World's Top Junior Doubles Team Falls in Wednesday's Quarterfinals
All but one of the top seeds in the 18 singles fifth round advanced to the quarterfinals. For all of the fifth round results, as well as the quarterfinal matchups, check out the draw page.
The only upset in the fifth round was a mild one but was enormous to tennis fans in the city of Kalamazoo. Ninth seed Scott Oudsema of Portage MI played in front of an estimated crowd of 2,000 partisans on Stowe Stadium's Centre Court. Both Oudsema and opponent 8th seed Brett Joelson seemed a bit overwhelmed by the attention, as both players double faulted twice in their opening service games. But by the time Oudsema claimed the first set 6-3, both players had settled comfortably into their games. Oudsema and Joelson needed all the composure they could muster for a tense second set tiebreak, which Oudsema won with a signature forehand.
Asked about his willingness to go for shots in such a pressure packed situation, Oudsema said, "I never get tentative in tiebreakers. Hitting out is my specialty."
Oudsema's doubles partner, 11th seed Phillip Simmonds, faced a daunting task in playing opponent James Wan, the 17th seed. Wan was one day removed from upsetting the tournament's top seed Wayne Odesnik and owned two career wins over Simmonds. The challenge loomed even larger after the match began and Wan raced out to a 6-4, 4-1 lead that included two service breaks in the second set. Simmonds then mounted an improbable reversal of fortune, as he won 11 of the next 12 games and won the match 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.
"I was inspired by my friend Alex Kuznetsov" (seeded 7th in 18s in this tournament) said Simmons. "He was down 5-0 in the third set at the French Open (Junior Championships)this year, and he came back to win."
While Simmonds' effort earned him a dramatic victory in singles, it may have cost him and his partner an opportunity to win the 18 doubles championship.
18 Doubles Scott Oudsema and Phillip Simmonds comprise the top ranked doubles team in the world of junior tennis according the ITF rankings. Wednesday evening the duo took on 6th seeds Robert Cameron and Chris Kwon. Oudsema and Simmonds escaped the first set in a tiebreaker 7-2. During the second set, however, a fifth set in as many hours of high level tennis appeared to catch up with Simmonds. His serve was broken once in the second set and again in the third. Cameron and Kwon held their own serves the rest of the way and closed out the stunning upset 6-7(2), 6-4, 6-3.
The results of the all the 18 doubles quarterfinals can be found here.
16 Singles Unseeded Joshua Varela won his fifth singles match in a row on Wednesday as he unseated 12th seed Paul Koenke. Varela served for the match up 5-3 in the second set after winning the first 6-3. Koenke dug in and earned a break, and he carried the momentum through the second set tiebreak which he won 7-5. Varela built a lead in the third set, and again served for the match at 5-3. Once a again Koenke battled back, but Varela regrouped and closed out his 6-3, 6-7(5), 7-5 upset.
For the rest of the 16 singles fifth round results, click here to see the latest draw.
Sources: Colette Lewis (Tournament Office) & Matt
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