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Wan's classic counter punching game is tailored for a slow surface like clay, but even on the hard courts of Kalamazoo, Wan has been frustrating opponents. "I don't know how to beat someone who only makes one unforced error (in a match)," stated John Isner, Wan's quarter final opponent. Indeed, Evans was aware that Wan's style of play could neutralize his power advantage. "I didn't want to give him any pace," Evans said. "Every time I hit with pace, he hit a winner."

So on Saturday, Evans adopted a less aggressive game plan, replacing powerful ground strokes with loopy moon balls and deep slice shots.

The strategy paid off for Evans in the first set, when lenghty moon ball rallies, at times lasting more than 60 strokes, led him to five set points on Wan's serve at 5-6. But each time Evans had a set point, Wan kept returning Evans' would -be winners and was able to force the tie break. One hour and twenty minutes after it began, the first set ended as Evans blasted a forehand inches wide to give Wan the tie break 7-4.

In the second set, Evans was unable to continue following his game plan, making numerous unforced errors. Wan maintained his steady play and took the set 6-0.

Wan's game is reminiscent of another former Kalamazoo Champion's, Michael Chang, and with good reason. Wan and Chang are cousins (their mothers are sisters). Chang won the 18s title over Jim Courier in 1987.

Playing before a large crowd on Court One at Stowe Stadium, Bogomolov outdueled Brian Baker in a ferocious baseline battle, winning in straight sets 6-4, 7-5, 6-3.

The match was tightly contested throughout. The first seven service games of the match reached deuce, and neither player dropped serve until Bogomolov converted a break point to go up 5-4. He held easily to take the set 6-4.

In the second set, Bogomolov broke Baker's serve in the first game, though he needed four break points before he could take the game. Baker would break back and the set remained even until Bogomolov broke Baker for a 6-5 lead. He held easily to take command of the match.

In the third set, Bogomolov's hard, deep returns took their toll on Baker's service game, and Bogomolov closed out the match 6-3.

Granted a wild card by the USTA to gain entry in to the tournament, Bogomolov displayed a fierce determination to win throughout the week. Prior to the title match, the Floridian had not lost more than four games in a set and had dictated play with his powerful return and ground strokes. Baker, a 16 year old playing in the 18s, matched Bogomolov shot for shot in nearly every game in the finals, but Bogomolov's three years of front court experience in Kalamazoo eventually prevailed.

With his victory, Bogomolov earns a wild card into the main draw of the U.S. Open later this month, then begins his freshman year at Texas Christian University.

Joelson's triumph Saturday was made all the more remarkable by the fact that he nearly did not play at Kalamazoo at all. Because he was competing in most of this season's junior events in the 18s division, Joelson did not realize that he had failed to play enough events in his own age group to qualify for the 16s in Kalamazoo. His only hope for competing in the tournament was through a wild-card entry. Though the USTA granted Joelson a wild-card spot as a doubles-only player, the Austin, TX native had to travel to Kalamazoo to find out if he would be selected to play. "We didn't find out we were in until we saw the draw," his partner Evans said. (The draw was announced the night before the tournament began.)

Evans had already qualified for the tournament and had received invitations from other players looking for a doubles partner. Asked whom he might have played with had Joelson not been selected, Evans said, "I think I would have only played singles."

Such dedication may sound like the speech of a committed doubles team with a long and successful history, but Evans admitted, "This is our first tournament together." Evans lost his previous doubles partner before the Clay Court tournament in July, so he tried to connect with Joelson for that tournament. "(Joelson) said he wasn't playing at the Clay's, but he said we could play (together) at Kalamazoo." "We knew we would have a good chance to win here," Joelson added.

Saturday afternoon, their confidence paid off. Joelson's big serve and Evan's solid return game carried them to the 2001 USTA Boys 16 Super National Championships. "This is my first Gold Ball (National Championship)," said Joelson. Will there be others for this duo? Probably not. Evans is a first-year 16s player, while Joelson is in his final year of eligibility as a sixteen. They will not have a chance to defend their doubles title next year. "Unless I play eighteens," Evans said with a smile.

