Grant’s Knizek Falls Short in City Tennis Quarterfinal

After taking an early lead Wednesday in a City Section individual tennis quarterfinal, Gabriela Knizek of Grant High faltered and fell to Karima Hicks of Westchester, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, at the Racquet Centre in Studio City.

The match was interrupted after the second set when Knizek, seeded third in the tournament, requested that a line judge be present.

In most high school matches, even in championship competition, it is common for players to call their own games.

“There were a few calls in the second set . . .” explained Knizek, the last of the Valley-area singles players in the tournament. “I thought they were definitely in and she called them out.”

Hicks, who said she was not flustered by the interruption, had difficulty closing out the match. It took her five match points to clinch.

“I was nervous,” Hicks said. “I thought she was coming back.”

Hicks will play second-seeded Monica Kocian of Fairfax, a 7-5, 6-1, winner over Jennifer Cotone of North Hollywood, in the semifinal round Friday at the Racquet Centre.

In another singles match, Taft’s Julie Koppokin lost to Torrey Miller of Palisades, 6-2, 6-4.

In doubles play, Winnie Tan and Huong Thai of Van Nuys narrowly defeated Yael Allswang and Courtney Lennard of Palisades, 7-5, 7-6 (7-4). In the semifinals, Tan and Thai will play top-seeded Birdie Gessford and Karen Manson of Palisades, who have lost just four games in six sets in the tournament. Gessford and Manson beat Terri Aldrete and Sharyn Olesker of Kennedy, 6-0, 6-0, Wednesday.

Dawn Young and Pam Klosterman of Taft, who defeated Franklin’s Giselle Arteaga and Puisan Tse, 7-5, 6-3, will play Rebecca Perry and Jennifer Galvez of Chatsworth in the other semifinal. Perry and Galvez advanced by beating Aileen Costa and Veronica Duran of Carson, 6-3, 7-6 (9-7).