Chappell’s Tennis Sojourn Ends at Door of Penthouse

Darian Chappell knocked on the door of the Southern California Junior tennis penthouse.

The door didn’t open, but then again, she arrived ahead of schedule.

The Camarillo teen-ager started the year ranked 37th in the 16-and-under singles division before climbing to No. 8 on the seeding chart for the Southern California Junior Sectional tournament.

By Saturday she fought her way to the semifinals of the event that qualifies the top eight finishers for the nationals, but there Chappell’s ascent finally stopped.

She was outlasted by fourth-seeded Allison Bradshaw of San Diego, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

“I stayed focused, mentally, but I was a little tired at the end,” Chappell said. “This is a good tournament for me, but I wish I’d won that match.”

A victory away from an improbable appearance in the final, she finally ran out of gas. By the third set against Bradshaw, Chappell’s body wasn’t moving as quickly as her mind.

But who could blame the Camarillo High junior for being a little weary? She took the long road, having to play qualifying matches just to get into the first four sanctioned tournaments of 1995, and three of her four matches in the sectional went three sets.

Chappell sparred with Bradshaw in several long points, but Bradshaw was more patient in stalking her opponent. Bradshaw scored several winners with crisp backhand shots--disguising them well and spraying them all over the court.

Bradshaw gave Chappell only one opening after the first set when Chappell broke serve to lead, 3-2, and could have led, 4-2, if she held her next serve. But Bradshaw broke back.

“That’s always the hardest serve to hold, just after you broke,” said Chappell, who was perhaps too fatigued to recall any details of that pivotal service game. “I don’t even remember; it’s kind of a blur.”

The same could be said of Chappell’s meteoric rise to Southern California’s final four and her qualification for the national tournament.