While Joelson and Evans were first-time partners, last year's 16s Doubles Champions Rajeev Ram of Carmel, IN and Jonathan Stokke of Hilton Head Island, SC attempted to add a second consecutive doubles championship to their resume Saturday, this time in the 18s division. The highly anticipated showdown between the 2nd seeds and 7th seeds Ytai Abougzir of Naples, FL and Alex Bogomolov of Miami, FL started out as an exciting contest but fizzled as Ram and Stokke ran away with the title 6-3, 6-0. Abougzir and Bogomolov broke Stokke's serve in the fifth game of the first set to close to 2-3, but it was all Ram-Stokke after that. They never lost serve again, and won 9 of the match's last 10 games to earn the automatic berth into the main doubles draw of the U. S. Open Championships later this month.

In the first 16s Semi Final, 3rd seed James Wan of Woodbury NY used a patient game plan in overcoming his more erratic opponent, 13th seed Jamil Al-Agba of Camarillo, CA 6-1, 6-4. ?

In the other Semi Final, 4th seed Brendan Evans of Key Biscayne, FL outlasted 5th seed Wayne Odesnik of Weston, FL 6-0, 3-6, 6-1?in a match that featured two major swings in momentum. Evans dominated the first set before Odesnik righted himself, jumping out to 5-1 lead in the second. Evans picked up his level of play and won eight of the next ten service games. With Odesnik serving down 5-1 in the third set, Evans had 8 match points before he finally closed the match out on his ninth.

In the first 18s Semi Final match, 8th seed Alex Bogomolov of Miami, FL scored a 6-4, 6-3 victory over 5th seed Todd Widom of Coral Springs, FL in a match that was closer than the score indicated. Widom withstood Bogomolov's powerful groundstrokes well, using loopy top spin shots and deep slice shots to keep the eighth seed off balance. But Bogomolov seemed to find his best tennis at the match's biggest moments. At 5-4 in the first set, Widom's service game went to deuce numerous times before Bogomolov managed to convert a set point.

In the second 18s Semi Final, 10th seed Lester Cook of Van Nuys, CA played well in the first set, but eventually was worn down by second seed Brian Baker of Nashville, TN . Baker seemed to have an answer for any shot Cook tried and he took the match 6-4, 6-2.

In the 16s division, 10th seed Pramod Dabir of Saratoga CA lost a tough base-line battle to 13th seed Jamil Al-Agba of Camarillo CA 7-6(4) 7-5. In the other Quarter Final match held on Friday, 3rd seed James Wan of Woodbury NY committed only one unforced error during his 6-1, 6-2 victory over the 6'6" John Isner (15) of Greensboro NC.

In the 18s division, 8th seed Alex Bogomolov of Miami FL overpowered his doubles partner, 3rd seed Ytai Abougzir of Naples FL, 6-4, 6-2 to earn a trip to the Semi Finals. In Friday's other Quarter Final match, 5th seed Todd Widom of Coral Springs FL used his passing shots effectively in scoring a 6-2, 6-1 victory over 9th seed Prakash Amritraj of Encino CA.

Widom will play Bogomolov in Saturday's 18s singles Semi Finals; Al-Agba will play Wan in the 16s singles Semi-Finals.

In the 16s Division, suprise finalists Eric Roberson of Sacramento CA and John Pettit of Monterey, CA, seeded 14th, play Brendan Evans of Key Biscayne, FL and Brett Joelson of Austin, TX, the 4th seeds. The 16s Doubles finals are scheduled to start at 2:30 pm, provided the singles Semi Finals are finished by that time. Both teams had to upset higher ranked teams in order to reach the final.

For Pettit and Roberson, upsetting highly ranked opponents is not a new endeavor. Their road to the finals took them through the top ranked team of Sukhwa Young and John Isner in the Round of 16, and the 6th ranked team of Adam Fass and Ryan Rowe in the Quarter Finals. In Semi Final action on Friday, Pettit and Roberson upset 8th seeds Nestor Briceno of Pembroke Pines, FL and Vahid Mirzadeh of Lake Worth, FL 6-3, 6-4.

