / Phillip Quinn (Dallas, TX) 8-1
Brandon Nakashima (San Diego, CA) / Jake Sands (Pacific Palisades, CA) def. Lukas Greif (Evansville, IN) / Maximilian Wild (Murrieta, CA) 8-1
Christian Alshon (Boca Raton, FL) / Henry Patrick Cacciatore (6) (Tampa, FL) def. Robert Maciag (Sterling, VA) / Steven Sun (4) (Boca Raton, FL) Ret (ill)
Trey Hilderbrand (San Antonio, TX) / Kevin Zhu (1) (Pearland, TX) def. Benjamin Gollin (Solana Beach, CA) / Jack Pulliam (8) (Manhattan Beach, CA) 8-2

Boys’ 16 Doubles (Semifinal Round)
Brandon Nakashima (San Diego, CA) / Jake Sands (Pacific Palisades, CA) def. Axel Nefve (Hinsdale, IL) / William Woodall (Washington, DC) 8-6
Trey Hilderbrand (San Antonio, TX) / Kevin Zhu (1) (Pearland, TX) def. Christian Alshon (Boca Raton, FL) / Henry Patrick Cacciatore (6) (Tampa, FL) 8-3

Girls’ 16 Singles (Round of 32)
Anika Yarlagadda (16) (West Bloomfield, MI) def. Emma Navarro (Charleston, SC) 7-6, 6-3
Meg Kowalski (5) (La Grange, IL) def. Marcella Cruz (Marlboro, NJ) 6-1, 6-3
Hailey Baptiste (Takoma Park, MD) def. Lea Ma (9) (Dix Hills, NY) 6-4, 4-6, 7-6
Amber O’Dell (2) (New Milford, NJ) def. Vanessa Ong (Oklahoma City, OK) 6-3, 6-4
Kacie Harvey (3) (Braintree, MA) def. Jennifer Kerr (Carlsbad, CA) 6-4, 6-0
Chloe Beck (15) (Watkinsville, GA) def. Alexis Merrill (Fairfax, VA) 6-4, 6-2
Rachel Eason (6) (Union City, CA) def. Julia Lilien (Scottsdale, AZ) 6-4, 6-2
Alexa Noel (12) (Summit, NJ) def. Anna Campana (Hillsborough, CA) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
Dasha Kourkina (11) (Brooklyn, NY) def. Jessi Muljat (Sacramento, CA) 6-2, 3-6, 6-4
Abigail Forbes (8) (Raleigh, NC) def. Carolyn Campana (Hillsborough, CA) 6-1, 6-1
Andrea Cerdan (Bloomfield, NJ) def. Kolie Allen (13) (Lombard, IL) 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
Gabriella Price (Montebello, NY) def. Sydney Jones (4) (Carrollton, TX) 6-4, 6-3
Sedona Gallagher (1) (Henderson, NV) def. Meghana Komarraju (Vienna, VA) 6-2, 6-2
Katie Volynets (14) (Walnut Creek, CA) def. Josie Frazier (Scottsdale, AZ) 2-6, 6-2, 6-4
Angelica Blake (7) (Boca Raton, FL) def. Ali Despain (Murrells Inlet, SC) 6-3, 6-1
Luba Vasilyuk (Frisco, TX) def. Cali Jankowski (10) (Carlsbad, CA) 2-6, 6-2, 6-0

Girls’ 16 Doubles (Quarterfinal Round)
Kolie Allen (Lombard, IL) / Meg Kowalski (1) (La Grange, IL) def. Jennifer Kerr (Carlsbad, CA) / Hailey Wilcox (Greenwich, CT) -6
Angelica Blake (Boca Raton, FL) / Reilly Tran (Dunn Loring, VA) def. Ali Despain (Murrells Inlet, SC) / Alexis Merrill (7) (Fairfax, VA) 8-5
Chloe Beck (Watkinsville, GA) / Emma Navarro (Charleston, SC) def. Julia Haynes (San Diego, CA) / Rena Lin (Northridge, CA) 8-5
Hailey Baptiste (Takoma Park, MD) / Meghana Komarraju (Vienna, VA) def. Amber O’Dell (New Milford, NJ) / Brianna Shvets (5) (Pennington, NJ) 8-4

