KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Top seeds Michael Mmoh (Bradenton, Fla.) in 18 singles and Lukas Greif (Evansville, Ind.) in 16 singles each claimed straight set victories in the championship matches on the final day of the 2016 USTA Boys’ 18 and 16 National Championships hosted by Kalamazoo College and Western Michigan University.

Mmoh, last year’s No. 5 seed, defeated No. 7 Vasil Kirkov (Tampa, Fla.) 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 to win the 18 singles national championship and a berth into the main draw of the U.S. Open later this summer. Mmoh did not lose a set in the entire tournament. 

Greif, the third place finisher in 16 doubles, defeated No. 10 Jensen Brooksby (Carmichael, Calif.) 6-0, 6-3 to win the 16 singles title. Greif, similar to last year’s 16 singles champion Patrick Kypson, did not drop a set on the way to the championship. 

No. 6 Zeke Clark (Tulsa, Okla.) won the third place match in 18 singles over No. 8 Trent Bryde (Suwanee, Ga.) 6-4, 7-6(7). No. 4 Sam Riffice (Boca Raton, Fla.) edged No. 2 John McNally (Cincinnati, Ohio) 7-5, 3-6, 1-0(7) in the 18 feed in championship.

No. 15 Robert Maciag (Sterling, Va.) def. Michael Tsolakyan (Glendale, Calif.) 7-6(4), 7-5 in the 16 singles third place match while No. 5 Harris Walker (South Salem, N.Y.) won the 16 feed ins final 7-5, 6-3 over No. 3 Jared Pratt (Daniel Island, S.C.).

Greif was named the 2016 Bobby Kaplan Sportsmanship Award winner. The award is named after Bobby Kaplan, coach, official, and friend of the Nationals in Kalamazoo who passed away in 1977.

Kirkov garnered the 2016 Allen B. Stowe Sportsmanship Award, named after Dr. Allen B. Stowe, longtime tournament director of the Nationals and men’s tennis coach at Kalamazoo College.  

Source: Mitch Blankespoor