Southern California juniors brought the heat to the clay this summer, posting impressive results at the USTA Level 1 National Clay Court Championships, held July 5-13 at venues across the country. As one of the most prestigious junior events of the year, the Clay Courts attract top talent from every USTA section, challenging players to adapt their games to the unique demands of the surface, longer rallies, slower pace, and tactical endurance.

True to form, SoCal athletes rose to the occasion, capturing one national title, one runner-up finish, and multiple top-five placements across four divisions.

The tournament format varied slightly by age division and location, but all singles competitions followed a 128-player draw with full third-set formats. Doubles competitions featured 64-team single-elimination brackets, with champions earning the coveted Gold Ball, finalists the Silver Ball, and third-place finishers the Bronze Ball.

South Pasadena’s Nicole Weng earned the highest honor of Team SoCal participants, capturing the USTA Gold Ball as Girls’ 18 Singles Champion in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Seeded No. 2, Weng dominated early rounds and showed grit late to cap an unforgettable week.

Following a first-round bye, she opened play with a commanding 6-0, 6-0 win over Olivia Beradi. In the next round, she overcame a tough tiebreak to defeat her opponent 6-1, 7-6(6), then rolled past Raegan Farm 6-4, 6-2 in the round of 32. Her momentum continued with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Katerina Shabashkevich and a 6-2, 7-5 quarterfinal victory over Hannah Ayrault. In the semifinals, Weng dispatched No. 10 seed Carlota Moreno 6-3, 6-3. The final tested her resilience, after dropping the second-set tiebreak, Weng stormed back to take the title with a 6-4, 6-7(7), 6-1 triumph.

Laguna Niguel’s Danielle Han, the No. 2 seed, turned in a spectacular run to the Girls’ 12 Singles final in Greensboro, North Carolina, earning the USTA Silver Ball as national runner-up.

Han was clinical throughout the week, winning every match in straight sets leading up to the championship. She opened with a 6-1, 3-0 victory over Yona Wang, followed by a dominant 6-1, 6-1 performance against Diya Nimbalkar. In the round of 32, she handled Annie Tan 6-2, 6-3, then took out No. 17 seed Clarion Davis with the same score. In the quarterfinals, Han beat No. 6 seed Anna Victoria Sandru 6-1, 6-4, and edged Jacqueline Feehan 6-4, 6-4 in the semis. She ultimately came up short against Violetta Li in a hard-fought final but secured a well-deserved silver ball.

Joining Han in Greensboro was Lucy Jiang of Rancho Palos Verdes, who battled through the draw to earn a strong fifth-place finish, showcasing SoCal’s depth in the 12s division.

Kensho Ford of Los Angeles delivered a standout performance in Dothan, Alabama, finishing fourth in Boys’ 14 Singles and capturing the USTA Gold Ball in Boys’ 14 Doubles.

In doubles, Ford teamed up with Joshua Dolinsky (Eastern Section) to dominate the draw and win the national title. In singles, Ford advanced through a competitive field to secure a fourth-place finish, continuing to build his reputation as one of the section’s most promising junior players.

In Huntsville, Alabama, Julia Seversen of Trabuco Canyon powered through the Girls’ 16 Singles draw to finish in third place, earning a USTA Bronze Ball and capping a week of high-level, steady play.

Seeded No. 5, Seversen had a first-round bye, then defeated Avery Combs 6-0, 6-1 in her opener. She followed with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Kayla Lemke, a 7-6(3), 6-1 victory over Ava Beltran, and a 6-2, 6-1 triumph over Autumn Xu. In the quarterfinals, she delivered one of her strongest performances, beating No. 3 seed Kalista Papadopoulos 6-4, 6-0. Her run ended in the semifinals against No. 2 seed Sylvana Jalbert, but Seversen bounced back to claim third place and the bronze.

From coast to coast, Southern California athletes once again proved their strength on the national stage, even on clay, a surface less common in the region. With strategic shot-making, physical endurance, and unwavering poise, SoCal’s junior standouts made a statement at one of the toughest events of the year.

Congratulations to all the players who competed, and especially those who brought home national hardware.

To learn more about upcoming junior tournament opportunities in Southern California, visit ustasocal.com/junior-tournaments.