Merryman’s College Plans May Not Include Tennis

Unlike many who played last week’s USTA girls’ 16 hard courts at Barnes Tennis Center, Leigh Ann Merryman wasn’t looking to make a statement to college tennis coaches.

Certainly, she wouldn’t mind if a few of them noticed her play and eventually came calling this fall. But it’s not like she’s waiting by the phone.

“Tennis has been my life for seven years, so I wouldn’t mind a scholarship,” said Merryman, who will be a senior at Capistrano Valley High. “But I’m not counting on it.”

What Merryman is counting on is becoming a nurse. And before she can accomplish that goal, she needs to find a good nursing program. Merryman said Washington, Washington State, Illinois and Arizona are high on her list. If a tennis scholarship happens to fall in place at one of those schools, all the better.

“If it doesn’t, no big deal,” she said. “I’m just looking to go on to my next career.”

It isn’t like Merryman’s current career is in terrible shape. She had a national ranking of 94 entering the hard courts and her third-round showing in the main draw should improve it.

“I’ve been working on trying to be more aggressive and I think playing doubles is helping me do that,” Merryman said.

Merryman’s best showing in a national tournament included a victory over Jill Kkauck of San Antonio and a 4-6, 7-5, 6-0 win over higher-ranked Lauren Patterson of Rochester, Minn. Merryman’s run ended with a 6-2, 6-2 loss to ninth-seeded Kelley Hyndman of Bradenton, Fla.

In the doubles draw, Merryman and Kelly Perry of San Diego upset eighth-seeded Sara Anudsen of Littleton, Colo., and Kristina Stastny of St. Louis in the second round. But they were beaten in straight sets in the round of 16 by the eighth-seeded team of Alexis Matire of Marlboro, N.J., and Tory Zawacki of Union, N.J.

NELSON COMES CLOSE

Lindsey Nelson of Orange came the closest of any county player to winning a national title this year. She and Judith DeVera of Carson lost in the girls’ 14 doubles final to Erica Sauer of Somis and Riza Aalameda of Los Angeles, 6-1, 6-7 (4-7), 6-2.

Drew Hoskins, who will be a junior at Los Alamitos, reached the fourth round of the boys’ 16s singles.

SNUB SPURS ON KIM

Fullerton’s Kevin Kim felt he

was playing well enough to be given a wild-card berth into the main draw of the Mercedes Benz-Cup. Kim didn’t get his wild card but Long Beach junior Phillip King did.

But Kim didn’t sulk. The next week he reached the singles and doubles finals of the Lexington Challenger in Kentucky. Kim lost to Israel’s Harel Levy in the singles final, 6-4, 7-6, and he and partner Scott Humphries were beaten in the doubles final by Michael Sell and Gabriel Trifu, 7-6, 6-7, 6-4.

Kim’s father, Andrew, who normally doesn’t travel with his son, flew into Lexington for the week.

“I picked the right one,” Andrew said. “It was really fun, but Kevin ran out of energy at the end.”

The next week Kim lost in the first round of singles in Binghamton, N.Y., but he reached the doubles finals again with new partner Hyung-Taek Lee of Korea. Kim’s singles ranking is up to a career-high 249 and his doubles rank of 230 is also a career high.