41st Easter Bowl begins Sunday

Seena Hamilton and the Easter Bowl are back again this year for the 41st edition. The event is a USTA National Championship for boys’ and girls’ 14s and 16s and for the past three years has been an ITF B1 event in boys’ and girls’ 18s. Last year, Hamilton, who runs her own public relations and event marketing consulting firm in New York, received a USTA award for her contributions to the game of junior tennis.

The tournament, which begins Sunday and concludes April 13, is being hosted by the Rancho Las Palmas Resort in Rancho Mirage for the second year in a row. “Not many people know this tournament started on the clay courts in New York,” Hamilton said. “Once the U.S. Open moved to the hardcourts, all the kids wanted to play on hardcourts so we moved to Florida.” The Easter Bowl has been also been played in New Jersey, Arizona and California.

It was a former New Yorker who won big last year as Gail Brodsky, formerly of Brooklyn and playing out of the Weil Academy in Ojai, won the girls’ 18s over another New Yorker, Nadja Gilchrist of Rochester.

Unseeded Lawrence Formentera of Colton had the tournament of a lifetime, winning the boys’ 16s with a 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 win over No. 1 seed James “Bo” Seal in the most riveting match of the tournament. Formentera beat the No. 1, 2 and 3 seeds on his way to his first gold ball and national title. Before beating Seal, Formentera beat No. 3 Walker Kehrer, of Pacific Palisades, 6-1, 7-6, in the round of 16. That victory was followed by a 7-5, 6-3 win over No. 7 seed Andre Dome in the quarterfinals. Formentera’s string of upsets continued ins the semis with a victory over No. 2 seed Evan King. “Even if I didn’t have a good point, I just kept doing what I was doing,” Formentera said after the final. “I just kept going for it, kept going for my shots.”

Doubles winners included: Boys 14's: Nick Chappell/Shane Vinsant; Girls 14's: Lauren Herring/Grace Min; Boys 16's: Kehrer/Kyle McMorrow; Girls 16's: Alexandra Cercone/Jacqueline Kasler.

Ryhne Williams, the No. 5 seed from Knoxville, Tenn., took the boys’ ITF 18s title with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Johnny Hamui of Wesley Chapel, Fla.

The Easter Bowl’s history is deep and loaded with familiar names. Jimmy Connors lost to Harold Solomon in the boys’ 16 final at the inaugural event held in 1968. Other past winners include John McEnroe (boys’ 18s in 1976) and Tracy Austin (girls’ 14s in 1976). In 1988, Jennifer Capriati won the girls 16s, and Andy Roddick took the boys’ 16s 10 years later.

Easter Bowl Champions

40 Years of Easter Bowl Winners
WHERE ARE THEY NOW
2007
Boys 18s: Rhyne Williams
Boys 16s: Lawrence Formentera
Boys 14s: Emmett Egger

