Stevenson Tops Tennis Field at San Clemente Tourney

San Diego’s Alexandra Stevenson, the second-ranked player in Southern California in the girls’ 18 division, will be the top-seeded player in the Toshiba Tennis Classic Opportunity tournament at the Rancho San Clemente Tennis and Fitness Club, which begins Wednesday and finishes Sunday.

The winner of the San Clemente tournament will face winners of the San Diego and Los Angeles Opportunity tournaments for a wild-card spot in the main draw of the Toshiba Classic in August. If the three-way playoff champion goes on to win the Toshiba Classic, she will win a million dollars.

“We thought of the million dollar challenge to spice up the Opportunity tournament and make it more appealing,” Toshiba Classic tournament director Raquel Giscafre said.

Top-ranked professional players confirmed for the Toshiba Classic are Martina Hingis, Conchita Martinez, Mary Pierce, Jennifer Capriati and Amanda Coetzer. The other two Opportunity winners will be given wild-card entries into the qualifying draw of the Toshiba Classic. Keri Phebus of Corona del Mar and UCLA won the Los Angeles Opportunity in early May. The San Diego Opportunity tournament will be held July 16-20.

Local players entered in the 18-player draw are second-seeded Anne Mall, a former girls’ 18 national champion who starred at Dana Hills High, and Page Bartelt, who played at Capistrano Valley High and Arizona State. Top college players include Florida’s Amanda Basica and Arizona State’s Torey Pratt.