Long road trips and early matches lead to singles loss for an exhausted Shaun Young.
By SCOTT PURKS
Published April 28, 2004
Durant's Shaun Young didn't want to make any excuses after failing to defend his state singles title Tuesday morning, but he sure was tired.
On Monday at Orlando's Sanlando Park, Young won two singles matches and a doubles match, then promptly drove to Tampa for an awards banquet honoring the county's top students. (Young is Durant's salutatorian with a 6.52 weighted GPA.)
This meant he went to sleep late only to wake up at 5 this morning and drive to Sanlando for an 8 a.m. match against Andrew Mazlin of Altamonte Springs, which is just down the road from Sanlando.
A rested Mazlin beat Young 6-2, 6-2.
"It's been a tough couple of days," Young said. "A lot of driving. All that time in the car can affect your legs.
"Plus (Mazlin, who Young has beaten in the past) was on his game."
Young will drive back to Sanlando this morning for a 10 a.m. overall doubles championship match against the winners of the No. 1 team doubles champions.
Young and partner Brian Walsh won the individual doubles title Tuesday after a 6-1, 7-5 victory in the semifinals and a 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 victory in the final over Miami Jackson. Young and Alex Vuckovic, who transferred to Newsome, won the overall doubles for Durant last year.
Gaither's Williams wins title
Gaither's Brianna Williams was tired with a stuffed-up head and a runny nose, and that was before she battled three hours to win the Class 4A individual title 6-4, 0-6, 6-4 at Orlando's Sanlando Park.
Blowing her nose and drinking tons of water to fight dehydration, Williams played well but lost nine-consecutive games from the beginning of the second set to Taravella's Marlena Hall.
Down 3-0 in the final set, coach Michelle Wilson offered a suggestion. Why not mix it up with more deep, looping, top-spin shots? The strategy paid off as Williams won five of the next six games and her first individual title in her fourth trip to the state tournament.
"After trying for years it felt really good to finally win it," said Williams, who improved to 19-0. "My goal before the season started was to win the state title. Now I have the individual title and just have to win the overall (championship today).
Williams plays Miami Sunsets' Jenni-Lee Heisner, who won the team No. 1 division championship, at 8 a.m.
"I've never played (Heisner) but I expect a great match," Williams said. "I've seen her play and I think it will probably be close."
Williams said she hoped to be rested after almost eight hours of tennis Tuesday that included two doubles matches with teammate Annica Johansson. Williams and Johansson won their individual semifinal over Lake Brantley 6-2, 4-6, 6-4, then lost 6-3, 6-2 to Taravella.
"I was pretty tired by that last match," Williams said. "I was making more unforced errors than I normally would. Annica played great and I tried, but it just didn't happen. Hopefully I can go to sleep to early and get rested up for the morning."
Wolves eye first championship
TAMPA - Some schools go years without a state title. With a strong effort today, Newsome may secure one after just an eight-month wait.
Newsome opened in September, but already has built a powerhouse boys' program that has a shot at the Class 2A state championship today at Hillsborough Community College. Alex Vuchovic, a junior with the top GPA in his class, faces Zack Granger of Jacksonville Bolles in today's state championship.
Vuchovic, using a powerful serve and strong forehand, routed Clay High's Cory Dunham 6-1, 6-2 in the opening match of the day. Vuchovic came back with another strong effort to reach today's finals. He'll perform double duty today when he pairs with Brad Henderson for the doubles title. Vuchovic and Henderson routed Gulliver Prep to make the finals.
Newsome coach Jim Govreau said everyone is excited about hanging a first championship banner.
"It would be huge to win a state championship as a first-year school," Govreau said. "We're really looking forward to the chance. As a team we're playing really well right now."
Vuchovic has never played Granger, but has heard about his reputation as a strong player who won't go down easily.
"I know he's a really good player," Vuchovic said. "I just need to serve really well and win the big points."
In girls' action, Kelly Russell won her first-round match for the Academy of the Holy Names with a 6-0, 1-6, 6-1 victory over Gulf Breeze's Carly Russell, but lost to Bolles' Grace Baljon in the semis 6-2, 6-3. Marie King notched a 6-4, 6-1 win over Gulf Breeze's Abigail Felkner, then fell 6-0, 6-0 to Cardinal Gibbons' Julie Blackmore.
