Di Giulio in contention for doubles title, as are others

Several locals remain alive at the 105th annual Southern California Junior Sectionals doubles tournament, which resumes today at Los Caballeros Racquet and Sports Club in Fountain Valley.

Newport Beach resident Joseph Di Giulio, ranked No. 1 in the nation in both boys’ 12s singles and doubles, remains in contention in both the boys’ doubles and mixed doubles draws.

Di Giulio and partner Thomas Pura of Los Angeles, the No. 1 seed, have a boys’ 12s doubles semifinal match today at 12:30 p.m. at Los Cab, against No. 4-seeded Collin Altamirano of Santa Barbara and Victor Brown of Rancho Cucamonga. Should they win, the championship match is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at Los Cab.

Di Giulio and Pura advanced to the semis by defeating Stefan Doehler of Santa Ana and Ryan To of Tustin in the quarterfinals, 6-0, 6-2.

In the mixed doubles draw, No. 1-seeded Di Giulio and partner Alyssa Smith of Laguna Niguel will play No. 3 Gabrielle Andrews of Pomona and Gregory Garcia of Poway on Sunday at 11 a.m. at Los Cab. A win would put Di Giulio and Smith in the final the same day at 1:45 p.m.

Di Giulio and Smith defeated Lucas Gomez of Chula Vista and Jessica Perez of Laguna Niguel in the quarterfinals, 6-2, 6-2.

Di Giulio has yet to drop a set in either the boys’ 12 doubles or mixed doubles draw.

Corona del Mar High senior Fabian Matthews is still alive in the boys’ 18 doubles with partner Ryan Cheung of Lomita. Matthews and Cheung play No. 5-seeded Chris Freeman of Costa Mesa and Billy Grokenberger of Santa Barbara in a quarterfinal today at 12:30 p.m. at Los Cab. A win, and they’d advance to the semifinals at 3:15 p.m.

The championship match is scheduled for Sunday at 9:45 a.m. Matthews and Cheung are looking to defend the Junior Sectionals title they won in the same division in June.Newport Beach resident Ali Walters has advanced to the semifinals of the girls’ 18 doubles draw with partner Jojo Sanford of Diamond Bar.

Walters and Sanford upset No. 4-seeded Catherine Isip of Anaheim and Kaitlyn Christian of Orange, 6-2, 3-6, 2-6, in the quarterfinals.

They will be playing the No. 2-seeded sister tandem of Sierra and Roxanne Ellison of Coto de Caza on Sunday at 9:45 a.m. at Los Cab.

In girls’ 16 doubles, Corona del Mar High sophomore Hailey Hogan and partner Sabrina Santamaria of Los Angeles have a quarterfinal match Sunday at 9:45 a.m. at Los Cab.

The duo will play No. 1-seeded Elena Najera-Salas of San Diego and Lacey Smyth of Oceanside.

Some of the times for the girls’ matches have not been determined, due to the CIF Southern Section playoffs.

— Matt Szabo