Mission Viejo Site of Tennis Tournament

Five players from Orange County are among the 96 junior girls competing in the Seventeen Magazine Tennis Tournament of Champions, which starts today at the Marguerite Recreation Center in Mission Viejo.

First-round action starts at 9 a.m. in three age groups--14-and-under, 16-and-under and 18-and-under. The finals for all age divisions are Saturday, starting with at 10 a.m.

Noelle Porter, a junior at San Clemente High School, is seeded fifth in the 18s. Porter is ranked No. 14 in the national 18s and No. 4 in Southern California. Fountain Valley High’s Debbie Graham, ranked No. 2 in the nation in 16s, is seeded seventh in the 18s.

Woodbridge’s Julie Willett and Sonora’s Dorey Brandt will also compete in the 18s. Willett was added to the tournament on Tuesday when Carrie Crisell of Huntington Beach withdrew.

Keri Phebus of Newport Beach is the second-seeded player in the 14-and-under event. Phebus was co-ranked No. 1 in the national 12s.

The top-seeded players in the other two divisions are Tami Whitlinger of Neenah, Wis., in the 18s, and Carrie Cunningham of Livonia, Mich., in the 16s. Whitlinger, who will enter Stanford this fall, is ranked No. 3 in the national 18s. Cunningham won the 14-and-under event at last year’s tournament. The defending champion in the 16s, Iwalani McCalla of Los Altos, Calif., is entered in the 18s this year.