Big Names Among Winners at 66th Florida Jr. State Tennis Doubles

Champions were crowned on Monday at the 66th USTA Florida ‘Bobby Curtis’ Junior State Doubles Tennis Championships, where a number of players pocketed repeat age division titles.

Among the notable winners were 2014 US Open girls’ singles semifinalist Katerina Stewart, and the sons of a former US Open doubles champion.

Held Sept. 20-22, 2014, age groups were contested at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs (18s-16s age divisions), and at the Florida Tennis Center in Daytona Beach (14s-10s divisions).

Among repeat champions this year, the Boys’ 18s final was a rare all-unseeded affair as Christopher Ephron (Pensacola) and Davey Roberts (Palm Coast) defeated Brian Berdusco and Zachary Bessette (Bradenton) 6-4, 6-2.

For Roberts it was his fifth Bobby Curtis Doubles title after a Mixed 16 championship last year, a Mixed 14 championship in 2012, a Boys’ 12 championship in 2010 and a Boy’s 10 winner in 2008.

In the Girls’ 18 final, top-seeded Gabriella Pollner (Boca Raton) and Katerina Stewart (Coral Gables) defeated No. 2 seeds Rachel Rohrabacher (Tampa) and Jaclyn Switkes (Ponte Vedra Beach) 6-1, 6-2.

It was Stewart’s fourth Bobby Curtis Doubles title after a Girls’ 16 title (with Rohrabacher) and Mixed 16 titles in 2011, and the Girls’ 14 title in 2010.

In the Girls’ 16 final the No. 6-seeded team of Anna Bright (Boca Raton) and Alana Wolfberg (Orlando) followed their upset of the No. 1 seeds in the semifinals with a commanding 6-1, 6-4 victory over No. 2 seeds Andrea Amortegui (Weston) and Amanda Meyer (Hypoluxo). Bright also won the Girls’ 14 title in 2012.

Top-seeded Christian Alshon (Boca Raton) and Russell Benkaim (Osprey) defeated unseeded Gainesville upstarts Harry and Grey Cacciatore 6-2, 6-3 for the Boys’ 14 division title. Alshon and Benkaim also won the Boys’ 12 title in 2012, and Benkaim won the Boys’ 10 title in 2010. Alson has three mixed titles to his credit in 2013, 2012 and 2010 (all with Sophia Edwards).

Edwards (Sarasota) was the winner of the Girls’ 14 division with partner Whitney Osuigwe (Bradenton), besting No. 6 seeds Maria McKay (Ocklawaha) and Nicola Perlwitz (Weston) 6-4, 6-4. It was Edwards’ fourth overall Bobby Curtis Doubles title and first in girls’ doubles. She has now won titles in the singles, doubles and mixed in the Florida state junior championships.

The Boys’ 12 final also saw an unseeded winner as Max and Martin Damm (Bradenton) upset No. 1 seeds Joshua Miller (Delray Beach) and Benjamin Zipay (Osprey) 6-4, 6-4. Max and Martin are the sons of former US Open doubles champion Martin Damm.

Here are the final results (seeds in parenthesis):

Boys’ 18 Doubles (Final)

Ephron, Christopher (Pensacola, FL) / Roberts, Davey (Palm Coast, FL) d. Berdusco, Brian (Bradenton, FL) / Bessette, Zachary (Bradenton, FL) 6-4, 6-2

Girls’ 18 Doubles (Final)

(1) Pollner, Gabriella (Boca Raton, FL) / Stewart, Katerina (Coral Gables, FL) d. (2) Rohrabacher, Rachel (Tampa, FL) / Switkes, Jaclyn (Ponte Vedra Beach, FL) 6-1, 6-2

Mixed 18 Doubles (Final)

Rained out

Boys’ 16 Doubles (Final)

(1) Carlin, John (Fort Myers, FL) / Schachter, Noah (Wesley Chapel, FL) def. (3) Rodriguez, Matthew (Highland Beach, FL) / Skalet, Jordan (North Miami, FL) 6-1, 6-4

Girls’ 16 Doubles (Final)

(6) Bright, Anna (Boca Raton, FL) / Wolfberg, Alana (Orlando, FL) d. (2) Amortegui, Andrea (Weston, FL) / Meyer, Amanda (Hypoluxo, FL) 6-1, 6-4

Mixed 16 Doubles (Final)

Rained out

Boys’ 14 Doubles (Final)

(1) Christian Alshon (Boca Raton, FL) / Russell Benkaim (Osprey, FL) d. Harry Cacciatore (Gainesville, FL) / Grey Cacciatore (Gainesville, FL) 6-2, 6-3

Girls’ 14 Doubles (Final)

(1) Sophia Edwards (Sarasota, FL) / Whitney Osuigwe (Bradenton, FL) d. (6) Maria McKay (Ocklawaha, FL) / Nicola Perlwitz (Weston, FL) 6-4, 6-4

Mixed 14 Doubles (Final)

Rained out

Boys’ 12 Doubles (Final)

Max Damm (Bradenton, FL) / Martin Damm (Bradenton, FL) def. (1) Joshua Miller (Delray Beach, FL) / Benjamin Zipay (Osprey, FL) 6-4, 6-4

Girls’ 12 Doubles (Final)

(1) Jaleesa Leslie (Apopka, FL) / Jamilah Snells (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) d. (4) Jaela Bandes (Oldsmar, FL) / Cooper Jackson (Tampa, FL) 6-1, 6-1

Mixed 12 Doubles

Rained out

Boys’ 10 Doubles

1st Place: Andre Medicielo (Riverview, FL) / Christian Solano (Tampa, FL)
2nd Place: Nathan Blair (Sarasota, FL) / Charlie Cowan (Oviedo, FL)

Girls’ 10 Doubles

1st Place: Isabella Giraldo Saenz (Boca Raton, FL) / Tess Heber (Boca Raton, FL)
2nd Place: Chhavi Goyal (Port Orange, FL) / Lilly Pleasant (Ormond Beach, FL)

Mixed 10 Doubles

1st Place: Jackson Neubert (Gainesville, FL) / Grace Qian (Gainesville, FL)
2nd Place: Nathan Blair (Sarasota, FL) / Sophia Groom (Orlando, FL)

Wilson Sporting Goods is the presenting sponsor and official ball of the 66th USTA Florida Bobby Curtis Junior State Doubles Championships.

Former Bobby Curtis State Doubles winners include former WTA doubles No. 1 and Wimbledon winner Corina Morariu (Girls’ 16s-1992, Girls’ 14s-1991), and current ATP player Wayne Odesnik (Boys’ 14s-1999).

Former world No. 1s Chris Evert, Andy Roddick and Jim Courier are among the players that have raised trophies in singles at the USTA Florida Bobby Curtis Junior State Singles Championships, previously known as the USTA Florida Jr. State Closed. Florida’s top event was renamed to honor the legendary Florida junior tennis organizer Bobby Curtis in 2012. The tournament is annually a launching pad for future college stars and pros.

For complete age 10s, 12s and 14s draws, results and seedings, CLICK HERE.

For complete 16s and 18s draws, results and seedings, CLICK HERE.