In the other semi-final, the 4th ranked team of Brendan Evans of Key Biscayne, FL and Brett Joelson of Austin, TX upset the 2nd seeds, Jarrett Chirico of Bradenton, FL and Wayne Odesnik, of Weston, FL 6-2, 3-6, 6-4.

In 18 Doubles Semi Final action, 2nd seeds Rajeev Ram of Carmel, IN and Jonathan Stokke of Hilton Head Island, SC, overcame the 16th seeded team of Todd Widom of Coral Springs, FL and Jordan Dolberg Pembroke Pines, FL 6-4, 6-3.

In the other Semifinal match-up, 7th seeds Ytai Abougzir of Naples, FL and Alex Bogomolov of Miami, FL ended the great run of the 14th seeded duo Brent D'Amico of Aurora, CO and Philip Sheng of Thousand Oaks, CA, beating them 6-1, 6-0.

Ram and Stokke (2), last year's 16s Doubles Champions, will go for two titles in row on Saturday against Abougzir and Bogomolov. The championship match is scheduled for 3:30 pm, provided that previously scheduled matches have concluded.

Second seed Brian Baker (Nashville, TN) and 22nd seed Travis Rettenmaier (Fountain Valley, CA) produced one of the most entertaining matches of the tournament on Thursday. "This will be the best match of the day," tournament Director Timon Corwin advised tournament volunteers before the match. His words proved prophetic, as the three-set battle lasted nearly three hours and provided a loud afternoon crowd plenty of heart-stopping drama.

Baker broke twice early in the first set for a 5-1 lead, and it looked as if he might avoid the searing afternoon heat with a routine victory. But Rettenmaier held, then broke back to cut the lead to 5-3. Down love-40 in his next service game, Baker was in danger of losing his advantage to the net-charging Rettenmaier, but he won five straight points to close out the first set 6-3.

In the second set, Rettenmaier jumped out to a 3-0 lead early, before Baker got his return game going and forced a tie-break. Baker took the first four points of the tie-break; Rettenmaier won the next five. Down 7-6, Rettenmaier hit a service winner to save one match point. Rettenmaier won the tie-break 10-8, and the now-partisan crowd erupted with cheers.

Rettenmaier once again jumped out to an early lead in the third set. With Baker serving down 4-2, Rettenmaier quickly took a 40-0 lead. Baker once again won five points in row to win the game, and then broke Rettenmaier the next game to knot the set at 4-4. Baker had two match points on Rettenmaier's serve at 5-4, but the Californian held and then broke Baker in the following game. Up 6-5 and serving for the match, the 22nd seed called a trainer to the court for treatment, and his momentum may have ebbed during those few minutes, as he missed all five of his first serves and lost the game to send the match to a tiebreak. Baker dominated the tie-break, hitting three winners, one ace, and committing no unforced errors to take it 7-1.

Though the match was close, the players' grade levels couldn't be further apart. Baker will be a junior at Hillwood High School in Nashville TN, while Rettenmaier is entering his junior year at UCLA, where he played number 3 and 4 singles last year.

In other 18s quarterfinal action, 10th seed Lester Cook (Van Nuys, CA) scored a routine 6-2, 6-1 victory over 13th seed Sam Warburg (Sacramento, CA).

In 16 singles, two players advanced easily to Saturday's Semi Finals. 4th seed Brendan Evans (Key Biscayne, FL) cruised past 7th seed Justin Montgomery (Oxnard, CA) by the score of 6-1, 6-3. 5th seed Wayne Odesnik (Weston, FL) scored an easy 6-2, 6-0 victory over unseeded 14-year-old Scoville Jenkins (Atlanta, GA). Evans will play Odesnik in the Semi Finals.

In 16s singles at 11:00 a.m., Pramod Dabir (10) of Saratoga CA meets Jamil Al-Agba (13), Camarillo CA. Also scheduled at 11:00 a.m. are James Wan (3), Woodbury NY and John Isner (15) of Greensboro NC.

In Boys 18 Singles, Ytai Abougzir (3) of Naples FL faces Alex Bogomolov, the 8th seed , from Miami FL. At 1:00 p.m., Todd Widom (5) of Coral Springs FL takes on Prakash Amritraj, the ninth seed, from Encino CA.

