HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS / CITY SECTION GIRLS’ INDIVIDUAL SEMIFINALS : Taft’s Feldman Avoids Glaring Mistakes

The tired old excuse “I couldn’t see the ball because the sun was in my eyes” was used by a winner Wednesday.

Believe it or not, Taft High singles player Julia Feldman said the glare of the afternoon sun provided more discomfort than the wind, the cool temperature and even her opponent, Ilona Kordonskay, in a 6-3, 6-4 victory in a semifinal of the City Section girls’ individual tournament at the Racquet Centre.

“(The north side of the court) was pretty bad,” Feldman said. “I would serve and I wouldn’t know what happened. . . . I couldn’t see where the ball was going.”

The senior, who has a 47-2 record and was making her third consecutive semifinal appearance, will face Dorsey sophomore Kendra Segura in Friday’s 1:30 p.m. final. Top-seeded Segura is the defending champion.

Feldman, who lost to Segura in the semifinals last year, is seeded second. In doubles, top-seeded Juanita Narida and Merry Arrogante of Carson eliminated Stephanie Shapiro and Terri Rosenthal of Taft, 6-0, 7-5.

A strong server, Feldman pounded the ball into the brightness when she had to play the north side. But Kordonskay, also a hard server, was tentative.

Trying to play it safe, the freshman from Los Angeles High served softly from that side. Feldman attacked, hitting several winners off those easy serves. Four times in the first set, Feldman broke Kordonskay, who twice double-faulted on game point.

But Kordonskay covered the court well and displayed a dangerous backhand. She gained confidence in the second set, fighting off five break points and staying even at 4-4. But Feldman pulled ahead, 5-4, with a service winner and coaxed Kordonskay into two unforced errors in the freshman’s final service to win the match.

“I’m excited about getting to the finals,” Feldman said. “I’m looking forward to it.”

Two years ago, Feldman lost in the final to then-teammate Brahna Pastorini. Her only other loss at Taft came in the 1993 semifinals to Segura, 6-3, 6-4. Segura went on to upset defending champion Pastorini, 6-7 (7-2), 6-2, 6-3, in the final.

Segura earned the right to defend her title Wednesday by defeating Dorsey teammate Delana Daniels, 6-4, 6-2.