Girls 18s: Gail Brodsky
Girls 16s: Nicole Gibbs
Girls 14s: Lauren Herring

2006
Boys 18s: Donald Young
Boys 16s: Brennan Boyajian
Boys 14s: Evan King

Girls 18s: Kimberly Couts
Girls 16s: Keri Wong
Girls 14s Beatrice Capra

2005
Boys 18s: Sam Querrey
Boys 16s: William Guzick
Boys 14s: J.T. Sundling

Girls 18s: Alexa Glatch
Girls 16s: Nelly Radeva
Girls 14s Lauren Embree

2004
Boys 18s: Donald Young
Boys 16s: Sam Querrey
Boys 14s: Matuesz Kecki

Girls 18s: Ashley Johnson
Girls 16s: Logan Hansen
Girls 14s: Denise Dy

2003
Boys 18s: Alex Kuznetsov
Boys 16s: Marc Spicijaric
Boys 14s: Donald Young

Girls 18s: Anne Yelsey
Girls 16s: Lindsay Burdette
Girls 14s: Alexa Glatch

2002
Boys 18s: Douglas Stewart
Boys 16s: Jarrett Chirico
Boys 14s: Donald Young

Girls 18s: Anne Yelsey
Girls 16s: Lindsay Burdette
Girls 14s: Alexa Glatch

2001
Boys 18s: Rajeev Ram
Boys 16s: Sukhwa Young
Boys 14s: Timothy Neilly

Girls 18s: Megan Bradley
Girls 16s: Caitlin Collins
Girls 14s: Michelle Mitchell

2000
Boys 18s: Robby Ginepri
Boys 16s: Rylan Rizza
Boys 14s: Nestor Briceno

Girls 18s: Ashley Harkleroad
Girls 16s: Dianne Matias
Girls 14s: Lejla Hodzic

1999
Boys 18s: Phillip King
Boys 16s: Jesse Witten
Boys 14s: Sukhwa Young

Girls 18s: Kelly McCain
Girls 16s: Megan Bradley
Girls 14s: Allison Baker

1998
Boys 18s: Andrew Park
Boys 16s: Andy Roddick
Boys 14s: Val Banada

Girls 18s: Marissa Irvin
Girls 16s: Candice Fuchs
Girls 14s: Ashley Harkleroad

1997
Boys 18s: Brian Vahaly
Boys 16s: John Paul Fruttero
Boys 14s: Ytai Abougzir

Girls 18s: Melissa Middleton
Girls 16s: Katia Bogomolova
Girls 14s: Erin Burdette

1996
Boys 18s: Michael Russell
Boys 16s: David Martin
Boys 14s: Nicholas Monroe

Girls 18s: Samantha Reeves
Girls 16s: Melissa Middleton
Girls 14s: Candice Fuchs

1995
Boys 18s: Ryan Wolters
Boys 16s: Rodolfo Rake
Boys 14s: Dustin Friedman

Girls 18s: Amanda Basica
Girls 16s: Stephanie Hazlett
Girls 14s: Sarah Taylor

1994
Boys 18s: Cecil Mamiit
Boys 16s: Michael Russell
Boys 14s: Max Hilkey

Girls 18s: Stephy Halsell
Girls 16s: Erin Boisclair
Girls 14s: Jessica Lehnhoff

1993
Boys 18s: Glenn Weiner
Boys 16s: Justin Gimelstob
Boys 14s: Michael Lang

Girls 18s: Janet Lee
Girls 16s: Stephy Halsell
Girls 14s: Kimberly Gates

1992
Boys 18s: David Caldwell
Boys 16s: Paul Goldstein
Boys 14s: Geoff Abrams

Girls 18s: Anne Miller
Girls 16s: Amanda Basica
Girls 14s: Amanda Augustus

1991
Boys 18s: Chris Woodruff
Boys 16s: Jason Appel
Boys 14s: Justin Gimelstob

Girls 18s: Chanda Rubin
Girls 16s: Ditta Huber
Girls 14s: Meagan Miller

1990
Boys 18s: Ivan Baron
Boys 16s: Adam Peterson
Boys 14s: B.J. Stearns

Girls 18s: Lisa Raymond
Girls 16s: Nicole London
Girls 14s: Janet Lee

1989
Boys 18s: Jose Ayala
Boys 16s: James Panangopoulos
Boys 14s: Tom Shimada

Girls 18s: Erica O'Neill
Girls 16s: Keri Phebus
Girls 14s: Nicole London

1988
Boys 18s: David Dilucia
Boys 16s: Bruce Haddad
Boys 14s: Vincent Spadea

Girls 18s: Andrea Farley
Girls 16s: Jennifer Capriati
Girls 14s: Sandra Cacic

1987
Boys 18s: Jonathan Stark
Boys 16s: Jared Palmer
Boys 14s: Ivan Baron

Girls 18s: Andrea Berger
Girls 16s: Donna Farber
Girls 14s: Julie Shiflet

1986
Boys 18s: Francisco Montana: Currently a national coach for USTA, Montana competed on the pro tour from 1990-2000, winning 10 doubles titles, including two Tennis Masters Series events (1997 Monte Carlo and 1998 Hamburg). He earned a career-high ranking of No. 98 in singles and No. 6 in doubles. He played two years of at the University of Georgia (1988-89) and was an all-American in 1989.
Favorite Easter Bowl moment:

