Serving Notice : 14-Year-Old Dorsey Freshman Topples Taft’s Reigning City Tennis Champion

It is said that every so often athletes come along whose talents transcend the sport in which they compete. They are special because their natural abilities are inexplicably greater than those of their peers.

Dorsey High School may have just such an athlete in Kendra Segura.

On Dec. 3, Segura defeated Brahna Pastorini of Woodland Hills Taft, 6-7 (7-2), 6-2, 6-3 to win the City Section individual girls’ final.

That’s an outstanding accomplishment by itself. But what makes it more amazing is that Segura, who entered the playoffs unseeded, is only 14.

“After a nine-month break from the game (before the tennis season), it’s great to come back with a title,” said Segura, a freshman. “I’ve won a lot of tournaments, but this one is the best because it announces my return to the game.”

On paper, the match between Segura and Pastorini seemed comparable to the battle between David and Goliath.

Not only is Segura much younger than Pastorini (by three years) but it was her first time competing in the City Section tennis playoffs. And Pastorini, a senior, was the defending City champion and had won 41 straight high school matches going into the final.

But like her biblical counterpart, Segura proved that the size of the heart is the true measure of strength.

“(The match) came down to who had the most determination to win,” Dorsey tennis coach Dave Gordon said. “Champions have talent, but they also have the heart of a champion.”

The championship match, which lasted 2 1/2 hours, saw Pastorini win the first set, 7-6.

“In the beginning of the match, the advantage was hers due to her big serve and my being rusty due to my layoff,” Segura said. “I knew that in order to win, I had to return her best shots and force her to keep hitting the ball.”

After that, Segura won the second set 6-2 and lost the first two games of the final set before coming back to win the set and match, 6-3.

“Kendra represented Dorsey with outstanding sportsmanship and came away with the respect from those who watched the match,” Gordon said.

In defeating Pastorini, who had not lost a match since her sophomore season, Segura also gained a measure of respect for urban tennis players.

“Kendra’s friends, who lost to some of the girls that she beat, were very proud of Kendra,” said her father, Clem Segura. “They all looked up to her for her accomplishments.”

Added Kendra: “It felt good to win for the inner-city schools. I also feel good about the title because it is the first time in the history of the event that a female from Dorsey has won the City championship.”

Money is one of the major reasons why players of Segura’s caliber are rare in the central city.

Basketball courts and batting cages can be found at most any recreational park and neither sports require very expensive equipment. But clearly, the making of a professional tennis player is much more costly than a basketball or baseball player’s training.

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Although it doesn’t cost much money to purchase a racket and tennis balls, it is nearly impossible to be a competitive tennis player without the aid of a server and private coach, neither of which are inexpensive.

But with the support of her family, Segura is confident she will reach her goal of playing professional tennis. “I want to play in college and professionally,” said Segura, who trains at the Rancho Tennis Center near Dorsey four days a week for two hours a day.

Clem Segura believes the urban core could have more tennis players of his daughter’s standing if young girls had more support from home. He has been taking Kendra to tennis tournaments and paying for private lessons for the past six years.

“Tennis is a youth sport that a player has to learn early on,” Segura said. “A player has to have a strong family support system and parents who are dedicated to help support the kid financially and otherwise. Many African American kids aren’t that fortunate.”

Segura, who has been playing tennis since she was 8, is primarily a base-line player with a good backhand and forehand.

Perhaps her greatest asset, however, is her mind. “My brain has gotten me over on a lot of matches,” Segura said.

Segura not only has the brawn and brains, but also the beauty of a champion. Earlier this year, she was named a homecoming princess.

“I am very proud of Kendra,” said her mother, Minh Segura. “She is smart, courageous and beautiful.”