Main event begins today

Richard Dunn

COSTA MESA -- As the main draw begins today in singles and doubles

in the Diadora Pro Championships at Costa Mesa Tennis Center,

brothers Cameron Ball, a June graduate of Corona del Mar High, and

Carsten Ball still have a chance to advance out of the qualifier in

doubles in the $10,000 United States Tennis Association Futures Tour

event.

The Ball brothers will face Danny Westerman and Jeremy Wurtzman in

the final qualifying match of the tournament today (not before 1

p.m.) for the right to advance to the main event.

Eight tennis players earned spots into the main singles draw after

winning their respective brackets Monday in the finals of the

qualifier at Costa Mesa, which will host another USTA Futures event

-- the Costa Mesa Pro Classic -- in November for the second straight

year under facility director Hank Lloyd.

In the finals of each singles qualifier bracket, Matthew Hanlin

defeated Chris Kwon, 6-0, 6-2; Prakash Amritraj outlasted Sam

Webster, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4; Rajeev Ram beat Luke Shields, 6-2, 7-5;

Christopher Lam got past Phil Metz, 6-2, 6-4; Adam Seri went through

Dejan Djokic, 6-1, 6-0; Westerman edged Mark Dietrich, 6-7 (3), 7-5,

7-5, in the match of the day; Andrew Scorteanu defeated Kean Feeder,

6-4, 6-3; and Rameez Junaid rallied past Wurtzman, 3-6, 6-1, 6-3.

In today’s featured first-round matches, top-seeded Radim Zitko of

Czechoslovakia will open against Mirko Pehar of the U.S. Zitko, who

has won over $30,000 in his pro tennis career on the USTA Futures and

Challenger circuits, finished 2001 ranked 258th in the world.

The Futures Tour has a full range of players in the minor leagues

of tennis, from the up-and-coming teenager to the cagey veteran

trying to earn enough points to get back on the Association of Tennis

Players Tour.

“Although more than 50% of the draw will be international

players,� said Lloyd, the tournament director, “this tournament will

allow our guys to get a shot where they have the home-court

advantage.�

While about 350 Futures events are played worldwide throughout the

year, only 33 this year will be played in the U.S.

The event, which lasts through Sunday, will award the winner

eligibility into the USTA Challenger circuit, the next level up with

$50,000 purses and one step down from the ATP Tour.