Returning champions from Belleview, Boca Raton, Coconut Creek, Longwood, Miami, Orlando, Pembroke Pines, Pinecrest, Riverview, Sarasota, Tampa, Wesley Chapel
Florida’s top junior doubles players will attempt to add their names to a list of current and former pros that includes Andy Roddick and WTA world No. 37-ranked Danielle Collins when the 70th USTA Florida “Bobby Curtis” Junior State Doubles Championships kick off Sept. 15-17, 2018, in the 12s-18s age divisions at the USTA National Campus in Orlando.
“Theme Days” and UTR seedings are only some of the new tournament features in 2018. It is one of the few major tournaments in the country that combine boys’, girls’, and mixed doubles in the same event.
Last year’s champions returning as a team seeking a rare second straight “Bobby Curtis” doubles title are:
Girls’ 14 Doubles champions DJ Bennett (Belleview)/Didi Bredberg Canizares (Wesley Chapel) playing in the Girls’ 16s
Mixed 14 Doubles champions Yair Gritzman (Boca Raton)/Lara Smejkal (Boca Raton) playing in the Mixed 16s
Girls’ 12 Doubles champions Emily Barua (Boca Raton)/Cameron Didion (Orlando) playing in the Girls’ 14s
Boys’ 12 Doubles champions Andre Medicielo (Riverview)/Hunter Nussbaum (Tampa) playing in the Boys’ 14s
Mixed 12 Doubles champions Nyjah Head (Miami)/Charlie Spencer (Longwood) playing in the Mixed 14s
Also returning are Girls’ 16 Doubles winners Sophia Fornaris (Pinecrest) and Ariel Johnson (Coconut Creek), this year with Fornaris pairing Demi Snyder (Ft. Lauderdale) in the 18s, and Johnson with Minorka Miranda (Estero) in 16s; Boys’ 16 Doubles champion Chase Martin (Tampa) this time around in the Boys’ 18s with Roberto Rodriguez (Tampa); Mixed 16 Doubles champion Paris Hudson (Sarasota), this year concentrating only on the Girls’ 18s with partner Olivia Jablonski (Lutz); and Boys’ 14 Doubles champion Solomon Giles (Pembroke Pines), this year teaming with Santiago Cardenas (Tampa).
“Players and parents can join us Friday when the practice courts open at 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., with early check-in and the Player Party starting at 4 p.m.,” says Tournament Director and USTA Director of Competitive Tennis Jason Gilbert. “Check-in is also available on Saturday morning.”
“Theme Days” will be Saturday, Sept. 15 for “Matching Outfits Day,” and Sunday, Sept. 16 for “Crazy Socks Day.”
“We’ll be keeping an eye out and you might just get featured on our Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook page,” Gilbert says. “Plus we’ll be keeping our eyes and ears peeled for players who display great sportsmanship throughout the tournament.”
The event will also feature a “Player VIP Lounge,” an area for the players to socialize, relax, and have fun with their peers. Players will receive credentials at the registration table in order to enter the tent.
Tournament seeding was based on UTR ratings of both players as of Aug. 4, 2018. Team selection was based on the USTA Florida Tentative Ranking List published in TennisLink on August 29.
“USTA Florida is using UTR as a tool to seed the Level 3, 4, and 5 tournaments for the rest of 2018,” says Gilbert. “This was started with the Level 3 Bobby Curtis Singles in June 2018. The findings so far are anywhere from 88-91 percent accurate that a seeded player will be in the final rounds of the tournament. We will re-access at the end of 2018 to see if we continue to use this tool going forward in 2019.”
The tournament is annually a launching pad for future college stars and pros.
Former “Bobby Curtis” State Doubles winners include current two-time NCAA champ and current WTA pro Danielle Collins (Girls’ 18s-2010, Mixed 12s-2005), former WTA doubles world No. 1-ranked and Wimbledon winner Corina Morariu (Girls’ 16s-1992, Girls’ 14s-1991) and former ATP players Andy Roddick (Boys’12s-1994) and 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 junior event was renamed to honor the legendary Florida junior tennis organizer Bobby Curtis in 2012.
For compete tournament info CLICK HERE.
For draws and seedings, CLICK HERE.
Results will be posted daily in the news section on the front of the USTA Florida website at www.ustaflorida.com.
