Top seeds in both the 16s and 18s singles main draws survived elimination at the USTA Boys’ 18 & 16 National Championships in Kalamazoo on Monday. In the 18s draw, No. 5 seed Michael Mmoh (Bradenton, Fla.) looked to cruise to a straight set victory after winning the first set 6-3, but unseeded Nicholas Borchenko (Studio City, Calif.) had other ideas. Borchenko won the second set 6-4. Mmoh, a semifinalist from a year ago, gathered himself to earn a spot in the fourth round with a 6-1 victory in set three. Mmoh faces No. 23 seed Emil Reinberg (Atlanta, Ga.) in the fourth round. The highest seed to fall in the 18s draw on day four was No. 17 Nick Stachowiak (Cary, N.C.). Unseeded Ben Vandixhorn (Libertyville, Ill.) won the third round match 6-4, 6-1. In the 16s draw, No. 2 seed Jake Van Emburgh (Verona, Wis.) needed three sets to win his singles match for the second consecutive day. After a second round three-set victory yesterday, Van Emburgh again lost the first set 6-4. Against Ignacio Garcia (San Juan, Puerto Rico), Jake won the next two sets 6-1, 6-4 to advance to the fourth round. No. 14 seed Christian Alshon (Boca Raton, Fla.) did not advance to the fourth round as he lost 7-2 (2), 6-1 to unseeded Zummy Bauer (Sewanee, Ga.). Local product Bill Duo (Portage, Mich.) also failed to reach round four of the main draw. Duo and No. 26 seed Trey Hinderbrand (San Antonio, Texas) played perhaps the best match of the day as Hinderbrand won the three-set marathon 6-7 (5), 6-3, 7-6 (2). In doubles, the 18s had the day off, but the 16s third round was in full with at the Sorensen Courts. The No. 1, No. 2, and No. 4 seeded doubles teams advanced to round four with straight set victories (No. 3 seed fell in second round). The No. 5-ranked team, Robert Baylon (Buena Park, Calif.) and Bradley Frye (Overland Park, Kan.) lost 6-2, 6-4 to M. McCormick (Berwyn, Pa.) and Kyrylo Tsygura (North Potomac, Md.). On the schedule for tomorrow is – 16s singles fourth round, 18s singles fourth round, 16s doubles fourth round, 18s doubles fourth round, 16s third round qualifying feed ins, 18s third round feed ins.

Source: Mitch Blankespoor