What a week it’s been for tennis fans, with American players making their mark on the courts. While last year saw Americans sweeping all four pro tournaments in the U.S., this time around, the ATP 250 in Delray Beach was the lone event featuring a homegrown champion.
Sixteen-year-old Kristina Liutova, originally from Moscow but a long-time U.S. resident, claimed her first pro title in Las Vegas. She defeated Texas wild card Melije Clarke 6-2, 6-4 in the W35 final.
Liutova, who didn’t drop a set all week, is on a hot streak with a 9-1 record on the USTA Pro Circuit this year. Her only blemish came against Eli Mandlik in a tight quarterfinal match in San Diego.
With her current form, Liutova is poised to break into the WTA Top 500, and she’s set to compete in the Tucson ITF J300 soon.
Meanwhile, Sebastian Korda continued his impressive run by capturing his third ATP title at Delray Beach. He took down No. 5 seed Tommy Paul with a solid 6-4, 6-3 victory. Korda, who had struggled in finals before, showed grit and determination to secure this win.
In doubles action, Nikola Mektic and Austin Krajicek emerged victorious, overcoming wild cards Benjamin Kittay and Ryan Seggerman in a nail-biting match that ended 6-7(3), 6-3, 11-9. Kittay and Seggerman had a match point but couldn’t seal the deal.
Over in Michigan, Alina Charaeva of Russia snagged the biggest title of her career at the WTA 125 Dow Tennis Classic. Despite losing a two-break lead in the second set, she edged past Hanyu Guo 6-4, 7-6(4) for the win. In doubles, top seeds Sabrina Santamaria and Qianhui Tang claimed the title by walkover.
In other notable results, Hunter Heck fell short in the M15 Naples final, losing to Italy's Tommaso Compagnucci. Meanwhile, Sofia Johnson of Great Britain captured her first ITF title in Palm Coast, defeating top seed Thaisa Pedretti with a commanding 6-4, 6-2 performance.
On the collegiate scene, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps defended their ITA Men’s Division III National Team Indoor title, defeating Chicago 4-1. Warren Pham clinched the victory, echoing his heroics from last year.
The Barry women continued their dominance in Division II, securing their sixth National Team Indoor title by sweeping West Florida 4-0. Barry has been unstoppable in this event since its inception.
In Division I action, Ohio State navigated a tricky match against a short-handed Oklahoma State, clinching a 4-2 win. LSU, missing key players, stumbled against unranked Ole Miss, while Texas A&M edged past Texas in a tight 4-2 battle.
This week showcased the thrilling unpredictability and depth of talent across the tennis world, leaving fans eager for what’s next on the courts.