It’s Little Sister’s Turn

Kelly Stewart often followed in the footsteps of her two older brothers, especially when they made tracks on tennis courts, either in the family’s backyard or at Malibu High.

Stewart has followed her siblings’ lead again in making her way into the late rounds of the Southern Section individual tournament, which continues with fourth-round and quarterfinal matches today and semifinal and championship matches Friday at SeaCliff Country Club in Huntington Beach.

“They’ve always been great examples for me to follow,” said Stewart, a senior who has been a four-year varsity standout at Malibu, just as her brothers, Scott and Doug, once were.

Both went on to play college tennis. Scott, a senior at Princeton, competed for the Tigers for two seasons before quitting to focus on international affairs and government classes. Doug, a junior engineering major at Virginia, is the Cavaliers’ No. 1 player and ranked No. 5 in the nation by the Intercollegiate Tennis Assn.

Both were top players for their Malibu teams, and each competed in the Southern Section individual tournament. Scott’s best performance was a quarterfinal showing as a senior in 2001. Doug, always the most intensely focused tennis player in the family, won the singles title as a junior that year and finished runner-up the next.

“He’s a great role model for me.... I know he worked so hard and put a lot of energy into that,” Kelly Stewart said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen when I go out there. I don’t even try to think about that. I know I’m going to play someone who’s a challenge, and I’m looking forward to putting myself up against that.”

Doug Stewart says his sister just may be up to the task of beating some of the best players in Southern California, despite a leisurely rise through the junior rankings.

Stewart is No. 35 in the Southern California girls’ 18 division standings, trailing Southern Section tournament participants such as No. 4 Nazlie Ghazal of Temecula Chapparal, No. 8 Hilary Barte of North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake and No. 10 Maggie Mello of Mission Viejo.

“She definitely has the tools,” Doug Stewart said. “She hits the ball really well, as well as some of the college players I go against, and she definitely has a great game.”

Stewart’s recent progress -- the result of increased concentration on her sport and more undivided attention and guidance from her father and personal coach, Forrest Stewart -- is beginning to show in her results.

“She keeps moving ahead slow but sure,” her father said. “She’s on an upswing, and I expect her to hit her apex in tennis probably about her junior year in college.”

Stewart was 43-3 in round-robin sets this season while leading Malibu (16-3) to its second consecutive Division V championship, won with a victory on games over Anaheim Fairmont Prep last week.

But Malibu Coach John McCampbell relied on her steadying influence and encouraging, selfless approach in her role of team captain even more than the Sharks counted on her top-notch play.

“She’s the best team captain we’ve ever had,” he said. “She was the inspirer, and she was there more than anybody.”

Stewart, a four-time Frontier League singles champion, also advanced to the semifinals of the South Bay junior tournament in March before losing to former Long Beach Poly standout Mindy King.

“Although she’s not at the top of her group, rankings-wise,” Forrest Stewart said, “she’s breathing down their necks.”