KALAMAZOO, Michigan – Doubles and singles champions were crowned on the final day of the 2019 USTA Boys’ 18 & 16 National Championships held in Kalamazoo August 2-11.

In 18 singles, No. 6 Zachary Svajda (San Diego, California) upset No. 1 Brandon Nakashima (San Diego, California) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 in one semifinal while No. 5 Govind Nanda (Cerritos, California) also overcame a first set loss to defeat No. 25 Ronan Jachuck (Boca Raton, Florida) 4-6, 7-5 7-5. Svajda then claimed the national championship with a four-set, 6-7 (3), 7-5, 6-3, 6-1 victory over Nanda in Sunday’s championship match. Svajda earns the tournament’s automatic qualifier into the main draw of the U.S. Open later this month.

Nakashima won the third-place match over Jachuck 6-2, 6-7 (2), 7-5. No. Andres Martin (Flowery Branch, Georgia) claimed the feed-in trophy.

In 16 singles, No. 1 Alexander Bernard (Bonita Springs, Florida) got through to the finals in straight sets, but his opponent, No. 4 Aidan Mayo (Torrance, California) overcame a first-set loss to defeat No. 19 Alex Finkelstein (Raynham, Massachusetts) 3-6, 6-3 6-3 in the other semifinals. In Sunday’s championships match, it was Bernard who battled back from a first set loss to earn the national championship in boys 16 singles 5-7, 6-2, 7-5. 

Finkelstein won the third-place match 6-3, 6-2 while Evan Wen (Morristown, New Jersey) claimed the feed-in trophy.

In 18 doubles, No. 1 Martin Damm (Bradenton, Florida) and Toby Kodat (Bradenton, Florida), who fought off three match points in the third round of the tournament, claimed the national championship and the tournament’s automatic qualification into the main draw of the U.S. Open by defeating Nanda and Nakashima 6-3, 6-4. 

In 16 doubles, No. 7 Benjamin Kittay (Potomac, Maryland) and Hugo Hashimoto (San Jose, California) claimed the national title by defeating No. 11 Lucas Brown (Plano, Texas) and Aidan Kim (Milford, Michigan) 7-6 (2), 7-6 (7).

Source: Mitch Blankespoor