SOUTHERN SECTION INDIVIDUAL TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS : San Clemente’s Marsden, Roditi Dominate Doubles, Avenge League Loss

Jeff Marsden and Daniel Roditi served up a dish of not-so-cold revenge in the doubles final of the Southern Section individual tennis championships Saturday.

San Clemente’s Marsden and Roditi defeated Jeremy Driscoll and Steen Lundblad of Dana Hills, 6-2, 6-3, for the title at SeaCliff Country Club and avenged a three-set loss to the same duo in the South Coast League finals.

“Those were the guys we wanted to play,” Marsden said. “We wanted revenge.”

Marsden and Roditi got that revenge, but it took exceptional play by both of the unseeded teams to set up the rematch. In Friday’s round of 16, Marsden and Roditi defeated third-seeded Kyle Spencer and Derric Chang of Palos Verdes Peninsula, 6-3, 7-6, to begin their unlikely journey to the championship.

Lundblad and Driscoll tuned up in Friday’s quarterfinals with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over fourth-seeded Dean Ho and Jim Kim of Peninsula.

“The strength and the depth of the South Coast League showed in this tournament,” said San Clemente Coach Rob Hogrefe. “These guys didn’t get a lot of respect in the seedings, but they proved themselves in the tournament.”

Marsden and Roditi improved with every match, rolling past second-seeded Jason Morrin and Jeff Villano of Santa Barbara in Saturday’s semifinals, 6-4, 6-1. Lundblad and Driscoll battled back in their semifinal to defeat top-seeded Trenton Rhodes and Bryan Walden of Corona del Mar, 1-6, 6-3, 7-6.

Marsden and Roditi dominated the final match with excellent placement of their volleys at the net and didn’t allow Lundblad and Driscoll to break serve.

“The finals were the best sets those guys have played together,” Hogrefe said. “It all came together perfectly.”

In the singles semifinals, things didn’t go as perfectly for San Clemente’s David Roditi, Daniel’s older brother who was seeded third in singles. David Roditi had the misfortune of meeting Santa Barbara’s Alex Decret, seeded second, in a match in which Decret performed well in all facets of his game.

Decret defeated Roditi, 6-3, 6-4, despite a strong showing by Roditi.

“I felt like I played pretty well, but (Decret) was just hitting everything,” David Roditi said.

Decret, who relied on a power game to defeat Roditi, was beaten at his game in the finals when Peninsula’s Loren Peters crushed-and-volleyed his way to a 7-6, 6-1 victory. Peters’ huge first serve set up numerous easy winners and forced Decret into an unaccustomed defensive posture.