Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer
The Palisades Tennis Center’s Junior Open team ousted the L.A. Tennis Club, 11-2, last Sunday. In singles, Seby Urtiz led the PTC squad with a 8-7 win at No. 1 singles. Thalia Wilczynski won 8-5 at No. 4 singles, Eduardo Nava won 8-6 at No. 5, Robbie Bellamy won 8-6 at No. 6, Greg Bogie won 8-5 at No. 7, Blake Anthony won 8-1 at No. 8 and Alex Giannini won 8-0 at No. 9. Palisades also swept all three doubles matches. Urtiz teamed with Krystal Hansard to win at No. 1, Giannini and Anthony won at No. 2 and Nava partnered with Wilczynski to win at No. 3. While his Open team was dominating its match, PTC Junior Academy Director Francisco Franceschini was following the progress of his best friend and workout partner Fernando Gonzalez, who reached the singles final of the Australian Open in Melbourne. Gonzalez lost in straight sets to top-seeded Roger Federer in the final, but he proved to be the surprise of the tournament, knocking off second-seeded Rafael Nadal, fifth-seeded James Blake, 12th-seeded Tommy Haas and 19th-seeded Lleyton Hewitt on his way to the final. Zack Fleishman, who plays in the PTC’s 10:30 clinic on Saturday mornings, got to the second round in Australia after beating 30th-seeded Austin Calleri 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the opening round. 9B Eduardo Nava Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer
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