Boys’ tennis: Tchan dominates third set to win City singles title

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After blowing a 3-0, 40-love lead in the second set, Josh Tchan bolted to an early lead in the decisive third set and this time he didn’t let it slip away. Instead, the Taft junior closed out a 6-0, 5-7, 6-1 victory over Sherman Oaks CES freshman Dennis Mkrtchian in the City Section Individual singles final Monday afternoon at Balboa Sports Center in Encino.

“I came into this match very confident but for some reason mentally I started putting pressure on myself in the second set and things sort of snowballed from there,” said Tchan, who became the first player to win the City team and singles championships in the same season since El Camino Real’s James Magsino in 2000. “I’m proud of the way I was able to refocus and get back to playing the way I can.”

Mkrtchian’s older brother Ken took third place with a 4-6, 6-1, 6-0 victory over North Hollywood’s Dillon Klincke.

Andrew Sarawasi and Sammy Macias won the doubles title with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Palisades’ Matt Goodman and Jeremy Shore. Taft’s Aaron Teitelbaum and Alex Freeman rallied for a 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory over Kyung Choi and Ren Neilsen of Palisades in the third place match.

-- Steve Galluzzo