CdM holds serve at prestigious tournament

When Corona del Mar High boys’ tennis coach Tim Mang says this may be the strongest National High School Tennis All-American Tournament he’s ever assembled, it’s saying something.

But Mang said this tournament, in its ninth year, boasts the deepest field ever.

The 16-team tournament gets underway today at the Costa Mesa Tennis Center, Corona del Mar High and the Balboa Bay Club Racquet Club, continuing Saturday.

“There will be some unbelievable first-round matches, some surprising teams,” Mang said.

Mang’s Sea Kings begin their tournament against Salpointe Catholic School of Tucson, Ariz., today at 8 a.m. at the Costa Mesa Tennis Center. Should they win, they’d face either second-seeded Santa Barbara High or the Iolani School of Honolulu, Hawaii in the quarterfinals today at noon, also at Costa Mesa Tennis Center.

University High, the defending CIF Southern Section Division I champion, is the top-seeded team. Horace Mann School of Riverdale, N.Y. is the third-seeded team.

“They won the consolation championship last year and have everyone back,” Mang said of Horace Mann.

Harley Allendale Columbia High, of Rochester, N.Y., is the fourth-seeded team in the prestigious tournament. Bay Area powerhouse Sacred Heart Prep of Atherton, the defending tournament champion, also returns.

The tournament format has also changed this year. Instead of consisting of six singles sets and three doubles, this year’s matches will have just five singles sets along with the three doubles.

That should help unseeded CdM, Mang said. The Sea Kings will hope for senior Fabian Matthews to win at No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles. Matthews has been named to the all-tournament team for three straight years and, individually, has never lost at the tournament.

Mang said he may pair Spanish foreign exchange student Gabino Felgueroso, a sophomore, with Matthews at No. 1 doubles.

Matthews should have a challenge in today’s first-round morning match against Salpointe Catholic. The Lancers’ top player, senior Cameron Ahari, is ranked No. 51 nationally by the United States Tennis Assn. in boys’ 18 singles. Matthews is ranked No. 84.

Corona del Mar, which won the tournament three straight times from 2002-’04, finished eighth last year.

Tournament quarterfinal matches are scheduled for Saturday at 11 a.m. at Balboa Bay Club Racquet Club, with the championship match following at 4 p.m.

— Matt Szabo