American Juniors Seek Continued Success at Roland Garros

May 26, 2016 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
American_Tennis_Credit_Tatomm_05_26_16
Photo credit: Tatomm

Ulises Blanch, the number three-ranked junior in the world, and 2015 USTA Girls 18s National Champion and U.S. Open Girls Finalist Sofia Kenin lead a deep field of American boys and girls currently set to compete at the French Open Junior Championships in Paris. Qualifying begins today, with the main draw running from May 29-June 4.

With 12 girls and nine boys entered into the main draw or qualifying, the U.S. has the most players entered into the Roland Garros junior draw via direct acceptance by a wide margin. China and Japan, the next-highest countries, each have eight. Additionally, two of the top three girls’ seeds will be American, number two Amanda Anisimova and number three Kayla Day.

American juniors will look to continue their recent success at the French Open. Three of the boys singles semifinalists were American last year, with Tommy Paul beating Taylor Fritz in the first all-American French Open Boys Singles Final, dating back to 1947. CiCi Bellis also reached the girls semifinals in 2015, while Paul, William Blumberg, Caroline Dolehide and Katerina Stewart were all doubles finalists.

USTA Player Development National Coaches Leo Azevedo, Sylvain Guichard, Jamea Jackson, Henner Nehles and Adam Peterson will be providing support to all American players participating in the French Open junior championships. Players participating in the main draw will receive a $1,250 grant from USTA Player Development, and those players’ full-time, personal coaches traveling with them to Paris will also receive a $1,250 grant.

U.S. Girls in French Open Juniors
Main Draw
Amanda Anisimova (14, Hallandale Beach, Fla.; Coaches: Konstantin and Olga Anisimova, Nick Saviano)
​►Kayla Day (16, Santa Barbara, Calif.; Coaches: Henner Nehles, Mike Gennette)
​►Usue Arconada (17, College Park, Md.; Coach: Frank Salazar)
​►Sofia Kenin (17, Pembroke Pines, Fla.; Coach: Alex Kenin and Stephen Huss)
​►Alexandra Sanford (17, Westerville, Ohio; Coach: Henner Nehles)
​►Maria Mateas (16; Braintree, Mass.; Coach: Calin Mateas)
​►Michaela Gordon (16, Los Altos Hills, Calif.; Coach: Alex Poorta)
​►Morgan Coppoc (17, Tulsa, Okla.; Coach: Trent Tucker)
​►Caty McNally (14, Cincinnati; Coach: Lynn Nabors-McNally)
​►Claire Liu (16, Thousand Oaks, Calif.; Coach: Adam Peterson, Mike Gennette)
 
Qualifying
​►
Ellie Douglas (15, McKinney, Texas; Coach: Luis Herrera)
​►Natasha Subhash (14, Fairfax, Va.; Coach: Bear Schofield)
 
U.S. Boys in French Open Juniors
Main Draw
​►
Ulises Blanch (18, Pompano Beach, Fla; Coaches: Daniel Garcia, Rodrigo Alvarez, Claudio Menna)
​►John McNally (17, Cincinnati; Coach: Lynn Nabors-McNally)
​►J.J. Wolf (17, Cincinnati; Coach: David Kass)
​►Nathan Ponwith (18, Scottsdale, Ariz.; Coach: Lou Belken)
​►Sam Riffice (17, Roseville, Calif.; Coach: Lori Riffice)
​►Vasil Kirkov (17, Tampa, Fla.; Coaches: Leo Azevedo, Stoyan Kirkov)
​►Brandon Holt (18, Rolling Hills, Calif.; Coach: Peter Lucassen)
 
Qualifying
​►Oliver Crawford (17, Spartanburg, S.C.; Coaches: Anthony Stewart, Kelly Jones)
​►Gianni Ross (17, Chicago; Coaches: Jack Sharpe, Robbye Poole)


Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
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