Florida Player Borrows Racquet to Win Easter Bowl Boys’ 14 Title

Bradenton players Adam Neff and Whitney Osuigwe won the boys’ and girls’ 14s titles respectively on Wednesday at the 48th annual ASICS Easter Bowl at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, Calif.

The No. 3-seeded Neff in the final came from a set down to defeat No. 10 seed Jaycer Calleros of San Antonio, Texas, 1-6, 6-4, 6-4. Neff trailed 6-1, 4-1 before finding his gear.

“He was playing unbelievable in the first set, and you have to give him credit for the way he played,” Neff said. “I’m not sure what happened at 1-4 in the second. Something just clicked and I was able to get the victory. I just told myself to not miss. I just tried to change the game plan and grind and tried to not out-hit him. That ended up working.”

Neff broke his strings in five of his rackets during the match and had to borrow a racket from someone in the stands at one point.

The No. 14-seeded Osuigwe came back from down 5-2 in the final set and saved two match points to beat top-seeded Alexa Noel of  Summit, N.J., 4-6, 6-0, 7-6(4).

Osuigwe won the 12s at the Junior Orange Bowl in December.

“It feels great to win the Easter Bowl,” said the 12 year old, whose father is a trainer at the IMG Academy in Bradenton.

Past Boys’ 14s winners at the ASICS Easter Bowl include Gene Mayer (1969), John McEnroe (1973), Vince Spadea (1988) and Justin Gimelstob (1991). Andy Roddick won the 16s Easter Bowl title back in 1998.

Past Girls’ 14 champs include eventual WTA tour players Lauren Embree (2005), Alexa Glatch (2003), Ashley Harkleroad (1998), Andrea Jaeger (1978-77), and Tracy Austin (1976).

Jameson Corsillo of Boca Raton came up just short in the Boys’ 12s final as the No. 2 seed was upset 6-3, 6-2 by No. 6-seeded Hunter Heck of New Brighton, Minn.

The 18s and 16s divisions are still in play, catch all the action daily at the 48th annual event on the live stream from www.easterbowl.com.