By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Former Shawnee Mission Northwest state tennis champ Nam Pham, now a standout at Ilinois State, is home for the summer and took advantage of that closeness in proximity to compete in the Jayhawk Open at Kossover Tennis Center.
Nam Pham reacts to his match-winning point in Saturday's Jayhawk Open singles final. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Former Class 6A state champ Nam Pham took a three-set win in the Jayhawk Open men's open singles final. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"I'm staying at home so it's close, no hotel, and Ive been here plenty of times for high school events,'' Pham said. "Last year I went to work in another state but this time I came back. I think the director sent my mom an email and she was like, 'Hey, there's this tournament here and it's close to home.' I was, 'Alright, let's sign up, let's do this.' I listen to mom.''
Pham, the top seed, made the short trip pay off with the men's open singles championship Sunday, taking a hard-earned 6-7 (4-7 tiebreaker), 6-1, 6-2 win over William Woods standout Zinovii Nahimiak, the No. 4 seed, in the tournament final.
"My opponent played an incredible match,'' Pham said. "He was rocking me back and forth during the whole first set, but something I kept telling myself that my coach has told me, 'Just one more ball, lets see what happens.' Anything can happen during any point and you just have to keep going for every ball until the match is over so I just kept that in my head.''
Pham, a former Summit League Player of the Year, said the tournament win was especially satisfying because it came in his home state.
"I feel great,'' Pham said. "It's just nice to win at home. Not being home last year and coming back now, when I'm driving here I don't even take the fastest route. I take the longest one so I can see Kansas again. I adore everything about my state.''
William Woods standout Zinovii Nahimiak posted a runnerup finish in singles and a doubles title in the Jayhawk Open. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Nahimiak, who plays for former Shawnee Heights state champ and Washburn University standout Chance Joost at William Woods, did claim a Jayhawk Open championship, teaming with former Heights state champ and WU standout Branden Joost to win the men's open doubles title.
Nahimiak and Branden Joost took a 6-7 (3-7 tiebreaker), 6-2, 6-3 win over Christopher Smith and Graham Faris in the final.
Wichita State product Ting-Ya Hsu took a three-set win to claim the women's open singles championship in the Jayhawk Open. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Northwest Missouri tennis player Carolina De Oliveira finished second in women's open singles and mixed doubles in the Jayhawk Open. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Former Wichita State player Ting-Ya Hsu captured the women's open singles title, taking a 6-4, 3-6, 10-5 win over Carolina De Oliveira, who recently finished her sophomore season at Northwest Missouri, earning All-MIAA first-team honors at No. 6 singles.
De Oliveira also added a runnerup finish in mixed doubles, with De Oliveira and Mason Meier dropping a three-set decision to Kyle Taylor and Maria Titova, who took a 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 10-5 win in the final.
JAYHAWK OPEN CHAMPIONS
Men's open singles -- Nam Pham.
Women's open singles -- Ting-Ya Hsu.
Men's open doubles -- Branden Joost/Zinovii Nahimiak.
Mixed doubles -- Kyle Taylor/Maria Titova.
Men's 3.5 doubles -- Weston Sanger/Nate Arnold.
Men's 4.0 doubles -- Chris Turner/Vernon Zulueta.
Men's 3.0 singles -- Dru Hill.
Men's 3.5 singles -- Nate Arnold.
Men's 4.0 singles -- Richard Alexander.
Women's 4.0 doubles -- Katherine Clouse/Kathy Crouthers.
Women's 3.5 singles -- Leslie Echols.
