Zamora and Mahendran Advance to Semifinals,
Cayetano Sees Streak Snapped at SoCal Pro Series

Having rallied for a close three-set triumph in the second round Thursday against sixth-seeded Alexander Klintcharov of New Zealand, qualifier Noah Zamora learned from past experience to pull out a 7-6(6), 6-4 victory over fourth-seeded Isaiah Strode in a clash of San Diego products on Independence Day to earn his spot in the semifinals of the SoCal Pro Series event at Jack Kramer Club in Rolling Hills Estates.

It has been an unexpected run for Zamora, who almost declined to play in the sixth of seven Series events this summer but is now happy he did.

“I was going to pull out because I tested positive for strep throat and was moving out of my apartment in Newport Beach and very sore from moving furniture,” said the 22-year-old Zamora, who just completed his senior year at UC Irvine. I probably over-hydrated because I was sick and maybe it helped today because it was hot.”

This is Zamora’s fourth Series event in 2025 and he previously got to the semifinals two weeks ago in Rancho Sante Fe, along the way defeating Dane Sweeny, the No. 1 seed who he plays Saturday for a berth in the finals. The Australian had little trouble eliminating No. 8 seed Miles Jones from Marina Del Rey 6-1, 6-3 in the quarterfinals Friday.

Zamora, who is moving back to San Diego where he was the CIF Boys singles champion at St. Augustine High in 2021, remembered losing to Strode in 2023 and attributed his victory in their latest encounter to more training, an improved backhand and a serve that gave him “a couple of free points at key times.”

Friday afternoon Zamora was back on the court with Venezuelan doubles partner Juan Jose Bianchi but they lost top top-seeded Keshav Chopra, who played for Georgia Tech, and former South Carolina, UC-Santa Barbara and University of North Carolina player Phillip Jordan, 6-3, 6-2.

Another quarterfinal matchup pitted Stanford teammates Hudson Rivera and Kyle Kang against each other and the third-seeded Kang prevailed, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.

“I don’t prefer it because I know how well he can play,” Kang said of facing a fellow Cardinal. “When it gets to the third set I trust in my game and what I did in the gym. We’ve known each other since 10-and-unders so there’s a bit of a cat and mouse game going on but we’re both competitive and want to win.”

Rivera confessed it came down to a few points.

“It makes it more fun playing him because there are no secrets – both of us know how we want to play,” he said. “I had break points and he came up with great shots. We know each other so well… I know what’s going on in his life and he knows what’s going on in mine.”

In the semifinals, Fullerton’s Kang faces wildcard entry Dominique Rolland, who outlasted 28-year-old Ryan Dickerson 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-2 in his quarterfinal match Friday. Rolland of West Hills is coming off a successful junior season at UC Santa Barbara, where he earned All-Big West second team honors.

Chopra and Jordan meet second-seeded Govind Nanda (a former UCLA standout) and Denver native Jamie Vance for the doubles title Saturday afternoon on Court 8.

On the women’s side, No. 1 seed Eryn Cayetano had her 12-match SoCal Pro Series singles winning streak snapped by Ukrainian qualifier Veronika Miroshnichenko, who won the quarterfinal contest 6-7(2), 6-4, 6-2. The 27-year-old Miroshnichenko was born in Moscow and played collegiately at Loyola Marymount.

Cayetano claimed her first pro singles and doubles titles at Kramer Club three years ago and the former two-time USC All-American won her the singles and doubles title at her first two Series events in 2025 – Rancho Santa Fe and last week at Lakewood. Her parents drove from Corona to watch her play. Was she aware of her streak?

“Not really, I don’t think about numbers,” said the 24-year-old Tier 1 Performance trainee, 2018 Ojai Junior tournament champion and four-time Del Rey League champion at St. Anthony High in Long Beach. “I have friends who grew up in this area. I used to swim in the pool here.”

Cayetano is going to skip the last Series event next week at San Diego State to rest and prepare for the W25 Granby, an ITF event July 14-20 in Canada.

“I’m going to take some time for myself and my family,” she said.

Miroshnichenko’s semifinal opponent will be Krisha Mahendran, who has won every set and has dropped a total of 13 games in five matches (two qualifying and three in the main draw).

The incoming USC freshman beat Poland’s Olivia Bergler, 6-3, 6-0 in the quarterfinals Friday, ending it with a blistering forehand winner.

“I’d never played her so it took me half a set to understand what I needed to do,” Mahendran said. “I was trying to not let her dictate the points as she wasn’t as good being on defense. I like playing people I don’t know. I have no expectations for this tournament. I keep it simple. I like to say to myself the most important point is the one you’re in.”

In the other singles semifinal, No. 4-seeded Texas signee Christasha McNeil – a 6-3, 6-2 victor over Auburn graduate student Ava Hrastar – takes on Oklahoma State’s Kylie Collins, who upset second-seeded Stefania Rogonzinska Dzik from Poland, 6-3, 6-1.

Fourth-seeded Olivia Center of UCLA and her friend Sophia Webster of Vanderbilt beat Patsy Daughters and Kiara Kosan 6-4, 6-1 advanced to the doubles final against second-seeded Collins and Anita Sahdiieva of Ukraine.

–

To learn more, go to: ustasocal.com/proseries.
Follow along on Instagram: instagram.com/socalproseries. Like the Facebook page: facebook.com/socalproseries.