By SDCN Staff
La Jolla, CA–Former San Diego resident Brandon Wai returned to his former home in winning fashion as he eliminated Sanad Rashed of Los Angeles 6-3, 6-1 to advance to the third round of the USTA National 40 Hard Court Championships at La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club.
Wai attended nearby La Jolla High School and was a three-time San Diego CIF boys singles champion, winning the title from 2001 through 2003. He later played collegiate tennis at Yale University, where he was a two-time Ivy League Player of the Year.
The 40-year-old Wai, who now resides in Mercer Island, WA, took an extended break from competitive tennis following his collegiate career, but began playing again, and after being encouraged by fellow players, he entered this week’s tournament in La Jolla.
“It feels good. It’s been a while since I’ve competed. It’s really nice playing out here at the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club. It’s fun to start competing again,” Wai said following his straight-set victory. “There was a little rust here and there. A little tight, but it got better. I feel like I’m starting to hit the ball pretty well. I just want to play well and take it round by round.”
Following his second-round victory after a first-round bye, the fifth-seeded Wai will play ninth-seeded Colin Foster of Wichita, KS, on Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.
Top-seeded Matthew Hane of Johns Island, S.C., began his quest for the men’s singles title with an impressive 6-0, 6-1 victory over unseeded Eric Leroux of San Diego. Hane will meet ninth-seeded Andrew Cheney of Scottsdale, AZ in a third-round match on Wednesday at 9 a.m.
Second-seeded Henry Choi of Vancouver, Canada also advanced to the third round after fighting past unseeded Tim Crawmer of Manhattan Beach, CA 7-6 (5), 6-1. Choi is slated to play ninth-seeded Shibu Lal of Greenbrae, CA on Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.
“I have to give credit to (Crawmer). He played well and played smart, very aggressive. It takes me a few rounds to get used to the surface and the bounce, but once I lock in and get used that, it’s a little more positive each round,” said Choi, the 2022 men’s singles champion.
“This location is beautiful. Up in Vancouver, we don’t get a lot of sun, it’s the rainy season now. Coming to La Jolla this time of the year is always special for me,” Choi added. “The hard courts generally play pretty well. These courts are not too fast, more mid-range. I’m able to take (the ball) a little earlier which is pretty much my game.”
First-round matches got underway in the women’s singles draw. Carolyn Kramer eliminated fellow San Diego resident Maria Nunez 6-0, 6-1 and will take on top-seed and three-time defending singles champion Mariko Fritz-Krakow of San Rafael, CA in a quarterfinal match on Wednesday at 10 a.m.
In other women’s singles action, Amy Thompson of Redondo Beach got past Francesca Kornberg of La Jolla 6-1, 6-3. Thompson will face second-seed and former five-time singles champion Hiromi Sasano of San Diego in Wednesday’s quarterfinals at 10:30 a.m.
Starting times for each day of the tournament will be as follows: Wednesday, Dec. 3 at 8 a.m.; Thursday, Dec. 4 at 9 a.m.; Friday, Dec. 5 at 8 a.m.; Saturday, Dec. 6 and Sunday, Dec. 7 at 9 a.m.
Also on the agenda is the USTA National Father/Son and Grandfather/Grandson Hard Court Doubles Championships beginning Friday, December 5 and concluding Sunday, December 7.
The Father/Son Championship has been held continuously at the La Jolla Beach andTennis Club since 1959, and attracts the top father and son tennis teams in the nation. The Grandfather/Grandson Championship started at the Beach Club in 2003.
USTA Gold, Silver, and Bronze balls will be awarded to first, second, and third-place finishers in all events. In addition, winners of the main draws will have their names inscribed on perpetual trophies.
Tuesday’s Results
Men’s Singles
Second Round
Matthew Hane (1), Johns Island, S.C. def. Eric Leroux, San Diego, 6-0, 6-1
Henry Choi (2), Vancouver, Canada def. Tim Crawmer, Manhattan Beach, 7-6 (5), 6-1
Rylan Rizza (3), Redondo Beach, def. Carlos Bes Comeras, Costa Mesa, 6-3, 6-3
Joel Kielbowicz (4), Scottsdale, AZ, def. Scott Korljan, Scottsdale, AZ, 6-0, 6-0
Brandon Wai (5), Mercer Island, WA, def. Sanad Rashed, Los Angeles, 6-3, 6-1
Ryan Sablan (5), Walnut Creek, CA def. Nick Stocker, Orinda, CA 3-6, 7-5, 6-2
Brian Murphy (5), Mercer Island, WA, def. Babar Akbar, Napa, CA, 6-3, 6-1
Andrew Cheney (9), Scottsdale, AZ, def. Kristofer Goddard, Seattle, WA, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
Michael Espinosa, San Diego, def. Anant Sitaram (9), San Ramon, CA, withdrew (illness)
Derek Miller (9), San Diego, def. Josh Basha, Mountlake Terrace, WA, 0-6, 6-4, 7-6 (3)
Timothy Rogers (9), Moraga, CA, def. Suganth Paul, Austin, TX, 6-3, 6-1
Theodore Blosser, Redwood City, CA, def. Chris Birschbach (9), Denver, CO, 7-6 (2), 6-3
Daniel McGuire (9), Bedford, N.H., def. Alfredo Fernandez-Concha, Rahway, N.J., 6-0, 6-1
Alan Regala (9), Seattle, WA., def. Sergio Rico, San Diego, walkover (injury)
Colin Foster (9), Wichita, KS, def. Adam Amsel, Seattle, 6-3, 6-1
Shibu Lal (9), Greenbrae, CA, def. Mason Fuller, San Diego, 6-3, 6-3
Women’s Singles
First Round
Claudia Roehr (4), San Diego, def. Jan Bardot, Chula Vista, 6-0, 6-0
Carolyn Kramer, San Diego, def. Maria Nunez, San Diego, 6-0, 6-1
Christine Anzai, San Diego, def. Allison Sterett, Encinitas, 6-4, 6-1
Adrien Jenkins, Draper, UT, def. Danielle Armstrong, Saint Petersburg, FL, 6-0, 6-2
Amy Thompson, Redondo Beach, def. Francesca Kornberg, La Jolla, 6-1, 6-3
La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club welcomes tennis spectators to the tournament with free admission. On-site parking is available for a nominal fee. Live streaming of all matches on Court 1 and Court 2 is available each day of the tournament. To view the live stream, click here.
