CITY TENNIS FINAL: A BAD TWIST DENIES GRANADA HILLS IN TENNIS FINAL.

Byline: Heather Gripp Staff Writer

The challenge the Granada Hills girls' tennis team looked for all season finally arrived. And, acompanied by an added twist, it was more than the defending City champions could handle.

Christine Dao, the Highlanders' freshman No. 2 singles player, withdrew from her match in the second set after injuring her ankle and set the tone for things to come in Friday's City final against No. 2 Carson at Balboa Sports Center. Carson became the first team in two years to beat Granada Hills by winning a rematch of last year's final 4-3.

The Highlanders had not lost a set all season until Dao's forfeit.

Dao won her first set against Ceilo Domingo 6-0 and was up 1-0 when she rolled her ankle running down a ball in the second set. It was immediately evident she could not continue.

Dao sat on the sidelines as she watched her older sister Jasmin play No. 1 singles, but as the swelling and pain in her ankle increased, Christine was carried away for X-rays before the match ended.

``I was really surprised,'' said Jasmin Dao, who didn't see the accident but knew things were bad when she turned around and saw her sister lying on the ground. ``I didn't know what the score was then, but that didn't help. That's just the way it went. We had bad luck today.''

Jasmin Dao lost both of her sets against Judy De Vera, the top-seeded player for the individual tournament, 7-5, 6-2.

Granada Hills' Canna Furuta defeated Janet Ajao 6-0, 6-0 and Yuka Otaka won both of her sets at No. 4 singles, but Carson (17-0) continued to give the Highlanders a tough time in doubles. Caryn Linder and Shannon Slotnick edged the Colts' Maria Domingo and Kim Espiritu 6-4, 7-6 (7-2) in No. 1 doubles to give Granada Hills and Carson one doubles win each as the match came down to the No. 2 doubles match.

Andrea Blieden and Tracey Takeshita won their first set against Carson's Kay Lozano and Ann Buan but lost the next two 6-4, 6-4 to clinch the victory for Carson.

Tears streamed down the Highlanders' faces as they gathered on the court after the loss, but by the time they got to the awards ceremony a few minutes later, smiles were returning and they were able to joke about Dao's injury being bad luck resulting from wearing new shoes.

``We argued about that last night,'' Jasmin Dao said. ``I told her not to wear them.''

For the Granada Hills senior, the loss is just the third of her career.

``We had a good season and we've done something special the last four years,'' Dao said. ''We have to remember that.''

--City Invitational: Top-seeded North Hollywood defeated No. 2 Venice 5-2. The only matches the Gondoliers won were at No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles.

North Hollywood's Mia Lee lost only three games in her victory over Tiara Beeson at No. 2 singles.

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2 photos

Photo:

(1) Jasmin Dao of Granada Hills returns a shot during Friday's City championship finale against Carson.

(2) A tearful Christine Dao of Granada Hills is comforted after an injury forced her from Friday's City tennis championships.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News