Juniors Fritz and Mmoh Lead Americans Into Australian Open Junior Championships

January 22, 2015 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
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Taylor Fritz and Michael Mmoh, two of the Top 10 juniors in the world, will headline the Americans playing in the Australian Open Junior Championships, set to begin this weekend, Jan. 24-31, in Melbourne.

While many American teens will be playing events on the USTA Pro Circuit, the fifth-ranked Fritz (17, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., coached by Guy Fritz) and seventh-ranked Mmoh (16, Temple Hills, Md., coached by Glenn Weiner), along with William Blumberg (16, Greenwich, Conn.) and Sameer Kumar (17, Carmel, Ind., coached by Bryan Smith) will attempt to follow Andy Roddick (2000) and Donald Young (2005) as Australian Open Boys Singles Champions. Stefan Kozlov was a finalist last year.

Raveena Kingsley (16, Parkton, Md., coached by Taylor Dent), ranked 27th in the world among girls ages 18 and under, leads an American girls field that includes Jessica Ho (18, Wexford, Pa., coached by Emilio Sanchez), Mia Horvit (17, Parkland, Fla., coached by Harold Solomon), Raquel Pedraza (16, Claremont, Calif., coached by Paul Salvador) and 2014 Australian Open quarterfinalist Olivia Hauger (17, Tulsa, Okla., coached by Trent Tucker). Madison Bourguignon (17, Boynton Beach, Fla., coached by Lawrence Carpio), Ally Miller-Krasilnikov (17, Delray Beach, Fla., coached by Sarah Stone), and Stephanie Hazell (17, Irvine, Calif., coached by Chris Lewis) participated in qualifying.

Taylor Townsend (2012) and Kim Kessaris (1989) are the only Americans to win the Australian Open Girls Singles Title, while Madison Brengle (2007) and Lindsay Davenport (1992) were finalists.

All American juniors playing in the singles main draw will receive a stipend from USTA Player Development to help offset expenses. Full-time personal coaches accompanying main draw singles player(s) will also receive a stipend to offset expenses as a part of the Team USA initiative. 

USTA National Coaches Jamea Jackson and Brad Stine will provide support to all American junior players in Melbourne.


Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
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