Ojai Tennis Tournament : Chapman’s Walker Wins; Most Matches Postponed

Although rain and hail caused the postponement of most of Saturday’s matches at the 89th Ojai Valley tennis tournament, Chapman College’s Miles Walker managed to complete--and win--his singles match.

Walker, the defending champion, defeated Kip Brady of UC Santa Barbara, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, in the singles semifinal of the independent collegiate event. In today’s final, Walker will face Santa Barbara’s Jeff Greenwald, who defeated Olivier Amerlinck of Chapman, 6-4, 6-0, in the other semifinal.

The Walker-Brady match was interrupted for more than 1 1/2 hours by rain and hail after the players had split sets. And, according to Chapman Coach Mike Edles, the break couldn’t have come at a better time.

“I think it did us some good,” Edles said. “The other guy had all the momentum. . . . After the break, Miles played a little more aggressive tennis. He knew what he had to do. And I think the break affected Kip negatively as much as it affected Miles positively. He (Brady) was missing a lot of shots he normally doesn’t miss.”

Walker is ranked No. 68 in the latest collegiate poll (which is composed of players from all three divisions), while Greenwald is No. 76, but Greenwald defeated Walker when they met earlier this season.

In other results involving Orange County players on Saturday, the doubles team of Colby Morita of Fountain Valley and Noli Zosa of Huntington Beach won the boys’ 16-and-under title. And Dorey Brandt of San Diego State, a graduate of Sonora High School, lost in the semifinals of the women’s intercollegiate singles event.