After Earlier Feat, Saedinia Has Feet of Clay in Quarterfinals

IRVINE â€”  After Shervin Saedinia made one miraculous comeback, a second was too much to ask.

The Calabasas High junior had an improbable victory to reach the quarterfinals of the Southern Section Individual singles tournament at the Racquet Center of Irvine on Thursday.

Then she rallied from one set down before losing to freshman Kim Nguyen of Saddleback, 7-6 (7-1), 4-6, 6-3.

“I wasn’t tired, something was wrong,� Saedinia said. “I was moving so slow. My feet are killing me.�

Saedinia said her feet began hurting during her 5-7, 7-5, 6-0 victory over Jessica Prause of Laguna Hills.

She started the first match strong, taking the first four games before Prause figured out her drop shots and heavy spin to win the first set.

Saedinia trailed, 5-2, and faced three match points in the second set before making a stunning turnaround.

Saedinia won the next 17 points and 21 of 22 to take the second set.

Prause was so demoralized, she barely tried beyond returning serve as the set slipped away.

Saedinia coasted through the final set.

“She just gave up,� Saedinia said.

Saedinia dropped the first four games against Nguyen. She rallied to force a tiebreaker, which Nguyen won, 7-1.

Top-seeded Marissa Irvin of Harvard-Westlake, the only other singles player from the region, had no problems reaching the semifinals.

Irvin, who hasn’t lost a set all season, defeated AnneClare Ortiz-Luis of Rancho Cucamonga, 6-0, 6-0, in the round of 16.

Her quarterfinal match was a bit more difficult, as she beat Katey Becker of Villa Park, 6-1, 6-2. Becker was a Southern Section doubles champion last year.

Irvin, who has signed with Stanford, plays Maureen Diaz of Mayfield in a semifinal today at 9 a.m.

Margo O’Donnell and Rebecca Hanau of Simi Valley lost for the first time this season in doubles, 7-5, 6-2, to Ariana Hockinko and Danielle Hustedt of Woodbridge.

Kathryn Russell and Ashley Wick of Thacher lost to top-seeded Kate Romm and Amy Tranckino of Dana Hills, 6-1, 6-1.

Brittany Bierman and Andrea Leewong of Calabasas fell to Luana Magnani and Lindsey Irons-Kilmer of San Marino, 6-1, 6-2.

City Section Individual Tournament--Jamie Macias of Chatsworth, Jasmin Dao of Granada Hills and Leslie Musser and Diana Friedland of Van Nuys advanced to the third round of the City Section Individual Tournament at Mountaingate Country Club.

Macias defeated Stephanie Walker of San Pedro, 6-0, 6-3. Musser ousted Phan Nguyen of Dorsey, 6-0, 6-0, Friedland defeated Hee Jo Chun of El Camino Real and Dao defeated Rachel Vishnevsky of El Camino Real, 6-1, 6-2.

In doubles, Julie Kang and Nicole Frydman, Karen Fung and Ceryn Linder and Ilah Layosa and Valerie Ramirez, all from Granada Hills, advanced, as did Helen Cho and Joanne Joo of Van Nuys, Lydia Cordero and Violeta Artega of San Fernando and Mirna Benitez and Madlen Ayvasian of Grant.