First year boys 18s player Mac Styslinger, Birmingham, Ala., used his success at the junior Australian Open in January as a springboard for a successful season so far. He made it to the quarterfinals in Australia and, on Thursday, he advanced to the semifinals at Kalamazoo. Styslinger (9), Birmingham, Ala., defeated Junior Ore (26), Gaithersburg, Md., 7-6(4), 6-4 and will play Mitchell Frank (2), Annandale, Va., in Saturday’s semifinals. “I got that one break in the second set and that was it,” Styslinger said of his match with Ore. “I played a good tiebreaker and the one break in the second that was pretty much it. It was just a solid match.” Styslinger and Frank have Friday off, although both will play in Friday’s doubles semifinals. Styslinger and partner Emmett Egger, Issaquah, Wash., the eighth seeds, go against top seeds Jack Sock, Lincoln, Neb., and Jackson Withrow, Omaha, Neb. Frank and Ore (5) play Nick Chappell, Indianapolis, Ind., and Marcus Giron (7), Thousand Oaks Calif., in Friday’s semis. In Thursday’s singles, Frank defeated Hunter Callahan (23), Lower Gwynedd, Pa., 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. “I came out, started slow and he was playing really well,” Frank said of Callahan. “He came out really pumped up. I knew he was gonna come out pumped up. but I came out sluggish and he took it to me for the first hour and a half of the match. “I’ve been in that situation a lot, so I didn’t panic. The thing was, first set, I had break points every single game on his serve. He played some great games to break me and I wasn’t playing so great. I knew I was gonna get my chances on his serve. It was just a matter of capitalizing.” Frank figured Callahan, who was a redshirt freshman at Ohio State last season, had some inside information. “I think he was talking to Ty Tucker, his coach at Ohio State,” Frank said. “I know Ty a bit and he’s a funny guy. I’m sure he knew exactly what to do against me. “But at this point, it’s just about execution. I know how everyone’s gonna come out. I know everyone’s gonna play against me and they know how I’m gonna play against them, so there’s no secrets.”

Source: USTA Nationals Staff