Junior Talent on Full Display at 12s/14s 2024 Bobby Curtis Doubles Junior State Championships
USTA Florida hosted the 2024 Bobby Curtis Doubles Junior State Championships for the 12s and 14s divisions. The event took place at the USTA National Campus, as the future of junior tennis was on full display.
Players battled it out on the clay courts as the weather was amazing following Hurricane Milton. The hurricane put the tournament into question, but luckily, everything was still able to go on as planned. If you want to help those who were less fortunate, the USTA Florida Foundation has its Hurricane Relief Fund, which is working to help rebuild tennis across the state.
The matches were amazing, with plenty of talent going back and forth. Let’s look at how the draws played out and who walked away from the USTA National Campus, a Bobby Curtis Champion.
Boys 12s
In the Boys’ 12s division, Daniel Levine and Gabriel Marino were on point all weekend. They only needed to win three matches, but across those they only dropped 5 games, pulling out an impressive 88% game winning percentage. In the championship, they defeated Bobby Bryan and Oliver Letizia 6-1, 6-0.
The third-place match featured Rayden Bates and Noah Lee, who showcased strong performances over the weekend to secure a podium finish. The fourth-place spot went to Aarnav Nandur and Samanyu Borra.
Daniel Brik and Joaquin Zarate took home the Consolation Winner title, rounding off a fantastic tournament run with a victory.
Championship: Daniel Levine (Wellington)/Gabriel Marino (Miami) d. Bobby Bryan (Sunny Isles Beach)/Oliver Letizia (Hollywood) 6-1, 6-0
Third Place: Rayden Bates (Belle Isle) & Noah Lee (Orlando)
Fourth Place: Aarnav Nandur (Tampa) & Samanyu Borra (Orlando)
Consolation Winner: Daniel Brik (Boca Raton) & Joaquin Zarate (Miami)
Girls 12s
The Girls’ 12s draw was a fun one to watch unfold. Brooke Martin and Keira Ouvarova, the top seed had a run for their money as everyone was giving them their best. In the semis, Ava Pierre and Vasiana Christopoulos were dialed in but Brroke and Keira won 6-4, 6-4. The final was an intense battle, with Brooke and Keira taking the championship in a thrilling third-set tiebreaker over Helena Xue and Alla Sadzius. Brooke and Keira shined through, as they edged out a 10-8 win in the deciding set.
In the third-place match, Ava Pierre and Vasiana Christopoulos played strong all weekend, while Hartley Milne and Mila Rukosuev finished in fourth. Taylor Amberg and Brooklyn Goode clinched the Consolation bracket.
Championship: Brooke Martin (Ormond Beach)/Keira Ouvarova (Bunnell) d. Helena Xue (Wellington)/Alla Sadzius (Orlando) 6-4, 2-6, 10-8
Third Place: Ava Pierre (Wesley Chapel) & Vasiana Christopoulos (Tampa)
Fourth Place: Hartley Milne (Saint Petersburg) & Mila Rukosuev (Altamonte Springs)
Consolation Winner: Taylor Amberg (Naples) & Brooklyn Goode (Naples)
Mixed 12s
The Mixed 12s division crowned Tajesh Reddy Bomma and Ava Pierre as champions after a hard-fought 10-6 tiebreak victory over the top seeded, Gabriel Marino and Taylor Amberg. Their resilience in key moments helped them overcome challenges posed by their opponents.
The third-place match was won by Daniel Levine and Helena Xu, as they took it over Suhas Jupalli and Alla Sadzius.
Championship: Tajesh Reddy Bomma (Wesley Chapel)/Ava Pierre (Wesley Chapel) d. Gabriel Marino (Miami)/Taylor Amberg (Naples) 4-5, 5-4, 10-6
Third Place: Daniel Levine (Wellington) & Helena Xue (Wellington)
Fourth Place: Suhas Jupalli (St. Cloud) & Alla Sadzius (Orlando)
Boys 14s
In the Boys’ 14s draw, Mathias Mendez and Enrico Pepe came in as an unseeded duo but left with everyone remembering them. They took down the second seed in Sohith Tella and Ernesto Del Valle in the quarterfinals. In the championship, Mathias and Enrico came out on top, defeating Hakan Ozdogan and Miguel Angarita 6-3, 6-3.
The third-place match was secured by Ethan Su and David Bender, while Kashiv Malempati and Tyler Stout finished fourth. Jayeesh Kondlapudi and Nicolas Arias were crowned Consolation Winners.
Championship: Mathias Mendez (Boca Raton)/Enrico Pepe (Boca Raton) d. Hakan Ozdogan (Weston)/Miguel Angarita (Weston) 6-3, 6-3
Third Place: Ethan Su (Kissimmee) & David Bender (Indian Harbour Beach)
Fourth Place: Kashiv Malempati (Lutz) & Tyler Stout (Tallahassee)
Consolation Winner: Jayeesh Kondlapudi (Coral Springs) & Nicolas Arias (Cooper City)
Girls 14s
Over in the Girls’ 14s division, Isabella Bosso and Saraswati Gowda played in some close matches the whole week. They were back and forth with a handful of opponents, and it was another thrilling final. Isabella and Saraswati took down Myla Abraham and Ariana Barber in straight sets, 6-4, 7-6. This was intense with each team trading games, but ultimately Isabella and Saraswati couldn’t be stopped.
Isla Amos and Adelina Iftime secured third place, while Layla Tillman and Annalyn McKee took fourth. Zara Mineva and Hulya Ozdogan triumphed in the Consolation Winner’s match.
Championship: Isabella Bosso (Safety Harbour)/Saraswati Gowda (Boynton Beach) d. Myla Abraham (Lutz)/Ariana Barber (Orlando) 6-4, 7-6
Third Place: Isla Amos (Melbourne) & Adelina Iftime (Orlando)
Fourth Place: Layla Tillman (Wesley Chapel) & Annalyn McKee (Clermont)
Consolation Winner: Zara Mineva (Miami) & Hulya Ozdogan (Weston)
Mixed 14s
The Mixed 14s division provided excitement with David Bender and Isabella Bosso claiming the championship in a thrilling match against Adelina Iftime and Ernesto Del Valle. The tight contest came down to a tiebreak, with David and Isabella emerging victorious 10-7.
The third-place match was won by Geet Pondala and Myla Abraham, while Oliver Zinaja and Layla Tillman finished in fourth place.
Championship: David Bender (Indian Harbour Beach)/Isabella Bosso (Safety Harbour) d. Adelina Iftime (Orlando)/Ernesto Del Valle (Orlando) 1-4, 4-2, 10-7
Third Place: Geet Pondala (Pembroke Pines) & Myla Abraham (Lutz)
Fourth Place: Oliver Zinaja (Bradenton) & Layla Tillman (Wesley Chapel)