Junior Ore
Athletes just don’t show up on the stage and spontaneously turn into champions, they are nurtured along the way, tested by their coaches, their competitors and their own dedication to the sport that called them to excellence.
The Champions Center in College Park has created a track record of putting kids in an environment where they can thrive and acquire the tools to master their sport.
That tradition continues with the recent success of three top ranked juniors at the Junior Tennis Champions Center - Denis Kudla, Junior Ore and Mitchell Frank – all age 15. The players each won three matches to qualify in their first Pro Circuit event.
The young players traveled eight hours to the northern tip of New York to get a sense of what’s in store for them as future tennis pros.
Denis Kudla
A statement from the Champions Center said Ore and Frank each entered the tournament with a wildcard from the USTA. Ore’s first round match went three sets with Ore prevailing 6-2 in the third set. Ore’s next two matches were straight set victories. Frank, known for his mental toughness and ability to break down his opponents, dropped only seven games in three matches to qualify into his first main draw pro event. And Kudla, who got into the tournament with his ranking, prevailed in straight sets in his three qualifying matches to get into his second pro circuit main draw event.
“These boys work their butt off everyday for this type of opportunity,” said Frank Salazar, who serves as a coach and mentor to Ore and Kudla. “If they trust their training and play how they practice they could go deep this week.”
Next challenge: the players are slated to compete in another pro event in Pittsburgh followed by a few more events in the run-up to the US Open Juniors in August.
Photos: Junior Tennis Champions Center
--PGS Staff
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