Brian Tsao and Evan Zhu play for Team USA at the U16 Junior Challenge World Finals
As Team USA, players from the Junior Tennis Champions Center secured a first place finish last week at the under 16 Junior Challenge Worldwide Finals held at Wimbledon. JTCC players Brian Tsao, Evan Zhu, Raveena Kingsley and Usue Arconada along with coach Ali Agnamba were undefeated throughout the majority of the tournament, compiling enough points to beat out teams from Argentina, Great Britain, Italy, Japan and South Africa.
With wins in the first four days of competition, the team clinched the title before even reaching the final day of competition. This team won the regional qualifier last December in the Bahamas to represent North America in the World Finals.
Raveena Kingsley and Usue Arconada in action
Full Results
Day 1: Win against South Africa, 5-1. Evan, Usue, Raveena won singles. Evan/Brian and Raveena/Usue won doubles
Day 2: Win against Italy, 4-3. Usue and Raveena won singles, Usue/Raveena won doubles, Evan/Raveena won mixed doubles (tiebreaker)
Day 3: Win against Japan, 6-0. All four won singles, both doubles teams won
Day 4: Win against the UK, 4-2. Usue and Raveena won singles, both doubles teams won.
*Championship Clinched
Day 5: Lost against Argentina, 3-4. Usue and Raveena won singles, Usue/Raveena won doubles, lost mixed doubles.
Open to all 40 ICs around the world, the U16 Junior Challenge is the IC Council’s premier junior event. The 2014 worldwide finals were played at the All-England Lawn Tennis Club in London, the legendary host of the Wimbledon Championships. The event featured teams from the host nation and the IC teams that qualified following a series of regional events that took place in 2013. Each IC team is comprised of two U16 boys and two U16 girls, plus an adult captain/coach.
