If last week’s youth tournament is any indication, Sequim’s youth tennis movement is going strong.
Blake Wiker (A division), Jonathan Heintz (B division) and Adrian Mendez (C division) won skills-based division titles at the Sequim Youth Tennis Tournament held July 24-27 at Sequim High School’s courts.
In A division play, Wiker went 4-0, topping runner-up Raymond Lam 6-2, 6-1 for the title. Garrett Little took third, going 3-2 overall.
“Blake Wiker … would be doing well playing in USTA sanctioned tennis tournaments,” tourney organizer Don Thomas said.
Thomas also was impressed with Little, an 11-year-old competing with (and beating) high school-aged boys and girls.
”He definitely should be playing USTA sanctioned tournaments in his own age group,” Thomas said. “He would be a winner there also.”
In B division play, Heintz was 3-0 with Alyssa Alcaraz in second place and Steven Lam placing third.
In C division action, Mendez went 4-1, needing a 12-9 victory over second-place finisher Joshua Alcaraz in the title match; Crystal Rieckhoff of Port Angeles took third.
“The 9- and 10-year-olds — Adrian Mendez, Joshua Alcaraz and Crystal Rieckhoff — represent the future of area tennis,” Thomas said. “They played in some of the most exciting of the tournament matches.”
This year’s tournament saw 23 participants, up from 20 players in 2016 and 16 in 2015. Thomas divided the field into three skill levels. For the youngest group, service positions were shortened to enhance serving ability and then the court was opened to full singles court upon return of serve. Scoring was modified for the three divisions.
“Our goal was to maximize play time, thus experience, for the participants,” Thomas said. “This was achieved by using double elimination play.
“Additionally, many of the young lady players desired the no gender format: They wanted a chance to beat the boys. Many want to have fun as well as gaining playing experience. I believe the those goals were achieved,” he said.
“Personally,” Thomas added, “I had a lot of fun just watching those kids perform — a super experience for everyone.”
Tournament results:
A division
July 24 — Raymond Lam def. Amanda He, 6-2, 6-3; Damon Little def. Brenton Barnes, 6-0, 6-0; Garrett Little def. Liam Braaden, 6-3, 6-0; Blake Wiker def. Lam, 6-0, 6-4; D. Little def. Emma Shogren, 6-3, 6-0; Stephanie LaCour def. Kalli Wiker, 6-4, 6-4; G. Little def. Isabelle Hugoniot, 6-2, 6-1
July 25 — G. Little def. LaCour, 6-4, 5-7; K. Wiker def. Barnes, 6-1, 6-3; B. Wiker def. D. Little, 6-1, 6-0; Lam def. Shogren, 6-0, 6-0; R. Lam def. Braaden, 6-0, 6-0
July 26 — K. Wiker def. Hugoniot, 5-7, 6-2; B. Wiker def. G. Little, 6-0, 6-0; K. Wiker def. D. Little, 6-3, 4-6; Lam def. LaCour, 6-3, 6-1
July 27 — Lam def. K. Wiker, 6-3, 6-0; Lam def. G. Little, 6-3, 6-2; B. Wiker def. Lam 6-2, 6-1
B division
July 24 — Jonathan Heintz def. Alyssa Alcaraz, 8-4; Heintz def. Steven Lam, 8-3
July 25 — Alcaraz def. Lam, 8-3; Heintz def. Alcaraz, 8-0
C division
July 24 — Joshua Alcaraz def. Tiffany Lam, 12-0; Sky Gelder def. Crystal Rieckhoff, 12-8; Rieckhoff def. Lam, 12-9
July 25 — Mendez def. Gonzales, 12-3; Alcaraz def. Gelder, 12-8; Rieckhoff def. Gelder, 13-11; Rieckhoff def. Gonzales, 15-14; Alcaraz def. Mendez, 13-12
July 26 — Mendez def. Rieckhoff, 12-3; Mendez def. Alcaraz, 12-10
July 27 — Mendez def. Alcaraz, 12-9.
Winners of the Sequim Youth Tennis Tournament are, from left, Blake Wiker, Jonathan Heintz, Raymond Lam, Garrett Little, Alyssa Alcaraz, Crystal Rieckhoff and Joshua Alcaraz. Not pictured are Steven Lam and Adrian Mendez. Photo courtesy of Don Thomas
