Unseeded Braverman rolls into semifinals

Flying unseeded and under the radar, Newport Beach resident Jillian

Braverman has yet to be challenged in the 13th annual Costa Mesa

Summer Junior Classic tennis tournament.

What is lacking in terms of a seeding, however, doesn’t translate

to court skills and tactics.

A 15-year-old playing in the girls 18s division for this

particular tournament, Braverman dispatched Leanne Milliken of El

Cajon, 6-2, 6-0, Wednesday in the singles quarterfinals at Costa Mesa

Tennis Center to remain undefeated in sets.

But Braverman is using this tournament as a warmup for the

upcoming United States Tennis Association national championships in

San Diego.

Also testing out a tender ankle in this week’s tournament,

Braverman said she was ready to go.

“This is more of a test to see if I can hold up,” said Braverman,

who has recently been suffering from tendinitis in her right ankle.

“I’m really pleased so far. The next person I play I beat a month

ago, so I’m pretty confident.”

The soon-to-be Corona del Mar junior will face second-seeded

Christina Tan of Laguna Niguel at 9 a.m. today in a semifinal

matchup.

Other Newport-Mesa area players who stayed alive for today’s

singles rounds include Melissa Matsuoka, Hailey Hogan, Sarah Craig,

Parker Rhodes, Christopher Damion, Hayden Tremper, James Zillman and

Dante Saleh.

Braverman, ranked No. 20 in Southern California girls 16s by the

Southern California Tennis Association, will step down from girls 18s

into 16s for the national championships slated to begin Aug. 7 in San

Diego.

The Costa Mesa Summer Junior Classic is the second consecutive

tournament Braverman has competed in the 18s division. She won the

division at the seventh annual Laguna Niguel Junior Open in early

June unseeded.

Top-seeded Matsuoka of Newport Beach defeated fellow Newport Beach

resident Danielle Kaiden, 6-0, 6-3, in a girls 14s singles

quarterfinal and will face fifth-seeded Hailey Hogan of Newport Beach

in the semis at 9 a.m. today.

Hogan defeated New York’s Andie Coopersmith, 6-1, 6-0, in

Wednesday’s quarters.

Fourth-seeded Craig of Newport Beach defeated Placentia’s Natalie

Etchegaray, 7-6, 6-3, in a girls 12s singles quarterfinal and will

face top-seeded Natasha Boulad of Laguna Beach in the semifinals at 8

a.m. today.

Second-seeded Rhodes of Corona del Mar defeated Huntington Beach’s

Eric Krueger, 6-2, 6-1, in a boys 16s singles round of 16 and San

Clemente’s Ron Tisalan in the semis.

Top-seeded Damion of Corona del Mar defeated Laguna Niguel’s

Taylor Stephan, 6-1, 6-3, in a boys 14s singles quarterfinal and will

play in a semifinal at 10 a.m. today.

Corona del Mar resident Tremper defeated Newport Beach’s Christian

Ball, 6-4, 6-0, in a boys 12s singles quarterfinal and will face

top-seeded Deiton Baughman of Carson in the semis at 8 a.m. today.

Third-seeded Zillman of Costa Mesa defeated Dove Canyon’s Neil

Argade, 6-1, 6-1, in a boys 10s singles quarterfinal and will face

top-seeded Edward Rim of Los Angeles in the semis at 8 a.m. today.

In a girls 16s doubles quarterfinal, the top-seeded duo of

Michelle Atkins and Kelly McKitterick of Newport Beach and Corona del

Mar, respectively, defeated Kara Griffin and Sarah Labowsky, both of

New Jersey, 6-1, 6-1.