Girls’ 16 Doubles (Semifinal Round)
Angelica Blake (Boca Raton, FL) / Reilly Tran (Dunn Loring, VA) def. Kolie Allen (Lombard, IL) / Meg Kowalski (1) (La Grange, IL) 9-7
Chloe Beck (Watkinsville, GA) / Emma Navarro (Charleston, SC) def. Hailey Baptiste (Takoma Park, MD) / Meghana Komarraju (Vienna, VA) 9-8(5

Boys’ 14 Singles (Semifinal Round)
Andrew Dale (5) (Leesburg, VA) def. Nicholas Garcia (13) (Hollywood, FL) 6-3, 7-5
Alex Lee (12) (Oak Brook, IL) def. Stefan Dostanic (Irvine, CA) 4-6, 6-3, 7-5

Boys’ 14 Doubles (Final Round)
Joshua Raab (Woodstock, GA) / Andres Martin (1) (Flowery Branch, GA) def. Stefan Leustian (Mather, CA) / Zachery Lim (2) (Fairfield, CA) 8-4

Boys’ 14 Doubles (Playoff)
Nathan Arimilli (Austin, TX) / Stefan Dostanic (5) (Irvine, CA) def. Hunter Heck (New Brighton, MN) / Karl Lee (Los Altos, CA) 8-6

Girls’ 14 Singles (Semifinal Round)
Skyler Grishuk (13) (Aliso Viejo, CA) def. Camille Kiss (Redlands, CA) 7-6(5), 6-0
Ava Hrastar (12) (Duluth, GA) def. Christine Inah Canete (Los Angeles, CA) 4-6, 6-4, 6-4

Girls’ 14 Doubles (Final Round)
Fiona Crawley (San Antonio, TX) / Ava Hrastar (1) (Duluth, GA) def. Savannah Broadus (Carrollton, TX) / Kenadee Semenik (Las Vegas, NV) 8-2

Girls’ 14 Doubles (Playoff)
Amanda Chan (Pasadena, CA) / Amy Huang (3) (San Diego, CA) def. Imani Graham (Saint Johns, FL) / Gianna Pielet (2) (El Paso, TX) 8-0

Boys’ 12 Doubles (Final Round)
Eli Gordon (Highland Park, IL) / Samuel Landau (5) (Los Angeles, CA) def. Andrew Chang (Trophy Club, TX) / Evan Lee (1) (Cos Cob, CT) 9-7

Boys’ 12 Doubles (Playoff)
Phillip Deaton (Auburn, WA) / Evan Wen (4) (Morristown, NJ) def. Zaid Abuhamda (Ft Lauderdale, FL) / Jack Anthrop (6) (Orlando, FL) 8-6

Boys’ 12 Singles (Semifinal Round)
Max Fardanesh (11) (Albany, CA) def. Noelle Andrey Ampong (5) (Downers Grove, IL) 4-6, 6-2, 10-7
Samuel Landau (1) (Los Angeles, CA) def. Evan Lee (Cos Cob, CT) 5-7, 6-4, 10-5

Girls’ 12 Singles (Semifinal Round)
Nikki Yanez (1) (Sarasota, FL) def. Kathryn Treiber (Hinsdale, IL) 6-2, 6-4
Katrina Scott (2) (Woodland Hills, CA) def. Elise Wagle (8) (Niskayuna, NY) 6-3, 4-6, 10-5

Girls’ 12 Doubles (Final Round)
Carson Tanguilig (Alpharetta, GA) / Elise Wagle (Niskayuna, NY) def. Mya Byrd (Norfolk, VA) / Robin Montgomery (1) (Washington, DC) 8-2

Girls’ 12 Doubles (Playoff)
Rachel Gailis (Studio City, CA) / Makenna Thiel (6) (Piedmont, CA) def. Margaret Navarro (Charleston, SC) / Whitley Pate (Winston Salem, NC) 8-3

Copyright © 2016. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis.