SAN DIEGO’S HIROMI SASANO CAPTURES WOMEN’S SINGLES
TITLE AT USTA NATIONAL 40 HARD COURT CHAMPIONSHIPS
Men’s Singles Final Scheduled for Sunday at 10:30 a.m. (PST)
LA JOLLA, Calif. – (December 1, 2018) – Top seeded Hiromi Sasano captured the women’s singles title at the USTA National 40 Hard Court Championships for the third straight year as the 43-year-old San Diego resident overcame second-seeded Amanda Parson Siegel of Henderson, Nev., 6-2, 7-5 on Saturday at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club.
Sasano got off to a quick start in the match against Parson Siegel as she used three service breaks to build a 5-1 lead in the first set. Two games later, Sasano served out the set, which took 46 minutes.
In the second set, with the score level at 3-3, Parson Siegel held serve and then broke Sasano for a 5-3 advantage. As the crowd anticipated a third set, Parson Siegel served for the second set, but Sasano fought back and broke to get back on serve.
That was all Sasano needed as she held and broke Parson Siegel again for a 6-5 lead. Sasano served for the championship in the 12th game. After opening the game with a double fault, she regrouped and won the next four points to win the title.
Following the match, Sasano spoke about her victory. “It was such a fun match, I wouldn’t have minded playing three sets. I was just enjoying the moment,” she said. “I have the attitude that I don’t mind losing as long as I play well. I love the pressure. I can’t wait to play next year.”
Prior to the the tournament, Sasano had suffered a right wrist injury and was unsure if she could defend her title. “Last week I wasn’t sure if I could play a match. It got better as the days went by. I’m just grateful to be here,” she said after receiving her USTA gold ball for winning the event.
The last player to win three consecutive USTA National 40 Hard Court women’s singles titles was former WTA touring professional Gretchen Magers, who won the championship from 2004 through 2006. The late Dorothy “Dodo” Cheney, a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, holds the record with 13 straight singles titles from 1957 through 1969.
The men’s singles final is set for Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Top-seeded Jeff Greenwald, the two-time defending champion, will meet second-seeded Stuart “Ross” Duncan of Laguna Beach, Calif., for the championship. Greenwald defeated Duncan 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 in the semifinals in 2016.
Greenwald, a resident of San Anselmo, Calif., who is seeking his fourth tournament singles title, took 75 minutes to eliminate former three-time singles champion Tony Bujan of Santa Ana, Calif., 6-1, 6-2 in the first men’s semifinal match of the day.
In the second men’s semifinal, Duncan needed two-hours and 43 minutes to earn a hard-fought 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-1 victory over 10th seeded Brett Masi of Lubbock, Texas. Duncan will be playing in his first USTA National 40 Hard Court final after reaching the semifinals the past two years.
For updated tournament draws in each division, please click here.
All tournament matches on Court No. 1 at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club will be streamed live. To access live streaming, please go to: https://www.ipcamlive.com/ljbtc
La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club welcomes tennis spectators with free admission to watch matches during the tournament. Onsite parking is available for a nominal fee.
Fans can tune-in to RadioTennis.com on Sunday, December 2 at 10:30 a.m. to hear live audio coverage of the men’s singles final. Tennis broadcaster Ken Thomas will provide live web cast commentary at https://radiotennis.com/.
The USTA National Father/Son and Grandfather/Grandson Hard Court Doubles Championships, which began on Friday, will conclude Sunday, December 2.
The Father/Son championship has been held continuously at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club since 1959, and attracts the top father and son tennis teams in the nation. The Grandfather/ Grandson Championship is a competitive division that started at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club in 2003.
Game Smart Tennis is the official videographer of the tournament. All tournament matches are being recorded and available for purchase.
Game Smart Tennis offers the following services: MATCH VIDEO: Recording of the entire match. CONDENSED VIDEO: An average a two-hour match is compressed to 20 minutes of video. INTERACTIVE ANALYTICS: Get match statistics and use them to watch points of interest. Features include sharing, creating playlist and writing comments. A Mobile App is available.
For additional information, prices and samples of video/analytics, visit www.matchbox.tennis.
Designated one of the Top 100 Tennis Resorts in the world by Tennis Resorts Online, the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club’s reputation as a top tennis destination started in 1942, when it attracted its first major tournament, the Pacific Coast Men’s Doubles Championship. The Club will be hosting the 130th edition of this popular tournament February 28 – March 3, 2019, as well as both the USTA National Hard Court Championships for Womens’ 50-90 age groups and the 46th Annual Men’s Senior Championships May 13-19, 2019.
About the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club, Inc. – The La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club is a fourth-generation, family-owned and operated company dedicated to the operation of a 14-acre beachside resort. The resort includes three properties, including the exclusive La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club, the 128-room La Jolla Shores Hotel and The Marine Room restaurant. Resort amenities include 14 championship tennis courts, a nine-hole par-3 golf course, two swimming pools, two additional oceanfront restaurants and cocktail lounges, and one of Southern California’s only private beaches. For more information, visit www.LJBTC.com.
USTA National 40 Hard Court Championships
La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club
La Jolla, Calif.
Saturday’s Results
Women’s Singles
Championship
Hiromi Sasano (1), San Diego, def. Amanda Parson Siegel (2), Henderson, Nev., 6-2, 7-5
Third-Place
Dominika Olszewska (3), Corona, Calif., def. Lizl Kotz (4), Mount Pleasant, S.C., walkover
Men’s Singles
Semifinals
Jeff Greenwald (1), San Anselmo, Calif., def. Tony Bujan (3), Santa Ana, Calif., 6-1, 6-2
Stuart Duncan (2), Laguna Beach, Calif., def. Brett Masi (10), Lubbock, Texas, 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-1
For complete scores and results, go to:
https://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/TournamentHome/Tournament.aspx?T=205802#&&s=8Results0
