for uphill battle
Steve Virgen
FOUNTAIN VALLEY - Anne Yelsey didn't know she's No. 1 in Southern
California girls' 18 singles tennis. The Corona del Mar High standout,
who will be a senior in the fall, is too busy to check rankings. Besides,
she's not concerned with them.
Nevertheless, Yelsey will put her No. 1 ranking on the line in the
100th Annual Southern California Junior Sectional Championships, which
features 68 players from the Newport Beach and Costa Mesa area and runs
through today to June 30.
The Junior Sectionals, the largest junior tennis tournament in the
U.S., will be headquartered at Los Caballeros Racquet Club in Fountain
Valley, and will be played at seven Orange County locations, including
the Costa Mesa Tennis Center. There are an estimated 1,700 players who
will be vying for Southern California championships in 12 divisions.
Since Yelsey did not play in any Southern California tournaments this
year, she can not be the No. 1 seed in the Junior Sectionals. She has to
win twice to get into the main draw. Lindsey Nelson (Orange) is the No. 1
seed. Yelsey will play Sunday at 8 a.m. against the winner of Rachel Nass
vs. Taylor Grant.
"I don't check (rankings)," said Yelsey, who will also compete in
girls 18 doubles competition. "I don't play in Southern California
tournaments. I'm ranked nationally because I play in a lot of national
tournaments, and I've been playing on the Satellite tour."
Yelsey, who is ranked No. 31 in the USTA girls' 18 singles, will team
up with Riza Zalameda (Beverly Hills High), who is ranked 39th. The duo
won the Junior Sectionals girls 18 doubles title last year.
They will defend their title as the No. 1 seed in the tournament and
will open with a bye. Yelsey and Zalameda begin play in the round of 16,
Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Los Caballeros. They will face the winner of
Kristin Bronowicki-Kristen Wilson vs. the Granada Hills tandem of Randi
Levine and Yuka Otaka.
Yelsey and Zalameda won the USTA Girls Super National Hard Court
Championships in San Diego last year. They also won the 16s national clay
court crown in Virginia Beach, Va., and finished second in the
prestigious Easter Bowl. The duo formed when a mutual partner was
injured.
Also, in the girls 18 doubles junior sectional tournament, Back Bay
counterparts have united. Recent graduates Kelly Nelson (Newport Harbor
High) and Brittany Minna (Corona del Mar) will play Tuesday at 2 p.m. at
Los Caballeros. In addition, CdM's Brittany Holland is teamed up with
