16-year-old (17 in June) Chase Buchanan won the USA F9 Futures title today, beating Venezuelan Jose De Armas 4-6, 7-5, 7-6(2) in the final. The tournament was played on clay, which I don't think is considered his strongest surface (grass is listed as his favorite). His best previous finish in a Futures event came last October, when he lost in the quarterfinals. Here's a link to the draw:
http://dps.usta.com/usta_master/usta/doc/content/doc_13_21470.pdf?4/7/2008 4:34:48 PM
Buchanan is on a great run. In early April he was a semifinalist at the Grade 1 ITF International Spring Championships. He followed that up by winning the prestigious Easter Bowl, which is probably the second most important national tournament after the Nationals in Kalamazoo. Late last year he reached the quarterfinals of both the Eddie Herr and the Orange Bowl, two major international junior tournaments. He's currently ranked 23rd in the ITF junior rankings. He gave Michael McClune a scare in a Delray Beach qualifying match, losing 2-6, 6-4, 4-6.
Buchanan has long been considered a top American prospect. He won Les Petits As, the premier 14-and-under tournament, in 2005. That after finishing second in the boys' 14 Junior Orange Bowl, the second most prestigious 14-and-under tournament.
He's a baseliner with supposedly a very good backhand. I haven't seen him personally.
Here's a brief interview with him from yesterday:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lljP...w.thetennisclassic.com/videos0429present.html
Here's him returning in today's match:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYQw...w.thetennisclassic.com/videos0429present.html
Here's championship point from his quarterfinal win over Alex Domijan in the Easter Bowl:
http://tenniskalamazoo.blogspot.com/2008/04/easter-bowl-video-chase-buchanan.html
I attached some pictures of him below. They're from the Easter Bowl.
On a side note, there were some other notable young Americans who played this event: Ryan Harrison (lost 1st rd.), Rhyne Williams (lost 1st rd.), and Alex Domijan (lost 2nd rd.).
http://dps.usta.com/usta_master/usta/doc/content/doc_13_21470.pdf?4/7/2008 4:34:48 PM
Buchanan is on a great run. In early April he was a semifinalist at the Grade 1 ITF International Spring Championships. He followed that up by winning the prestigious Easter Bowl, which is probably the second most important national tournament after the Nationals in Kalamazoo. Late last year he reached the quarterfinals of both the Eddie Herr and the Orange Bowl, two major international junior tournaments. He's currently ranked 23rd in the ITF junior rankings. He gave Michael McClune a scare in a Delray Beach qualifying match, losing 2-6, 6-4, 4-6.
Buchanan has long been considered a top American prospect. He won Les Petits As, the premier 14-and-under tournament, in 2005. That after finishing second in the boys' 14 Junior Orange Bowl, the second most prestigious 14-and-under tournament.
He's a baseliner with supposedly a very good backhand. I haven't seen him personally.
Here's a brief interview with him from yesterday:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lljP...w.thetennisclassic.com/videos0429present.html
Here's him returning in today's match:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYQw...w.thetennisclassic.com/videos0429present.html
Here's championship point from his quarterfinal win over Alex Domijan in the Easter Bowl:
http://tenniskalamazoo.blogspot.com/2008/04/easter-bowl-video-chase-buchanan.html
I attached some pictures of him below. They're from the Easter Bowl.
On a side note, there were some other notable young Americans who played this event: Ryan Harrison (lost 1st rd.), Rhyne Williams (lost 1st rd.), and Alex Domijan (lost 2nd rd.).