Four of Five Long Islanders Advance at State Tournament

Action continues today at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center

June 4, 2010 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
Josh_Levine (3)
Kenneth B. Goldberg

There were five singles players from Long Island who were invited to the Tennis State Championships at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens this week. Four out of those five will be back to play a second day after convincing wins on Thursday.

Cold Spring Harbor’s first singles player, Josh Levine beat Minisink Valleys High School’s Paul Hayes 6-3, 6-0 to set up a second round match with Half Hollow Hills West Nolan Gelman, who won 6-1 6-1 in his first round match.

“I’m looking forward to playing him tomorrow,” said Levine. “I think we played once in a scrimmage a few years back but I remember him being a pretty solid player. It should be fun.”

It took less than an hour for Cold Spring Harbor’s second singles player Eric Ambrosio to dispatch his opponent, Clinton’s Jake Crawford, 6-1, 6-0.

“Because of the different environment I felt like I got off to a slow start,” said Ambrosio. “But once I got on a roll I could see his [Crawford’s] level of play start to drop. I became the aggressor and it worked out for me.”

Half Hollow East High School’s Zain Ali had a tough time gaining momentum in his first set with Rochester County’s champ, Yoni Zuckerman. “It went back and forth,” said Ali. "But after winning the first set tie-breaker, I felt a little more in control.” Ali went on to win the match 7-6, (7-1), 6-4.

The only player to go home with a loss was Nassau County Champion and Garden City High School’s first singles player, Zach Morris. After dropping the first set 2-6 to Westchester’s Eric Halpern, Morris captured the second 6-4. Morris battled on through a tough third set and held serve to tie the score at 5-5. Halpern played some brilliant points to gain a 6-5 lead and had a triple match point advantage in the 12th game. Morris battled back to deuce, but on the next point, Morris hit a baseline shot wide, ending the match with an unforced error that landed just deep behind the baseline. There is no doubt we will see Zach Morris back in action again at States next year.

Second and Third round play will take place Friday, June 4 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center beginning at 8:30 a.m. with the semifinals and finals will be played Saturday, June 5.

Long Island Doubles Results from Round One of the 2010 Boys State Championship 

►Eric Rubin & Matt Barry (Long Beach) defeated Bryan Matthews & Sawyer Dina (Orchard Park) 6-2, 6-1

►Jon DeFrancesch & Andrew Yaraghi (Friends Academy) defeated Hugh Mo & Roland John (Cardozo) 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-1

►Ignacio Casali & Brendan Henry (Farmingdale) defeated Tyler Cahill & Justin Levine (Monroe/Woodbury) 6-0, 6-2

►Kevin Serina & Nick Bauer (East Islip) defeated Alex Bush & Evan Farina (Guilderland) 6-4, 5-7, 6-1

►Chris Hunter & Eric Bertuglia (Half Hollow Hills East) defeated Dominic Parfianowicz & Jacob Parfianowicz (Elmira Free Academy) 6-3, 7-6 (6)

►Julian Danko & Richard Shu (Pittsford Sutherland) defeated Spencer Kuzon & Richard Shu (Ross) 7-5, 6-0

Credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg

 

 

Zach Morris of Garden City High School serves during his first round match against Westchester’s Eric Halpern

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg

 

 

Josh Levine of Cold Spring Harbor returns a shot en route to his first round victory against Minisink Valleys High School’s Paul Hayes

 

 

 

 

 

Credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg

 

 

 

A shot of USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, host site of the 2010 Boys State High School Championship

 

 

 

Credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg

 

 

 

Half Hollow East High School’s Zain Ali in match play against his first round opponent, Rochester County’s Yoni Zuckerman


Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
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