Boys 16s: David Kass
Boys 14s: Chip James

Girls 18s: Kerry Reiter
Girls 16s: Andrea Berger
Girls 14s: Laxmi Poruri

1985
Boys 18s: Joey Blake
Boys 16s: Jeffrey Tarango
Boys 14s: Jose Ayala

Girls 18s: Marianne Werdel
Girls 16s: Jessica Emmons
Girls 14s: Caryn Moss

1984
Boys 18s: Brad Pearce
Boys 16s: Cary Cohenour
Boys 14s: David Kass

Girls 18s: Melissa Gurney
Girls 16s: Amy Schwartz
Girls 14s: Lucinda Gurney

1983
Boys 18s: Aaron Krickstein
Boys 16s: Ricky Brown
Boys 14s: Chris Garner

Girls 18s: Terry Phelps
Girls 16s: Stephanie Rehe
Girls 14s: Halle Cioffi

1982
Boys 18s: John Ross
Boys 16s: Eric Amend
Boys 14s: Cary Cohenour

Girls 18s: Beth Herr
Girls 16s: Carolina Hagey
Girls 14s: Stephanie Rehe

1981
Boys 18s: Michael Kures
Boys 16s: Doug Pielet
Boys 14s: Aaron Krickstein

Girls 18s: Bonnie Gadusek
Girls 16s: Lisa Bonder
Girls 14s: Terry Phelps

1980
Boys 18s: Sammy Giammalva
Boys 16s: Michale Kures
Boys 14s: Tom Bender

Girls 18s: Susan Mascarin
Girls 16s: Pamela Casale
Girls 14s: Lisa Bonder

1979
Boys 18s: Rodney Harmon
Boys 16s: Sam Giammalva
Boys 14s: Doug Pielet

Girls 18s: Suzy Jaeger
Girls 16s: Kathy Horvath
Girls 14s: Beverly Anne Bowes

1978
Boys 18s: David Siegler
Boys 16s: Bruce Brescia
Boys 14s: Michael Kures

Girls 18s: Maria Rothschild
Girls 16s: Bettina Bunge
Girls 14s: Andrea Jaeger

1977
Boys 18s: Blaine Willenborg
Boys 16s: Ben Testerman
Boys 14s: Todd Witksen

Girls 18s: Caroline Stoll
Girls 16s: Pam Shriver
Girls 14s: Andrea Jaeger

1976
Boys 18s: John McEnroe
Boys 16s: Marcel Freeman
Boys 14s: Ben Testerman

Girls 18s: Sherry Acker
Girls 16s: Caroline Stoll
Girls 14s: Tracy Austin

1975
Boys 18s: Tony Giammalva
Boys 16s: Larry Gottfried
Boys 14s: Billy Nealon

Girls 18s: Zenda Leiss
Girls 16s: Sherry Acker
Girls 14s: Linda Siegal

1974
Boys 18s: Howard Schoenfield
Boys 16s: Van Winitsky
Boys 14s: Murray Robinson

Girls 18s: Zenda Leiss
Girls 16s: Jennifer Balant
Girls 14s: Sue Rasmussen

1973
Boys 18s: Nick Saviano
Boys 16s: Carey Leeds
Boys 14s: John McEnroe

Girls 18s: Barbara Goldman
Girls 16s: Pat Shoolman
Girls 14s: Zenda Leiss

1972
Boys 18s: Grey King
Boys 16s: Jack Gorsuch
Boys 14s: Juan Farrow

Girls 18s: Donna Ganz
Girls 16s: Betsy Nagelson
Girls 14s: Kelly Kruk

1971
Boys 18s: Grey King
Boys 16s: Eugene Mayer
Boys 14s: Ed Staren

Girls 18s: Donna Ganz
Girls 16s: Rayni Fox
Girls 14s: Renee Blount

1970
Boys 18s: John Whitlinger
Boys 16s: Grey King
Boys 14s: Ferdi Taygan

Girls 18s: Karen Benson
Girls 16s: Lisa Rosenblum
Girls 14s: Rayni Fox

1969
Boys 18s: Harold Solomon
Boys 16s: Michael Fishback
Boys 14s: Eugene Mayer

Girls 18s: Lydia Sampson
Girls 16s: Carol Gordon

1968
Boys 18s: Dick Stockton
Boys 16s: Harold Solomon
Boys 14s: Freddy DeJesus

Girls 18s: Karen Benson
Girls 16s: Karen Benson
Girls 14s: Laurie Tenney