Jordan Cox defeated Denis Kudla 6-1, 7-6 (2), 6-3 to win the 16s singles title this afternoon on a cool and windy final day at Kalamazoo College’s Stowe Stadium.
Cox also earned a wild card into the main draw of the Junior U.S. Open.
"That\'s great," Cox said of the wild card. "I\'m looking forward to it a lot. It’s going to be a great experience."
Cox rolled through the first set, but Kudla stepped it up in the second, especially in the ninth game, where he fought off four match points in a game that went to eight deuces before he held serve to pull to 5-4.
“I played well in the first set and I knew he wasn’t playing his best tennis,” Cox said. “I was expecting him to come back and start playing like her normally does at any moment, so I was ready for it.
“I had to just keep playing every point. I believed th at I could win it. I just had to make it happen.”
Kudla said, “In the first set, I was battling nerves, but not a lot, not as much as I did before.
“I was overhitting a little bit and not feeling my strokes and not believing in myself.
“In the second set, I started telling myself just play with my feet and instead of trying to hit winners and everything, just make him play. I ended up doing that and coming back in the big game (in the second set).”

Source: USTA Nationals Staff