See Future Tennis Stars For FREE • GIRLS’ 16s FINAL Billie Jean King Girls’ 16s & 18s National Championships — Barnes Tennis Center, San Diego, Calif.

SECOND-SEEDED TATUM EVANS CROWNED SINGLES CHAMPION
AT USTA BILLIE JEAN KING GIRLS’ 16s NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Evans Defeats 33rd Seed Luciana Perry 6-1, 7-5 in Girls’ 16s Final
 

Fifteen-year-old Tatum Evans staged an impressive second-set comeback and overcame 33rd seeded Luciana Perry of Export, Pa., 6-1, 7-5 to capture the singles title at the United States Tennis Association Billie Jean King Girls’ 16s National Championships.

Evans’ championship run to the 16s singles title was nearly derailed in Tuesday’s semifinals. The second-seeded Evans fought off five match points in her dramatic 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (4) victory over eighth-seeded Alexia Harmon, which took three-hours and 38 minutes.

Playing on a bright, sunny day in Wednesday’s final on Stadium Court at the Barnes Tennis Center, Evans and Perry exchanged service breaks early in the opening set.

With a 2-1 lead, Evans began dominating rallies from the baseline and won four straight games with the loss of five points to close out the first set in 33 minutes.

However, Perry was far from finished in the match as the 16-year-old battled back and began to extend the rallies and string points together in the second set. Perry broke Evans’ serve twice and established a 5-2 lead.

Just when it looked like the championship match would be determined in three sets, Evans mounted a furious comeback and won the last five games to wrap up the title in one-hour and 35 minutes.

“This is definitely a huge achievement for me. She (Perry) played great and started to get in rhythm. I was overthinking. That’s happened in my other tennis matches. I’m glad I was able to recognize it and snap out of it,” Evans said following the match.

“We’ve worked so much on my backhand because my forehand was always my weapon. All that hard work paid off,” Evans added.
 
After her victory, Tennis Legend Billie Jean King presented Evans with a USTA gold ball during the post-match ceremony. The newly-crowned 16s singles champion will also receive a wild card into the 2021 US Open Junior Championships.

In the Girls’ 16s doubles championship, which was contested earlier in the day, the third-seeded team of Ava Bruno of Bronxville, N.Y., and Piper Charney of Mount Pleasant, S.C., scored a hard-fought 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 victory over seventh-seeded Kaitlyn Carnicella of Wippany, N.J., and Erin Ha of Tenafly, N.J.

Play continues in the Girls’ 18s singles and doubles draws. The tournament will conclude on Sunday, August 15 with the Girls’ 18 singles championship scheduled for 12 p.m. (PDT) on Stadium Court at the Barnes Tennis Center.   

To view all tournament draws, click here.

Over 400 of the top junior tennis players in the country, aged 16 and 18 and under, are playing for the title of National Champion, as well as a wild card entry into the Women’s Singles main draw of the 2021 US Open (for the 18s Champion) and a wild card into the 2021 US Open Junior Championships (for the 16s Champion).  The 18s Doubles Champions will also receive a wild card into the US Open Women’s Doubles main draw.
                 
There are no spectator restrictions and fans are welcome to attend. Admission and on-site parking at the Barnes Tennis Center are free each day of the tournament.

To view the official tournament website, please go to: www.ustagirlsnationals.com.