Second seed Denis Kudla, Arlington, Va., will face ninth seed Bob van Overbeek, Boca Raton, Fla., in one of Saturday’s boys 18s semifinal matches. On Friday, Kudla defeated Raymond Sarmiento (8), Fontana, Calif., 6-2, 6-1, and van Overbeek beat Clay Thompson (31), Venice Beach, Calif., 6-2, 7-6(6). Sarmiento was down 3-1 in the second set when he called for a trainer. Kudla then won the next three games. “I was really surprised how that match went,” Kudla said. “We’ve been practicing with each other the last couple weeks. He’s been beating me, so I expected a lot tougher (match). The way I’ve been playing, the way he’s been playing, I mean, I thought he could have upset me.” Van Overbeek cruised through the first set. “In the first set, I think he was a little nervous, going for too much on some shots, maybe pressing” van Overbeek said. “(In the second), he started to calm down a little bit. He started to make more first serves. I got a little nervous. “It became more of a mental fight than a tennis match in the second set. I knew at any time he could start making the shots he was missing, and so I was trying to hold serve, hold serve. I actually got lucky.’ In the other 18s semifinal, determined on Thursday, Jordan Cox (1), Bradenton, Fla., will play Jack Sock (3), Lincoln, Neb.

Source: USTA Nationals Staff