Peter/Riley Smith, Tony Bujan & Matthew Sah/Poh Seng Tan Win USTA National Hard Courts in La Jolla

The top seeds prevailed in all three finals played Sunday at the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club.

Tony Bujan’s title in men’s 40 singles was his third in as many years. He took out Marcio Carlsson, the Brazilian player who had dropped only four games en route to the final. Bujan also had eased comfortably into the final, not dropping a set himself. However, his title defense hopes looked shaky early on as he was broken in his first service game and though the two players were on serve the rest of the match, Bujan was down a set point at 4-5 before breaking and three more serving to stay in the set at 5-6, where his lefty serve out wide to Carlsson’s backhand saved him repeatedly. The second set ended in a tiebreak won by Bujan. As the match went on Bujan got to Carsson’s backhand more often, making him pass off that wing with his frequent forays to the net. He also hit a lot of service winners, as did Carlsson. Bujan saved some break points with service winners and didn’t drop serve in the second set; his one break of serve early on was enough to seal the win.

Oren Motevassel, the #3 seed, had little trouble with David Smith, a 9-16 seed, allowing him only one game in their 3/4 playoff match for the bronze ball.

The match for fifth place was a real battle, between 49 year old #5 seeded Jeff Greenwald and #2 seed, 40 year old Josh Oswald (who went out first round). Jeff won the first set and led 4-0 in the second, but Oswald fought back hard, finally winning 46 75 64. Both fought through fatigue, and the match was nearly four hours long…it could easily have been a final in many tournaments.

There were two rounds of father/son on Sunday. The two finalists, Peter & Riley Smith and Brett & Brian Joelson, took different paths to the final. The Smiths dominated Brett/Jerry Morse-Karzen, allowing them only a game in the semis. The Joelson’s though had a battle with Bruce/Bruce Man-Son-Hing, winning in three sets to reach the final. The Joelson’s went up a double break early on the Smith’s, leading 4-1 and Riley was, well, riled up. A word from his dad, the very successful USC coach, Peter Smith, calmed him down and the Smith’s ran out the set 64, and won the second by the same score. They won the title without dropping a set, and it was their third father/son win of 2015. The Man-Song-Hnig’s took third.

The Grandfather/Grandson title also went to the top seeds, Matthew Sah and his grandfather Poh Seng Tan. Tan won this event last year with his older grandson Timothy and repeated with Matthew without missing a beat. They beat Ian and LR Freer in the final. Volodymir Sheludchenko/Simon Yundov took the bronze.