The start of the 2025 Adult Sectionals season commenced between April 25–27, drawing over 500 players to Orange County for three days of competition. Teams representing all thirteen areas competed across five divisions of Mixed 18 & Over play. Qualifying matches were held on the first two days at both the Great Park Tennis Center and, for the first time, the Newport Beach Tennis Club. Championship matches concluded the event on Sunday, played exclusively at Great Park.
Champions from each division earned a sought-after spot at the 2025 USTA National Championships, set to take place later this year. The 6.0, 8.0, and 10.0 division winners will compete at the Surprise Tennis & Racquet Complex in Surprise, Arizona, from November 7–9. Meanwhile, the 7.0 and 9.0 division winners will head to the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Florida, for their championship matches from October 31–November 2.
During Sectionals, match formats varied by division. The 6.0 and 9.0 divisions featured two flights of four teams, with the winners of each flight advancing to the finals. The 7.0 and 8.0 divisions were split into three flights of four teams each, with the three flight winners and the top second-place team moving on to the semifinals. The 10.0 division followed a round-robin format. Each match was decided through three lines of doubles play.
6.0 Mixed
Led by captains Juan Ramirez and Stefani Galvagni, San Gabriel Valley’s “Racketeers” claimed the 6.0 division title, the first of several for the area over the weekend. The team finished flight play with a 2-1 record, earning the top spot thanks to key wins over Beach Cities and San Fernando Valley. In the playoffs, the Racketeers edged out San Diego in a tightly contested 2-1 final. San Diego’s “Balbalorians,” captained by Michael Chaiwimol and Monica La Crue, also posted a 2-1 record in flighted play with strong wins over San Fernando Valley and Orange County, securing the top seed in their group.
7.0 Mixed
San Gabriel Valley kept its winning ways alive in the 7.0 division, as the “Wild Cards,” captained by Colin Tang, delivered a dominant performance throughout the weekend. The team went undefeated, dropping just one individual match throughout. They posted a perfect 3-0 record in flighted play with wins over two Beach Cities teams and one from Antelope Valley. In the playoffs, SGV maintained their momentum with a 3-0 sweep of Inland Empire, followed by another 3-0 victory in the championship match against San Fernando Valley. SFV’s finalists, “Scholland Garros,” led by Sumi Im and Bu Kum Kim, were equally impressive, finishing 3-0 in their flighted matches with wins over San Diego North County, Los Angeles, and Ventura County. They punched their ticket to the finals with a playoff win over Orange County.
8.0 Mixed
Continuing to build on its section-wide dominance, San Gabriel Valley captured the 8.0 division title, marking yet another win for Tang’s “Wild Cards.” The team impressed early on, going 3-0 with victories over San Diego North County, Santa Barbara, and Ventura County to earn the top seed heading into the playoffs. In a hard-fought semifinal, SGV edged out Beach Cities 2-1 before prevailing once again in a closely contested final against Orange County, also by a score of 2-1. Orange County’s squad, led by Frank Tran out of Costa Mesa Tennis Center, had a strong showing as well. They went 2-1 in flighted play with wins over Los Angeles and San Fernando Valley, and added a playoff victory over Inland Empire to reach the championship match.
9.0 Mixed
In an extraordinary feat, San Gabriel Valley captured the area’s fourth title of the weekend, and Colin Tang’s third, with a triumph in the 9.0 division. The team remained undefeated, securing wins over Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Fernando Valley in flighted play to earn a spot in the championship match. There, they faced Beach Cities and came out on top once again, grinding out a 2-1 victory. The finalists, representing El Segundo and captained by Jarrod Quan, also impressed with a perfect 3-0 record in their flight, notching wins over San Diego North County, Orange County, and Beach Cities.
The victory capped a remarkable showing for the trio of SGV “Wild Cards” teams, who combined for a perfect 14-0 record across all matches during the weekend. With the 9.0 win, Tang completed a hat trick of titles and kicked off his 2025 campaign in pursuit of the most Sectionals championships by a captain. He finished 2024 with four titles, just behind Orange County’s Michael Gu, who claimed six.
10.0 Mixed
Claiming the area’s first title of both the weekend and the 2025 season, San Diego dazzled on court with a dominant performance in the 10.0 division. The “Rancho Santa Fe” team, captained by Joe Barbarie, went undefeated with a 3-0 record, earning decisive wins over two Orange County teams and one from Los Angeles to secure the championship. Finishing atop the round-robin standings, San Diego was officially crowned the champions. Orange County’s squad from Lower Peters Canyon Park, led by Emily Wu, finished as finalists with a strong 2-1 showing, notching victories against another Orange County team and Los Angeles.
Spirit Award
USTA Southern California proudly congratulates the Beach Cities West End squad for being selected as the first recipients of our 2025 SoCal Spirit Award. Chosen through a social media vote, the team led by captain Brenda Patron Kodani stood out for their vibrant display of SoCal pride, showcasing the section’s 2025 color of yellow with creativity and enthusiasm throughout the weekend.
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View the photo gallery from Mixed 18 & Over Sectionals here!