HIGH SCHOOL INDIVIDUAL TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS : Segura Wins City Crown; Peninsula Girls Get Sweep

Kendra Segura, a freshman at Dorsey High, came back from a 2-0 deficit in the final set to upset Brahna Pastorini, a senior at Woodland Hills Taft, 6-7 (7-2), 6-2, 6-3, in the City Section individual girls’ tennis final Friday afternoon at the Studio City Racquet Centre.

The loss was the first for Pastorini since her sophomore season and ended her unbeaten streak at 41 matches.

Pastorini, hobbling after the match because of a sprained left ankle, said Segura kept her on the run. “I couldn’t move at all,” she said.

Segura said she wasn’t fazed by playing an older player.

“I knew I had a chance if I just handled my own mechanics,” she said. “The key was to make her keep hitting another ball.”

The Dorsey freshman started playing tennis again three months ago after taking a nine-month break from the game.

“I was growing too fast and my bones were getting soft and out of place on the hard courts,” Segura said. “I had to make my muscles stronger by lifting weights.”

In the doubles final, juniors Juanita Nerida and Merry Arrogante of Carson held off seniors Torri Ellman and Allegra Piaggi of Palisades, 6-4, 6-4.