Girls tennis: Kawai, Linden impress on Day 1 of state tournament
The Mid-Suburban League's top two girls tennis players have earned repeat trips to the Round of 16 in the state tournament.
Palatine sophomore Asuka Kawai, the MSL's two-time defending singles champ, and Barrington senior Michelle Linden, the MSL runner-up, breezed through three opponents on Thursday to stay alive in the championship draw.
They'll be back in action on Friday, as the Round of 16 and then the quarterfinals will be held in singles play.
Kawai topped Maine South's Leigh Friedman 6-0, 6-1 in her third-round victory. The Pirates standout will meet Madison Tattini of Bloomington Central Catholic in the fourth round.
Linden's third-round win came against Nicole Tyulpa of Rock Island, 6-1, 6-3. She'll face Rosary's Maureen Goheen in the fourth round.
Elk Grove's Jelena Vujanic won twice in the singles front draw before falling before dropping a tough three-setter to Jelly Bozovic of Lyons 6-3, 4-6, 6-2.
The Mid-Suburban League's double champions from Fremd also advanced to the Round of 16.
Kate Bodensteiner and Julia Smiarowska had no trouble in their first two matches of the day, then earned a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Naperville North's Nadia Hussain/Lena Zhu in the third round.
Barrington's Anna Donoghue/Nidhi Jha advanced to the round of 16 by topping Carly Kasicki/Nicole Christiansen of Rockford Guilford 6-0, 6-3. That effort helped put the Fillies in a five-way tie for eighth place in the team standings with 12 points.
Elk Grove's Jovana Juvanic/Lauren Oda made it through the third round of doubles consolation play before bowing out.
Hinsdale Central (22 points) leads Stevenson (20) and New Trier (18) in the team race.
Singles action in the championship draw resumes with fourth-round play at 9 a.m. Friday at Buffalo Grove. The doubles front draw begins at 9 a.m. at Hersey before the quarterfinals in both singles and doubles begin at Buffalo Grove.
Backdraw matches will be held at Prospect, Wheeling, Rolling Meadows and Palatine.