Top College Players Come Out for USTA Eastern Collegiate Series

Top College Players Come Out for

Liam Krall won the Men’s Singles division in the first installment of the USTA Eastern Collegiate Series.

Jessica Livianu (left) and Valencia Xu (right), the two finalists of the Women’s Singles division. Evan Lee (left) and Gabriel the finals of the Collegia

or USTA Eastern Collegiate Series

briele Brancatelli (right) squared off in ate Series’ second weekend.

UCLA’s Elysia Bolton (left) defeated top junior Ariana Pursoo (right) in the Women’s Singles final.

After months away from competitive tennis due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the area’s top current, incoming collegiate and junior players competed in the USTA Eastern Collegiate Series, a four-weekend long string of

tournaments at the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning in the Bronx.

The first two of those tournaments were played in August, with the final two to be played in mid-September.

In the opening weekend tournament, St. John’s senior Jessica Livianu took home the title in the Women’s Singles division by way of a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Valencia Xu, who will be heading to Stanford for her college career. "It was exciting. I was really happy to be back on court competing, but of course you’re a little rusty," said Livianu. "So it was about shaking off that rust so I could play better with every match."

In the Men’s Singles, Liam Krall, who will be a freshman at Southern Methodist University, came through the draw to claim the title.

“It was really fun to compete again. It’s something that was lacking this summer for sure. And I was really happy that I could get out and compete before I left for college,” said Krall. “It’s great that I was able to win the tournament and hopefully become a better player. I think this helped my confidence in playing college players and it is hopefully a stepping stone to the next level.”

The following weekend, Purduecommit Gabriele Brancatelli defeated Evan Lee 6-3, 6-3 in the finals of the Men’s Singles division, while UCLA’s Elysia Bolton notched a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Ariana Pursoo to take home the Women’s Singles title.

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comeback complete

continued from page 20 Osaka’s Mission

By Brian Coleman

This year has been one of the most turbulent years in more than a century. Between a global pandemic that has thrust us all into a new normal, a heated presidential election and a renewed push for racial and social justice, 2020 will be a year that will be talked about in history books.

If there is one positive thing that can be taken from this year, it’s the empowerment that athletes have felt to advocate for issues that are important to them. We have seen this through the teams in the National Basketball Association striking, and the solidarity shown by other leagues including the National Hockey League, Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer. Athletes pushing for social justice weren’t limited to those team sports, however, as tennis players have also made their voices heard, including former U.S. Open champion Naomi Osaka.

“It’s a reset that perhaps I greatly needed. I asked myself, ‘If I couldn’t play tennis, what could I be doing to make a difference?’ I decided it was time to speak up,” Osaka said of the time off from the tennis tours. “I flew to Minneapolis with my boyfriend days after the murder to pay our respects and have our voices heard on the streets. We grieved with the people of St. Paul and protested peacefully. We visited the George Floyd memorial and connected with those who came together to mourn yet another senseless act and life lost without reason. Being on the ground in Minneapolis was what felt right at the moment.”

The 22-year-old Japanese born Osaka engaged in a sort of strike of her own at the Western & Southern Open, normally played in Cincinnati but an event that is being held in the U.S. Open bubble this year, as she was set to compete in the semifinals against Belgium’s Elise Mertens.

“Hello, as many of you are aware I was scheduled to play my semifinals match tomorrow,” Osaka wrote in a post on social media. “However, before I am an athlete, I am a black woman. And as a black woman I feel as though there are much more important matters at hand that need immediate attention, rather than watching me play tennis. I don’t expect anything drastic to happen with me not playing, but if I can get a conversation started in a majority white sport I consider that a step in the right direction.”

osaka’s mission

continued from page 18

This decision, much like protests by the players in the NBA and other sports, were met with much skepticism, and beyond that, anger and vitriol, by those who either deemed the cause unworthy or did not like the way in which these athletes chose to voice their opinions. But Osaka knows that comes with the territory when you speak out against injustice.

“A lot of people ask me if I feel more stressed out ever since I started speaking out more,” she said after winning her opening round match at the U.S. Open. “To be honest, not really. At this point, if you don’t like me, it is what it is.”

Before and after that match, a three-set win over Japan’s Masaki Doi, Osaka wore a mask with the name Breonna Taylor on it to honor the woman who was shot and killed by Louisville police officers earlier this year while she slept in her apartment.

“Actually I have seven,” she said when asked about the mask, referring to different masks she brought with her to the bubble. “It’s quite sad that seven masks isn’t enough for the amount of names. So hopefully I’ll get to the final and you can see all of them.”

It’s a big leap in outspokenness for someone who once came off as shy and guarded, especially during her triumph at the U.S. Open two years ago. A tearyeyed Osaka dealt with boos from the crowd, albeit not directed towards her, during the trophy ceremony. She was visibly uncomfortable on the stage of

Photo Credit: USTA/Mike Lawrence

what should have been the happiest moment of her career.

But Osaka has come out of her shell in the time since then and that maturity and confidence has helped develop someone

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who stands up for what they believe in, and rightfully so, the 22-year-old is proud of the message she has been sending.

“I think the responses that meant the most to me are probably people saying, ‘Thank you.’ And for me, I don’t know, it always takes me by surprise because I don’t know if I feel like I’m doing anything,” said Osaka. “But people say, ‘Thank you and I’m proud of you,’ and for me that’s something that’s really touching to my heart.”

Osaka’s colleagues and peers have expressed their support for her as well.

“She’s special on and off court, what she stands for,” said Frances Tiafoe at the U.S. Open. “Always nice and quiet. But to see her actually use her platforms and go crazy, it’s special. You tip your hat off to that.”

While Osaka has made her voice heard off the court with a dedicated mission to raise awareness of injustice in the country, providing a voice for those who are voiceless, her play on the court continues to astound.

Entering the U.S. Open, Osaka remained inside the Top 10 of the WTA rankings, a place it seems she will remain for years to come. Owner of two Grand Slam titles, Osaka was one of the favorites

to hoist this year’s U.S. Open trophy.

“I just want to play,” she said ahead of the tournament. “It’s been so long and I miss the feeling of working through tough matches and figuring out how to come out on top. It’s a feeling that I’ve been used to but now that I’ve had this break, I appreciate it even more…My training has been consistent and hard, we’ve just had to get creative because gyms and other facilities where I normally train are closed.” That training put Osaka right back into form and her early results at the U.S. Open were proof of that. Whether or not she is able to claim her second U.S. Open title is secondary to the matches she is fighting off the court, something it seems she will continue to do in the months and years to come. It may come as a surprise to some people, but her family knows this is who she is. “I think that most other people would have given up and not wanted to continue grinding if they kept losing like that, but Naomi never gave up,” her mother Mari said. “Her focus is unmatched. Of course, people see that during her biggest matches, when she maintains her composure through the ups and downs, but it’s also evident when she’s just living her day-to-day life. One thing to know is that Naomi is very authentic, so if she feels strongly about something, she will speak up about it. Just like with her work, when Naomi decides to commit to something, she puts herself in 100 percent and is not afraid of criticism if she knows that it’s the right thing to do.”

Brian Coleman is the Senior Editor for Long Island Tennis Magazine. He may be reached at brianc@usptennis.com.