Ball outlasts Murray at Costa Mesa tourney

COSTA MESA ? Newport Beach resident Chris Ball rallied for 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 victory over Corona del Mar resident Alex Murray in the boys’ 12 singles round of 16 to hightlight the first day of action Monday in the Costa Mesa Summer Junior Classic tennis tournament at Costa Mesa High.

Ball, the No. 4 seed, advanced to today’s quarterfinal round. He will meet Teague Hamilton of Laguna Beach at 12:30 at Costa Mesa High.

The boys’ 16 singles draw included nine local winners Monday, while three others advanced with byes in the round of 64.

The tournament, which continues through Friday, is being hosted by the Costa Mesa Tennis Center, where the majority of matches are held.

No. 8-seeded Henri Chomeau of Newport Beach defeated Bryan Chung of Orange, 6-4, 6-3, Monday.

He will meet Newport Beach resident Spencer Moss today at 9 a.m. in the round of 32 at the Costa Mesa Tennis Center.

Moss defeated Josh Salsburg from New Jersey, 6-1, 6-0, Monday.

Other local winners in the boys’ 16 included Newport Beach residents Jeff Lobel, C.J. Chomeau, Alireza Nazemi, Alexander Allione and Andrew Singer, as well as Costa Mesa resident Brad Fisher and Newport Coast resident Brent Pham.

Nazemi defeated Newport Coast resident Erik Mutzke, 6-4, 6-0, to advance to today’s round of 32.

Lobel defeated Naddir Alami of Laguna Niguel, 6-3, 6-1; C.J. Chomeau topped Nate Lown of Huntington Beach, 6-3, 6-2; Fisher defeated Michael Tan from Laguna Niguel, 6-3, 6-2; Allione outlasted John Chu from Westminster, 6-0, 2-6, 6-3; Singer beat Christopher Tran from Fountain Valley, 6-3, 6-3; and Pham blanked Josh Noparstak from Illinois, 6-0, 6-0.

Top-seeded Omeed Ghassemi, No. 3-seeded Chris Damion and No. 7-seeded Parker Rhodes, all Corona del Mar residents, advanced via byes.

In girls competition Monday, Elizabeth Murray of Corona del Mar defeated Karley Pletcher of Laguna Niguel, 7-6, 6-3, in the 14 singles round of 32.

In the girls’ 18 singles round of 32, Chrissy Schwartz blanked Nejma Von Homburg from San Diego, 6-0, 6-0, while Kelly McKitterick advanced by default, when her opponent failed to show.

Locals Danielle Kaiden, Lexy Longman, Rachel Cox, Emily Gelbaum and Kristina Heimstaedt received byes in girls’ 16 singles and will play their first matches in the tournament today.

In girls’ 18 singles, local players Michelle Atkins and Miranda Young received byes into today’s round of 16.

Should McKitterick and Atkins win today, they would face each other in the quarterfinals Wednesday.

Four locals will make their tournament debut today in the boys’ 14 singles draw, including Newport Beach resident Erik Heimstaedt squaring off against Costa Mesa resident Hayden Tremper in the round of 32 at 10 a.m. at Costa Mesa High.

Ryan Peyton and Pierce Stemler, both of Corona del Mar, have round-of-16 matches in boys’ 14 singles today.

In boys’ 10 singles, Paul Kacik of Newport Beach debuts in the round of 16 today.

Several local players were eliminated Monday.

In the girls’ 12 singles round of 32, Costa Mesa’s Samantha Stalder and Madeline Hayward of Corona del Mar were defeated.

The girls’ 14 singles round of 32 claimed Corona del Mar residents Neda Ghassemi and Kelsey Davis, Newport Beach residents Francesca Nestande and Ariana Cernius, as well as Costa Mesa’s Elizabeth Cramer.

Costa Mesa’s James Zillman and Ridge Kennington of Newport Beach (boys’ 12); Brandon Clary of Newport Beach and Ely Zaidler of Costa Mesa (boys’ 16); as well as Newport Beach residents Blake Haymond and Ryan Caughren (boys’ 18) were also defeated Monday.dpt-25-tennis-1-cw-BPhotoInfoKD1T8TJV20060725j2xmiqncCredit: CHRISTOPHER WAGNER / DAILY PILOT Caption: (LA)Newport Beach resident Chris Ball returns a serve against Alex Murray in a boys’ 12 singles match at the Costa Mesa Summer Junior Classic Monday at Costa Mesa High. Ball earned a 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 victory to advance to the quarterfinals. dpt-25-tennis-2-cw-BPhotoInfoKD1T8UL920060725j2xmj6ncCredit: CHRISTOPHER WAGNER / DAILY PILOT Caption: (LA)Alex Murray of Corona del Mar focuses on a backhand return.