Tennis: Reitz ready for USTA Sectionals

Steve Virgen

FOUNTAIN VALLEY - Brittany Reitz has many strengths she utilizes in

her attempts to take command on the tennis court. Her biggest strength

explains why she won the CIF Southern Section singles title, Nov. 1. And

it explains how she helped Corona del Mar High win the CIF Southern

Section Division IV team title, while she overcame frustrations with CIF

officials and their decision to declare her ineligible until Oct. 16,

because she had transferred too late.

“My biggest strength is that I’m basically going to have to die before

I lose,” Reitz said. “I’m always going to give a 110% to win.”

Reitz will use her strength when she takes to the court at the 99th

annual Southern California Junior Sectional Tennis Championships, which

features 65 Newport-Mesa residents and runs from Saturday to July 1 at

the Los Caballeros Racquet and Sports Club in Fountain Valley.

Reitz will play in the 18s singles competition.

“I love the game, I love practicing and I love competing and just

being out there,” Reitz, a 17-year-old and CdM senior-to-be, said of her

motivation. She also noted she possesses mental toughness and great court

speed.

She will definitely need the mental toughness at this tournament.

Aside from the high-profile players in the 18s, Reitz has to erase

thoughts of what took place last year in this same tournament.

After two matches, she withdrew from competition because she suffered

a torn left knee ligament. She was leading, 3-0, over Diane Mattias, but

then Reitz twisted her knee when attacking an over-head shot. Reitz

played the match with the injured knee and withdrew after she lost to

Mattias, who went on to win the title.

“I’m more excited than ever for this tournament,” Reitz said. “There

will be a lot of great players. I’m so excited to be able to be on the

same court with them, to be able to be out there and have fun. I’ve been

training really hard. I think this is the tournament where players look

at it as a goal of, ‘that’s where I’m going to play at my top level.’ I

think I’m definitely in place to have success.”

Success is no stranger to Reitz, who was the first Orange County

player to win an individual CIF singles title since Dana Hills’ Anne Mall

in 1990. She also became just the second player in CdM history to win a

CIF singles title, joining Keri Phebus.

The championship served as a statement for Reitz, who thought the feat

provided poetic justice, considering she was withheld from playing early

in the season.

“(Last season) was the first time I got to play in a team situation,”

Reitz said, noting that the opportunity was a privilege. “I absolutely

loved it. The girls were great and the coaches were great, too. And it

was all a rewarding experience for me.”

Reitz received home school education during the eighth grade and her

freshman year. She then transferred to Mater Dei for a 28-day stay, but

decided to switch over to focus on academics at St. Margaret’s in San

Juan Capistrano.

She grew tired of the drive to school and turned her sights to CdM,

where she said the administration was helpful.

Reitz then went on to enjoy a successful season with the Sea Kings.

One of her few blemishes came when she lost to teammate and junior-to-be

Anne Yelsey for the Pacific Coast League singles title.

Yelsey will also be in the USTA SoCal sectional tournament. She enters

the tourney having placed in the top five in the past five years, yet

without winning a championship.

Last year, she lost in the finals of the 16s, to Carson’s Judith

Dezera.

“That (loss) encourages me,” Yelsey said. “Placing second is nice, but

winning a tournament is so much better.”

She said she’s not concerned with facing Reitz again. Yelsey had to

withdraw from the CIF individual competition because she had prior

obligations.

“I played (Reitz) just once and that was in the PCL finals,” Yelsey

said. “If we both got far and had to play each other, then I’ll start

thinking about it. But one match at a time.”

Also in the tournament will be CdM’s Cameron Ball and his brother,

Carsten. The Sea Kings’ Jill Damion and Leslie Damion are also among the

locals in the tourney.