TENNIS: CALIFORNIA BOWL: THACHER RALLIES TO WIN THE 18-UNDER DIVISION.Byline: ERIK BOAL Special to the Daily News Ryan Thacher hadn't seriously been tested in the past threemonths. The Harvard-Westlake of Studio City junior had dropped only one set in his past 18 singles matches entering Thursday's final in the boys' 18-under division of the California Bowl The California Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game played annually at Bulldog Stadium in Fresno, California, from 1981 to 1991. The games matched the championship teams from the Big West Conference (formerly the PCAA) with teams from the MAC. . But facing a three-game deficit in the final set of his match against No. 8 Ahmed Ismail Ahmed Ismail (born October 21, 1975 in Cairo) is an Egyptian boxer who competed in the Light Heavyweight (81kg) at the 2004 Summer Olympics and won the bronze medal. One year earlier, he captured the gold medal in his weight division at the All-Africa Games in Abuja, Nigeria. , Thacher demonstrated the determination and the resourcefulness Resourcefulness Buck clever and temerarious dog perseveres in the Klondike. [Am. Lit.: Call of the Wild] Crichton, Admirable butler proves to be infinite resource for castaway family on island. [Br. Lit. associated with being one of the top junior players in the country, rallying for a 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (2) victory at Calabasas Swim and Tennis Center. The victory gave the top-seeded Thacher back-to-back titles at the California Bowl, following his win in the 16-under division last year. It was also his third consecutive singles title entering next week's USTA USTA United States Tennis Association USTA United States Telecom Association USTA United States Trotting Association USTA United States Telephone Association USTA United States Twirling Association USTA United States Trademark Association Winter National Championships in Phoenix. ``When I get into the third, I haven't had great success. I've won some, but I've lost more than I've won,'' said Thacher, who fought off two match points during his four-game run to take a 6-5 lead in the third set. ``This match I benefited from getting behind. Certainly I didn't give up, nor have I in the past, but it allowed me to play loose and see what happens.'' Thacher, who won five consecutive singles titles -- including the 16-under championship at Winter Nationals -- to close out last year, kept his winning streak Noun 1. winning streak - a streak of wins streak, run - an unbroken series of events; "had a streak of bad luck"; "Nicklaus had a run of birdies" in tact Thursday with several timely volleys and some well-placed forehands. He saved one match point with a lunging volley volley /vol·ley/ (vol´e) a number of simultaneous muscle twitches or nerve impulses all caused by the same stimulus. vol·ley n. in the ninthgame, then won a 12-point 10th game to even the set. Thacher and Ismail, who trains at the Weil Academy in Ojai, traded service breaks to force the tiebreaker tie·break·er n. An additional contest or period of play designed to establish a winner among tied contestants. Also called tiebreak. tie , which Thacher gained command of by winning the firstthree points. ``I figured it can't get any worse,'' said Thacher, who relinquished a 4-3 first-set advantage. ``It wasn't going to benefit me to stay in long rallies, so I tried to make the points as short as possible by serving and volleying more, which, for whatever reason, is only something I seem to do when I'm behind.'' Thacher, who won the singles and doubles titles in the 16-under division last year in Arizona, will begin his pursuit for an 18-under crown Wednesday. In the boys' 14-under final, Thousand Oaks Thousand Oaks, residential city (1990 pop. 104,352), Ventura co., S Calif., in a farm area; inc. 1964. Avocados, citrus, vegetables, strawberries, and nursery products are grown. Marcos Giron defeated Glendale's Sahak Bazrganian 6-1, 5-7, 6-3. Reigning Southern Section singles champion Logan Hansen of Brentwood fell 6-4, 6-4 in the girls' 18-under final to Ojai's Tanya Raykova. erik.boal@dailynews.com (818) 713-3607 CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: Ryan Thacher of Harvard-Westlake keeps the play alive against Ahmed Ismael in the 18-under division final Thursday. Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News Box: LOCAL HEROES |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion