17th Seeded Hannah Ayrault of Atlanta Crowned Girls’ 16s Singles Champion

SAN DIEGO – (August 9, 2025) – After winning entertaining three-set semifinal matches on Saturday afternoon at Barnes Tennis Center, seventh-seeded Alyssa Ahn of San Diego and 17th seeded Maya Iyengar of Paradise Valley, Ariz., will play for the singles title of the USTA Billie Jean Girls’ 18s National Championships on Sunday at 1 p.m. (PDT).

Iyengar pulled off the upset of the day as she ousted second-seeded Julieta Pareja of Carlsbad, Calif., 3-6, 6-4 7-6 (3) in two-hours and 45 minutes before a large vocal crowd on Stadium Court.

After winning the first set, Pareja, the number-one ranked junior in the world, took a 3-0 second-set lead and looked to be on her way to a straight-set victory. However, the tide began to turn as Iyengar broke Pareja’s serve three times and won six of the next seven games to even the match at one set all.

Iyengar continued her high-level of play and dominated the third set, winning the first five games to establish a commanding 5-0 lead. Pareja was far from finished as she mounted a furious rally and won the next five games to even the deciding set at 5-5.

After the players exchanged service breaks, a third-set tiebreak would decide the outcome. At 3-3 in the tiebreaker, Iyengar swept the final four points to close out the match and advance to Sunday’s 18s singles championship.
 
In the other Girls’ 18s singles semifinal, Ahn hung on for a thrilling 6-1, 6-7 (1), 7-5 win in three hours over fifth-seeded Alexis Nguyen of El Dorado Hills, Calif., before a large crowd on Court No. 10.
  
Earlier in the day, 17th seeded Hannah Ayrault of Atlanta captured the Girls’ 16s singles title with a hard-fought 6-3, 6-4 victory over fourth-seeded Paige Wygodzki of Huntington, N.Y., in one-hour and 44 minutes on Stadium Court.
 
After winning the first set, Ayrault fell behind 4-1 in the second set, but rallied to win five straight games to clinch the championship. Following the match, Ayrault was awarded a USTA gold ball and a wild card into the upcoming US Open Junior Championships in New York.
  
“It feels great. I’m overwhelmed. I wanted to win this tournament really, really bad. It’s been my main goal. I’m super happy with how I played this week. I felt I was hitting my forehand really well in the final today and was able to rip it and hit winners,” Ayrault said after the match. “My footwork was also really good today. I was able to get to a lot of balls and make (her) hit one more shot. That was what was working for me today.”

Brooke Kwon, the 33rd seed from Diamond Bar, Calif., finished with the USTA bronze ball as she edged 17th seeded Yilin Chen of San Diego 7-5, 7-6 (2) in the Girls’ 16s third-place singles match.
 
The top-seeded team of Olivia Dartawan of Schenectady, N.Y., and Autumn Xu, Frisco of Texas won the Girls’ 16s doubles championship as they defeated 17th seeded Ayrault and Raina Miae Kim of Santa Monica, Calif., 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-3 in two-hours and 26 minutes.

To view singles and doubles draws for each age division, click here.

All Stadium Court matches on Sunday will be live-streamed on Cracked Racquets. The live-streaming schedule will include the Girls’ 18s singles and doubles championships. 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 and there is no charge for parking at Barnes Tennis Center. 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
Saturday’s Results
 
Girls’ 18s Singles
Semifinals
Alyssa Ahn (7), San Diego, def. Alexis Nguyen (5), El Dorado Hills, Calif., 6-1, 6-7 (1), 7-5   
Maya Iyengar (17), Paradise Valley, Ariz., def. Julieta Pareja (2), Carlsbad, Calif., 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (3)
 
Girls’ 16s Singles
Championship
Hannah Ayrault (17), Atlanta, def. Paige Wygodzki (4), Huntington, N.Y., 6-3, 6-4
 
Third Place
Brooke Kwon (33), Diamond Bar, Calif., def. Yilin Chen (17), San Diego, 7-5, 7-6 (2)
 
Doubles 
Championship
Olivia Dartawan (1), Schenectady, N.Y., and Autumn Xu, Frisco, Texas, def. Raina Miae Kim, Santa Monica, Calif., and Hannah Ayrault (17), Atlanta, 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-3
 
For complete scores and results, click here. (Please note, USTA scores are unofficial.)