No. 1 seed ends Rhodes’ run

NEWPORT BEACH ? The finesse play of Parker Rhodes got him to the boys’ 16 singles final of the 17th annual Balboa Bay Club Racquet Club Junior Tournament for the second consecutive year. But for the second straight year, the success he experienced hitting drops shots and moon balls came to a halt in the championship match.

Hard-hitting No. 1-seed Warren Hardie had little trouble with No. 15-seeded Rhodes, dispatching the Corona del Mar High doubles standout, 6-0, 6-1, Friday morning at the Balboa Bay Club Racquet Club in the tournament also known as the War by the Shore.

Hardie, who was a freshman doubles player on Dana Hills’ CIF Southern Section Division I championship team last season, overcame occasional frustration to make quick work of Rhodes.

“It kind of is [frustrating],” Hardie said. “In 16s you expect a bigger ball, a harder hitter. Playing a pusher like that is hard. You just have to be patient.”

Hardie broke Rhodes three times on his way to sweeping the first set and jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second set.

But Rhodes avoided getting shut out by holding his serve for the only time. An impressive display of volleying helped give Rhodes the fourth game.

But Hardie bounced back in the fifth, hitting a baseline smash down the left side for the game-winner. Hardie went on to break Rhodes in the sixth game, then held serve to close out the match.

“He’s not a big hitter, so you don’t have to worry about that,” Hardie said. “He just kept he ball in play and you have to respond.”

Hardie responded with a no-nonsense approach, hitting forehand smashes low and deep, refusing to let Rhodes back in the match.

“I didn’t play that well,” Rhodes said. “I just didn’t make my shots. I missed them all, and [Hardie] played really well.”

Corona del Mar boys’ tennis coach Tim Mang was on hand to watch Rhodes, who teamed with Chris Damion to form a stellar doubles team for the Sea Kings last season.

“[Rhodes] has got everything he needs,” Mang said. “He just needs to refine his game in two areas. He sets the ball up well, but he needs to work on putting it away. He needs to get rid of his soft game.”

Mang said Rhodes, who will be a sophomore next season at CdM, is already a good enough singles player to beat most teams’ No. 3 player. But Mang is reluctant to take him out of doubles, because Rhodes and Damion are becoming dominant.