GIRLS’ 18s SEMIFINAL MATCHES SET FOR SATURDAY AT USTA
BILLIE JEAN KING GIRLS’ 16s & 18s NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Top Seeded Valencia Xu to Meet 14th Seed Reese Brantmeier in Girls’ 16s Final

SAN DIEGO – (August 9, 2019) – Top-seeded Hailey Baptiste passed a difficult quarterfinal test and overcame eighth-seeded Abigail Forbes of Raleigh, N.C., 7-5, 6-4 to move into the 18s semifinals of the USTA Billie Jean King Girls’ 16s & 18s National Championships.

Baptiste will face her toughest opponent of the tournament so far on Saturday at 10 a.m. when she takes on third-seeded Emma Navarro of Charleston, S.C.  Navarro, who has not lost a set in the tournament, led 33rd seed Lea Ma of Dix Hills, N.Y., 6-4, 1-0, when Ma retired with an injury.

One of the big stories of the 18s draws has been the emergence of 15-year-old Katrina Scott. The No. 13 seed from Woodland Hills, Calif., scored another big win as she ousted 10th seeded Elli Mandlik of Bradenton, Fla., 7-6 (5), 6-3 on Friday.

Scott will play second-seeded Katie Volynets of Walnut Creek, Calif., in Saturday’s Girls’ 18s semifinals at 9:30 a.m.  Volynets fought off a tough quarterfinal challenge against fifth-seeded Connie Ma, overcoming an early service break in the first set before winning 7-6 (1), 6-1 in two-hours and 16 minutes.

“It feels great. I’m super excited for tomorrow’s match. I’m going to go out there, give it my best, play my best tennis and hope for a really good match,” said Scott, the lowest remaining seed in the 18s draw.

When asked how she came through a tough field to reach the semifinals, Scott said, “Just believing in myself. Just going out there, pretending every match is the same. We have the same strokes and the same game. I’m fighting for every point, competing. You’re never out of the match, no matter the score.”

The Girls’ 16s singles championship is scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m. and will be broadcast live on Tennis Channel. Top-seed Valencia Xu of Livingston, N.J., will meet 14th seeded Reese Brantmeier of Whitewater, Wis., for the title.

In the Girls’ 16s semifinals on Friday, Xu overwhelmed 17th seeded Eleana Yu of Mason, Ohio, 6-0, 6-1 in 70 minutes. Brantmeier upset second-seeded Vivian Ovrootsky of San Jose, Calif., 7-5, 1-6, 6-3 in a thrilling match that took two-hours and 13 minutes to complete.

For updated draws in the Girls’ 16s and 18s divisions, click here.

Over 400 of the top junior tennis players in the country, aged 16 and 18 and under, are competing for the title of National Champion, as well as a wild card entry into the Women’s Singles main draw of the 2019 US Open (for the 18s Champion) and a wild card into the 2019 US Open Junior Championships (for the 16s Champion).  The 18s Doubles Champions will also receive a wild card into the US Open Women’s Doubles main draw.

The Girls’ 18s tournament will conclude with the 18s singles championship on Sunday, August 11. Tennis Channel will also broadcast the Girls’ 18s singles final from 2-4 p.m. (PDT) on Sunday, August 11.

The starting times for each day of the tournament are as follows:
Saturday, August 10 – 9 a.m.
Sunday, August 11 – 10 a.m.
(All times PDT)

To view the official tournament website, please click here.

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USTA Billie Jean King Girls’ 16s & 18s National Championships
Barnes Tennis Center
San Diego
Friday’s Results

Girls’ 18s Singles
Quarterfinals
Hailey Baptiste (1), Washington, def. Abigail Forbes (8), Raleigh, N.C., 7-5, 6-4
Emma Navarro (3), Charleston, S.C., def. Lea Ma (33), Dix Hills, N.Y., 6-4, 1-0, Ret. (injury)
Katrina Scott (13), Woodland Hills, Calif., def. Elli Mandlik (10), Bradenton, Fla., 7-6 (5), 6-3
Katie Volynets (2), Walnut Creek, Calif., def. Connie Ma (5), Dublin, Calif., 7-6 (1), 6-1

Girls’ 16s Singles
Semifinals
Valencia Xu (1), Livingston, N.J., def. Eleana Yu (17), Mason, Ohio, 6-0, 6-1
Reese Brantmeier (14), Whitewater, Wis., def. Vivian Ovrootsky (2), San Jose, Calif., 7-5, 1-6, 6-3

For complete scores and results, click here.