Santa Barbara’s great tennis depth was on display in the Channel League singles tournament on Monday, as three Dons advanced to the semifinals.
Chris Grant, Graham Maassen and Sammer Aziz will be joined by Jared Madison of Dos Pueblos in the final four at the Cathedral Oaks Tennis Club on Tuesday.
Madison, the No. 2 seed, outlasted Ventura’s Jacob Rucker in three sets, 6-4, 1-6, 6-2, to earn the final semifinal berth. He will face third-seeded Aziz, who defeated Petar Jivkov of San Marcos in the second round, 6-2, 6-0.
“Madison took charge and closed off Rucker’s angles,” DP coach Liz Frech said of the third set. “He hit deep, penetrating shots to the baseline and sidelines, and placed his potent serves well. His calm, cool self prevailed once again, and he won the third set. Both players played extraordinary tennis.”
The all-Dons semifinal will pit Grant against Maassen. The top-seeded Grant beat Buena’s Noah Killman in the second round, 6-1, 6-1. Maassen, the fifth seed, upended No. 4 Michael Lowe of Ventura, 6-3, 7-5.
Results and seeds:
1. Chris Grant (Santa Barbara)
2. Jared Madison (Dos Pueblos)
3. Sammer Aziz (Santa Barbara)
4. Michael Lowe (Ventura)
5. Graham Maassen (Santa Barbara)
6. Petar Jivkov (San Marcos)
7. Jacob Rucker (Ventura)
8. Noah Killman (Buena)
First Round:
Booie Grant (SB) def Parker Funk (SM) 6-0, 6-1
Noah Killman (B) def Jackson Foster (SM) 6-1, 6-0
Graham Masssen (SB) def Travis Enholm (SM) 6-2, 7-6
Michael Lowe (V) def Richard Cheng (DP) 6-1,6-2
Sammer Aziz (SB) def Parker Harris 6-1, 6-0
Petar Jivkov (SM) def Erick Katz (DP) 6-3, 7-5
Jared Madison (DP) def Brian Perrett (B) 6-0, 6-2
Second Round:
Grant (SB) def Killman (B) 6-1,6-1
Maassen (SB) def Lowe (V) 6-3, 7-5
Aziz (SB) def Jivkov (SM) 6-2, 6-0
Madison def Rucker (V) 6-4, 1-6, 6-2
Semifinals: Booie Grant (SB) vs Graham Maassen (SB)
Jared Madison (DP) vs Sammer Aziz (SB).
