Tracie Currie/Willie Quest Win Mixed 40s; Peter Smith/Neel Grover Defend Men’s 40 Doubles Title in La Jolla

Neel Grover and Peter Smith won the 40 Men’s doubles over Willie Quest/Jared Jacobs, a 5-8 seed in three sets, upholding their #1 seeded position. After winning the first set easily, the top seeds dropped the second before rebounding to win the third 63. It was a busy day for Smith, who also had two father/son matches to play, though the father/son matches were quick; I watched the second set of their quarterfinal match and they didn’t drop a set. Smith is the USC tennis coach and Riley is a high school senior who already has a futures doubles title to his name (with Tracy Austin’s son Brandon Holt). Bax/Chasseray took the bronze over Hank Pfister (age 62) and Mike Noel in three long sets.

The mixed doubles title went to Tracie Currie/Quest over Dina/Desi McBride, the top seeds. Currie/Quest, the #3 seeds, edged the #2 seeds, Natalie Hill/Jesse Ponwith 75 in the third late last night. Currie and Quest won 63 75.

The men’s singles final is tomorrow and features top seeded and 2 time defending champion Tony Bujan against Brazilian Marcio Carlsson. Neither has dropped a set this week, but Carlsson has lost only 4 games en route to the final. Carlsson, from Brazil, is playing here for the first time.

I played my consolation semifinal today and lost to Mercedes Michel from NY (via Argentina), the 4th seed, in three long sets, 63 06 75. It was a good battle and Mercedes is an extremely nice person to play. She then had to play the 3/4 in doubles (with Ginger PHILLIPS) against Debbie Higa/Jami Jones, the 3rd seeds. Higa/Jones were well rested and overpowered Michel/Phillips in straight sets to take the bronze.

I watched a bit of the Morse-Karzans and Jensens (Murphy Jensen from the Tennis Channel was playing with his son). The Morse-Karzans are really tall and really experienced playing together and won in the third set 61. The Jensens are shown below.

Tomorrow the semis and finals of the father/son; the final of grandfather/grandson; the men’s singles final and the mixed 3/4 playoff plus some consolation matches will be going on, starting at 9am.