Tennis fans were treated Friday to 4 stellar boys and girls semifinal matches on the hard courts of the  Costa Rica Country Club.  Play commenced at 11:30 am with the 2 girls singles semifinals, followed by the 4 doubles matches, and closing with the boys singles semifinals in night play.  

In the morning girls matches with all players from USA, 7^th seed Shannon LAM ranked 112 upset top seed Kaitlyn ROLLS ranked 63 by a comfortable 6-4,6-1. ROLLS had not dropped a set in the tournament but for this match LAM was the better player. LAM`s WTN rating of 13.1 vs. 14.8 for ROLLS was indicative of the final result, despite the rankings.  In the other girls semifinal of 2 unseeded and evenly matched players, 137^TH ranked Kristina PENICKOVA eliminated Thea FRODIN ranked 123 by 6-4, 6-4. Both are solid, crafty players with strong groundstrokes, and today PENICKOVA prevailed.

In the boys SF Ian MAYEW continued with his winning ways, eliminating unseeded Maximus DASSAULT of USA ranked 123 in straight sets. MAYEW ranked 269 has come from the Qualy all the way to the final and evidently his ranking is not indicative of his level of play. His WTN rating of 11.4 vs. DASSAULT`s 13.8 foretold the results of the match. The other boys semifinal featured unseeded Matisse FARZAM of USA ranked 106 vs. 2^nd seed Rafael TOBON of Colombia ranked 69, and the only seeded player in the boys draw as of the quarterfinals. Both are strong players yet FARZAM was able to dominate the South American in straight sets. It is now an all USA affair in both boys and girls singles draws. 

Saturday Finals are to begin at 4pm on Stadium Court starting with Girls Singles, followed by Girls Doubles. Shannon LAM is in both finals, so singles go first. In the doubles, LAM partners with Thea FRODIN as they square off against the Slovakian duo of Ema MRAVCOVA and Mia POHANKOVA.  In night play the Canadian doubles team of brothers Mikael and Nicolas ARSENAULT will do battle with the American team of Noah JOHNSTON and Benjamin WILLWERTH. The final match of the tournament will be the boys final of MAYEW – FARZAM.  

In the singles matchups, who will be the favorite? The reader should decide. Following are data about each player`s road to the final to help make this determination.

Shannon LAM, from USA, seeded 7, ranked 112, WTN 13.1
round   opponent                    country        WTN      seed/ranking        score
    1       Neus TORNER             Spain            16.4           no / 232             6-1, 6-3
    2       Krisha MAHENDRAN   India              15.0           no / 128             3-6,6-3, 6-1 
   QF     Margot PHANTHALA    France          15.9             4 / 88                4-6,6-2,6-0
   SF     Kaitlyn ROLLS               USA             14.8              1 / 63                6-4, 6-1

Kristina PENICKOVA, from USA, unseeded, ranked 137, WTN 13.1
round   opponent                     country        WTN    seed/ranking          score
    1       Flora JOHNSON           Britain           18.3          no / 353               5-7, 6-3, 6-4
    2       Kayla CHUNG               USA              13.2          no / 194               6-2, 4-6, 6-4
   QF     Monika EKSTRAND      USA              12.8            3 / 85                 6-0, 7-6
   SF     Thea FRODIN                USA              14.7          no / 123               6-4, 6-4

Ian MAYEW, from USA, unseeded, ranked 269, WTN 11.4
round   opponent                     country        WTN    seed/ranking           score
    1       Jakub JEDRZEJCZAK  Poland          13.5          no / 182                6-3, 6-3
    2       Nikita FILIN                   USA              10.5            1 / 58                  6-1, 7-6 
   QF     Kase SCHINNERER     USA              12.2          no / 105                6-3, 6-2
   SF      Maximus DUSSAULT   USA              13.8           no / 123               6-3, 6-1

Matisse FARZAM, from USA, unseeded, ranked 106, WTN 11.5
round   opponent                     country        WTN    seed/ranking           score
    1       Andres DELGADILLO   Mexico          13.8          no / 167               6-4, 6-1
    2       Meecah BIGUN             USA              12.6          no / 162               7-5, 6-4 
   QF     Yubel UBRI                    USA              14.4          no / 193               6-0,6-2
   SF      Miguel TOBON              Colombia      12.2            2 /   69               6-4, 6-1