Top two seeded women advance to semifinals
USC’s Lindsey Nelson and California’s Susie Babos look on course to duel again.
Babos defeated Nelson for the 2006 NCAA singles championship, and after each recorded victories Friday, they are headed toward a possible meeting in the Pacific 10 Conference individual championships at the Ojai Valley tennis tournament at Libbey Park in Ojai.
Top-seeded Babos advanced to today’s semifinals after defeating USC’s Anca Anastasiu, 6-2, 1-6, 7-5, and Nelson moved on with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Cal’s Nina Henkel.
The second-seeded Nelson, a graduate of Villa Park High, faces Theresa Logar of Stanford in an 11 a.m. semifinal match.
Logar rallied to defeat Stanford’s Lindsay Burdette, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1.
Babos takes on Celia Durkin of Stanford in the other semifinal. Durkin, a junior transfer from Harvard who graduated from Calabasas High, defeated USC freshman Sara Fansler, 6-4, 7-5.
In Pac-10 men’s competition, Stanford sophomore Matt Bruch used an effective serve to keep on course for his second consecutive conference singles title, advancing to the semifinals with a 7-6 (4), 6-3 victory over USC junior Kaes Van’t Hof.
“I’m trying. I’m feeling pretty confident about the way I’m playing,” said Bruch, whose serve was good for several aces, including one to end the match.
Top-seeded Washington senior Alex Slovic advanced by beating Cal’s Eoin Heavey, 6-1, 6-1, in another quarterfinal.
Slovic plays Arizona State’s Juan Carlos Rebaza, a 6-3, 7-6 (4) winner over USC’s Dejan Cvetkovic, in the semifinals.
Bruch will take on Cal’s Pierre Mouillon, who outlasted teammate Matt Brooklyn, 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (3).
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