Wednesday, July 11, 2001
Yarrell ousts two-time Met champ
Gets revenge for last year's loss to Yeager
By Dave Schutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Isaac Yarrell
(Ernest Coleman photo)
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There was no emotional outburst or hint of celebration when the singles match between Jason Yeager and Isaac Yarrell ended Tuesday. Instead, both players casually shook hands at the net.
It wasn't evident in the aftermath, but Yarrell, the No.12 seed, had just pulled off a major upset in the Thomas E. Price Metropolitan Tennis Championship at Lunken Playfield.
Playing a steady and al most mistake-free match, Yarrell, a senior at Florida A&M, eliminated Yeager, the No.3 seed and 1992 and '99 champion, 6-4, 6-1.
The upset was the only one in the round of 16. Six of the top eight seeded players advanced to the quarterfinals, including defending champion Jeff Wolf and 2000 runner-up Rey Puentes.
“He (Yeager) beat me (6-3) and (6-4) last year,” Yarrell said. “The difference this year is preparation. I knew I had the potential and I practiced a lot coming into the tournament.”
Although the score points to an easy victory, Yarrell said it was a tough match.
“Jason is a professional-caliber player,” Yarrell said. “I played well and cut down on unforced errors. Even though it was 4 and 1, I was tired.”
Yeager had nothing but positive things to say about Yarrell.
“He's a much better and different player this year,” Yeager said. “It came down to a few points, and he did all the right things and I did all the wrong things.”
(July 6 story: Yarrell is tennis success story)
MARATHON REMATCH: The longest match of the 2000 tournament was in the semifinals, when Puentes outlasted Amin Nabli in a three-setter that lasted four hours, 15 minutes. They will meet again in Thursday's quarterfinals.
Seeded No.2, Puentes defeated No.13 seed Bruce Connors 6-1, 6-1 Tuesday. Nabli, the No.5 seed, beat 10th-seeded Matt Poulos 6-3, 6-2.
“To be honest, I think he's the guy to beat,” Nabli said of Puentes.
A teaching professional at Harpers Point Racket Club and Windwood Swim Club, Puentes appears in his best physical and mental shape in years.
“I've played in a lot of tournaments in Europe and plan to play in three more in Chicago after the Met,” Puentes said. “This is a closed tournament and not important in the rankings, but I'd like to win it.”
WOLF CRUISING: Jeff Wolf, the defending champion and No.1 seed, had another easy match, defeating Marshall Kuresman 6-0, 6-0 in 45 minutes.
“Dad's (Charlie Wolf) working magic again,” Wolf said. “He warms me up before every match and gets me on my way.”
Wolf will meet Jason Pressel in Thursday's quarterfinals. Pressel, the No.7 seed, beat 16th-seeded Todd Rich 6-2, 6-4 Tuesday.
COMEBACK: Former University of Cincinnati player and coach Brett DeCurtins rallied from a 0-4 deficit in the second set for a 6-2, 6-4 victory over No.9 seed Matt Dektas.
“The key game was at 0-4 when he (Dektas) had two double faults, which made it close at 4-1,” said DeCurtins, the No.4 seed and a teaching professional at Beechmont Racket Club and Ivy Hills Country Club.
DeCurtins will meet No.6 seed Jason Zimmermann, a Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy graduate and the Division II state high school singles champion, in the quarterfinals. Zimmermann defeated No.14-seeded Ben Schreiber 6-0, 6-2.
WOMEN: Emelia Anderson, the defending women's champion and No.1 seed, opened play with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Molly Molony. Second-seeded Kara Molony-Hussey, the 1999 champion and 2000 runner-up, beat Susan Hyams 6-2, 6-1.
TODAY'S SCHEDULE: The schedule is light on singles, with only two women's matches, but heavy on doubles — each of the men's doubles winners will play a second match after a 30-minute break. Matches begin at 5:30 p.m.
Today's schedule, Tuesday's results
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Yarrell ousts two-time Met champ
