Ojai Venue a Welcome Site Again for Varvais

Nick Varvais could have shown up here Thursday and demanded more respect.

But he will let his racket do the talking.

Varvais of Simi Valley is the defending champion in the boys’ interscholastic division of the Ojai Valley Tennis tournament, yet he is seeded only fourth in the 96th Ojai.

Rodney Dangerfield would have a problem with that.

But Varvais knows it is a case of “What have you done for me lately?” In his case, the answer is “Not much.”

The Royal High senior won two easy matches Thursday at Thacher School to advance to today’s round of 16. He will face Zafar Fisher of Ventura at 8 a.m.

But it will take a lot more to please Varvais.

“I haven’t been real happy with the way I’ve been playing,” he said. “I know I can do better.”

Varvais had a breakthrough year on the junior circuit in 1995, surprising people with his title at Ojai and his semifinal appearance in the Southern California junior sectional championships in June.

But he has been slumping since a second-round defeat in the national junior championships in August.

But oh to be back in Ojai, where his run of success in 1995 started.

“I’m happy to be back here, and I’m glad I got a couple of matches under my belt,” he said. “By the end of the day, I was playing pretty solid.”

Varvais opened with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Gunnar Einarsson of Rancho Bernardo. After an easy first set, Varvais fell behind, 2-0, in the second before climbing back to 3-3.

The key to the match was Varvais’ fourth service game, a 10-minute battle that went to deuce several times before Varvais held to take a 4-3 lead.

Later in the day, Varvais had trouble returning the serve of Chris Smith of Fresno but adjusted in time for a 6-4, 6-2 victory.

Varvais probably won’t be satisfied, however, unless he gets back to the championship match, where he beat Santa Barbara’s Adam Webster, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, last year.

Webster is seeded No. 2 this year, having overtaken Varvais in the Southern California junior rankings.

“I’ve been playing unbelievable in practice, but not in matches,” Varvais said. “I’ve got to start winning and making myself feel better.”

Two other area players advanced to the round of 16 in the boys’ interscholastic division: Matt Snowden of Calabasas and Joe Chrisman of Ventura.

Varvais is not the only area player with a good chance to win a championship. Zuzana Stunova of Rio Mesa, seeded third in the girls’ 18-and-under draw, won twice.

Stunova beat Kristy Bear of Westlake in the opener, 6-3, 6-1, and Erica Nelson of Newport Harbor, 6-4, 6-1. Stunova also got a break when top-seeded Alexandra Stevenson withdrew.

Stunova, who captured the Southern Section singles title last fall, lost to Marissa Irvin in the girls’ 16 final at Ojai last year.

“I want to win, of course,” said Stunova, who is incorporating a serve-and-volley attack to complement her strong ground strokes.

Darian Chappell of Camarillo also advanced to the round of 16 of girls’ 18 singles, and Helena Horak of Westlake Village and Teresa Galido of West Hills advanced to the quarterfinals in girls’ 16 singles.

In boys’ interscholastic doubles, three-time defending champions Mike and Bob Bryan of Rio Mesa reached the quarterfinals, winning two matches by scores of 6-0, 6-0.