The semifinals in both 16s and 18s doubles will follow the singles Quarter Final matches Friday afternoon. In the 16s, in one Semi Final match, Eric Roberson of Sacramento CA and John Pettit of Monterey, CA (14) play Nestor Briceno of Pembroke Pines, FL and Vahid Mirzadeh of Lake Worth, FL (8). In the other Semi Final, Brendan Evans of Key Biscayne, FL and Brett Joelson of Austin, TX (4) face Jarrett Chirico of Bradenton, FL and Wayne Odesnik of Weston, FL (2).

In the Boys 18 doubles semifinals, second seeds Rajeev Ram of Carmel, IN and Jonathan Stokke of Hilton Head Island, SC, last year's 16s champions, will meet Todd Widom of Coral Springs, FL and Jordan Dolberg Pembroke Pines, FL (16). The other Semifinal match-up features surprise semifinalists Brent D'Amico of Aurora, CO and Philip Sheng of Thousand Oaks, CA (14) squaring off against the hard-hitting duo of Ytai Abougzir of Naples, FL and Alex Bogomolov of Miami, FL (7).

In the Feed In tournament, Eric Hodgman of Kalamazoo won two matches on Wednesday to reach the fourth round of the back draw. Trevor McLeod of Kalamazoo lost in his consolation match.

In the 18s, 9th seed Prakash Amritraj from Encino, CA rode an agressive serve-volley strategy to a 7-6(2), 6-2 victory over top seeded Ram.

In 16s action, top seed Young battled both the heat index that climbed above 100 degrees and the tenth seeded player of Pramod Dabir (Saratoga, CA), eventually succumbing by the score of 7-6(5), 2-6, 6-2.

In other 18s singles action, upsets abounded as 10th seed Lester Cook (Van Nuys, CA) beat 6th seed Jesse Witten (Naples, FL) 7-5, 5-7, 6-1; 13th seed Sam Warburg (Sacramento, CA) upset 4th seed Evan Austin (Naples, FL) 6-1, 1-6, 6-4; and 22nd seed Travis Rettenmaier (Fountain Valley, CA) unseated 12th seed Roger Gubser (Laredo, TX) 6-3, 6-2.

Several top seeds managed to avoid Wednesday's upset bug: 2nd seed Brian Baker (Nashville, TN) beat 15th seed Robert Yim (Glendale, CA) 7-5, 7-6(2); 3rd seed Ytai Abougzir (Naples, FL) defeated 24th seed Drew Hoskins (Los Alamitos, CA) 6-1, 6-3; 5th seed Todd Widom (Coral Springs, FL) bested Chris Kwon (Boca Raton, FL) 6-4, 6-4; and 8th seed Alex Bogomolov (Miami, FL) beat Sean Kelleher (Forty Fort, PA) 6-2, 6-2.

The 16s singles draw was also littered with upsets. Unseeded Scoville Jenkins (Atlanta, GA) defeated 14th seed Juan Carlos Rebaza (Rockville, MD) 6-2, 6-4 and is the only unseeded player in either quarterfinal draw; 15th seed John Isner (Greensboro, NC) out-lasted 8th seed Jarrett Chirico (Bradenton, FL) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2; and 13th seed Jamil Al-Agba (Camarillo, CA) ousted 6th seed Jonathan Howard (Waskom, TX) 6-3, 6-2.

Four favorites in the 16s also advanced: 3rd seed James Wan (Woodbury, NY) defeated 22nd seed Phillip Simmonds (Reston, VA) 6-4, 6-4; 4th seed Brendan Evans (Key Biscayne, FL) topped 26th seed Ryan Rowe (Bettendorf, IA) 7-6(4), 6-3; 5th seed Wayne Odesnik (Weston, FL) beat 20th seed Adam Fass (Parkland, FL) 6-4, 7-5; and 7th seed Justin Montgomery (Oxnard, CA) defeated 9th seed Scott Oudsema (Portage, MI) 7-6(7), 6-2. James Wan, as the third seed, is the highest seed remaining in the draw.