Girls’ 16s Singles Final Slated for 10:30 a.m. on Saturday at Barnes Tennis Center
SAN DIEGO – (August 8, 2025) – Local entrants continued their excellent play on Friday as seventh-seeded Alyssa Ahn of San Diego and second-seeded Julieta Pareja of Carlsbad, Calif., scored Girls’ 18s quarterfinal wins to advance at the USTA Billie Jean King Girls’ 16s and 18s National Championships at Barnes Tennis Center.
In the Match of the Day, Ahn ousted top-seeded Akasha Urhobo of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in three-hours and nine-minutes under bright, sunny skies on Stadium Court.
After dropping the first set, Ahn regrouped and took an early 4-1 lead in the second set. Urhobo came back to win three of the next four games to get back on serve. As the top-seed served at 4-5 to stay in the set, Ahn capitalized on two double faults and broke serve to win the set.
Urhobo broke serve and then held for a 2-0 lead to open the third set, but Ahn raised the level of her game and won five straight games to take a 5-2 lead. In the eighth game, Urhobo fought off three match points, and eventually held serve, winning a 14-point game. At 5-3, Ahn served out the match to secure her spot in the 18s semifinals.
“It feels great after getting through a match like that. That one was really rewarding. I had to battle back from a set down and I had to bring out my best tennis, especially against such a great player like Akasha. It means a lot to get the win and get my place in the semifinals,” Ahn said after her three-set victory.
“I felt I brought out some pretty good tennis in the second and third. I knew I had to in order to compete with Akasha,” Ahn added. “I just found my rhythm and I figured out what I needed to do. I had confidence coming into this match. I believed I could do it.”
Ahn is scheduled to take on fifth-seeded Alexis Nguyen of El Dorado Hills, Calif., in Saturday’s Girls 18s singles semifinals at 1 p.m.
Second-seeded Julieta Pareja of Carlsbad, Calif., who has not dropped a set in tournament, showed why she is the top-ranked junior in the world as she eliminated 17th seeded Janae Preston of Henderson, Nev., 6-3, 6-4, in the one-hour and 38 minutes on Court No. 1.
The 16-year-old Pareja will meet 17th seeded Maya Iyengar of Paradise Valley, Ariz., in Saturday’s’ semifinals at 1 p.m. Iyengar defeated 17th seeded Ava Rodriguez of Gainesville, Ga., 6-3, 6-3, in her quarterfinal match.
The Girls’ 16s singles final, which will be played Saturday at 10:30 a.m. (PDT) on Stadium Court, will feature fourth-seeded Paige Wygodzki of Huntington, N.Y., versus 17th seeded Hannah Ayrault of Atlanta.
In Friday’s Girls’ 16s semifinals, Wygodzki overcame 17th seeded Yilin Chen of San Diego 6-1, 7-6 (5) on Stadium Court and Ayrault got past 33rd seeded Brooke Kwon on Diamond Bar, Calif., 7-6 (8), 3-6, 6-4 in two-hours and 45 minutes.
To view singles and doubles draws for each age division, click here.
All matches on Stadium Court will be live-streamed on Cracked Racquets this weekend. The live-streaming schedule will include the Girls’ 16s singles and doubles championships on Saturday and the Girls’ 18s singles and doubles championships on Sunday. To access live streaming, go to: www.youtube.com/@CrackedRacquets
Nearly 400 of the top junior tennis players in the country, aged 16 and 18 and under, are competing for the title of National Champion. In addition, wild cards for direct entry into the 2025 US Open will be awarded to the tournament’s top finishers.
Admission is free each day of the tournament and there is no charge for parking at Barnes Tennis Center. Matches are scheduled to begin each day at 8 a.m. (Starting times subject to change) To view the official tournament website, please go to: www.ustagirlsnationals.com.
About USTA Billie Jean King Girls’ 16s and 18s National Championships – The USTA Billie Jean King Girls’ 16s and 18s National Championships are the premiere hard court tennis tournaments for amateur and professional American girls aged 16 and 18 and under in the United States. Tournament participants, who represent nearly every state in the United States, have been endorsed by their respective USTA Section or have received USTA special exemptions based on their results in qualifying tournaments, junior rankings, or results on the WTA Tour or International Tennis Federation. This year marks the 107th Anniversary of this historic event.
The Girls 18s singles champion will receive a wild card for direct entry into the 2025 US Open at Flushing Meadows, New York. The 18s singles runner-up will receive a wild card into the qualifying draw of the US Open. The 18s Doubles Champions will receive a wild card into the main doubles draw of the US Open and the winner of the Girls 16s Championships will receive a wild card for direct entry into the Junior US Open.
About Barnes Tennis Center – Barnes Tennis Center is a three-time award-winning multi-racquet sports facility in San Diego. It was constructed between 1995 and 1997 and named after its lead donor family, the “George E. Barnes Family Junior Tennis Center.” Youth Tennis San Diego, owner and operator of Barnes Tennis Center, has brought the game of tennis right to the backyards of thousands of children and adults across San Diego.
USTA Billie Jean King Girls’ 16s & 18s National Championships
Barnes Tennis Center
San Diego
Friday’s Results
Girls’ 18s Singles
Quarterfinals
Alyssa Ahn (7), San Diego, def. Akasha Urhobo (1), Fort Lauderdale, Fla., 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
Julieta Pareja (2), Carlsbad, Calif., def. Janae Preston (17), Henderson, Nev., 6-3, 6-4
Alexis Nguyen (5), El Dorado Hills, Calif., def. Tianmei Wang (17), San Marino, Calif., 6-4, 7-6 (6)
Maya Iyengar (17), Paradise Valley, Ariz., def. Ava Rodriguez (17), Gainesville, Ga., 6-3, 6-3
Girls’ 16s Singles
Semifinals
Hannah Ayrault (17), Atlanta, def. Brooke Kwon (33), Diamond Bar, Calif., 7-6 (8), 3-6, 6-4
Paige Wygodzki (4), Huntington, N.Y., def. Yilin Chen (17), San Diego, 6-1, 7-6 (5)
For complete scores and results, click here. (Please note, USTA scores are unofficial.)
