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Yim captures doubles crown
Tennis: Former Nitro and partner defeat second-ranked duo in finals of 108th Ojai Valley Tournament.
By Grant Gordon
GLENDALE — Glendale High graduate Robert Yim finally realized championship glory at the Ojai Valley Tournament on Sunday, while a Women’s Open Singles championship once again eluded Glendale’s Maureen Diaz.
Yim, along with doubles partner Rylan Rizza, defeated the second-ranked duo of Alexander Vlaski and Brian Wilson, 6-1, 6-2, in the Men’s Open Doubles final.
It was Yim’s first appearance in an Ojai final — singles or doubles — and a first-time pairing at Ojai for him and Rizza, the tournament’s third-seeded duo.
The top-seeded Diaz, competing in a final for the third time and for her second consecutive appearance at the tournament, was edged by Pamela Montez, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, in the Women’s Open Singles final.
The match, which lasted roughly 2 1/2 hours, saw Diaz hand Montez her first set loss of the 16-woman tournament, before Montez returned the favor with Diaz’s first set loss of the tourney.
Diaz, who didn’t participate at Ojai last year, lost in the finals in straight sets to Kasenia Milevskaya in 2006, fell in the semifinals in 2005 and was defeated in the 2004 final in straight sets by Martina Nejedly.
Montez, of La Quinta, saw Diaz rally to tie the second set at 4 and the third set at 3, before closing them out.
During Saturday’s semifinal, Diaz swept through Logan Hansen of Santa Monica, 6-2, 6-2, in the morning. In the afternoon, Diaz and doubles partner Anital Loyola lost in the opening round of the Women’s Open Doubles, which the tandem won in 2005. Montez and Cierra Gaytan-Leach defeated them, 6-3, 6-1.
Earlier in the Men’s Open Doubles tournament, Yim and Rizza opened up play on Saturday afternoon by defeating Dustin Kemick and Travis Rettenmaier, 6-4, 6-4.
A semifinal match-up later that day against the top seed of Lester Cook and Shane Laporte never materialized, as Yim and Rizza advanced to Sunday afternoon’s final when their opponents retired due to injury.
Yim, who competes out of Henderson, Nev., and Rizza were set to face second-seeded Aleksander Vlaski and Brian Wilson.
GRANT GORDON is the sports editor. He can be reached at (818) 637-3225 or at grant.gordon@latimes.com.
Yim, along with doubles partner Rylan Rizza, defeated the second-ranked duo of Alexander Vlaski and Brian Wilson, 6-1, 6-2, in the Men’s Open Doubles final.
It was Yim’s first appearance in an Ojai final — singles or doubles — and a first-time pairing at Ojai for him and Rizza, the tournament’s third-seeded duo.
The top-seeded Diaz, competing in a final for the third time and for her second consecutive appearance at the tournament, was edged by Pamela Montez, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, in the Women’s Open Singles final.
The match, which lasted roughly 2 1/2 hours, saw Diaz hand Montez her first set loss of the 16-woman tournament, before Montez returned the favor with Diaz’s first set loss of the tourney.
Diaz, who didn’t participate at Ojai last year, lost in the finals in straight sets to Kasenia Milevskaya in 2006, fell in the semifinals in 2005 and was defeated in the 2004 final in straight sets by Martina Nejedly.
Montez, of La Quinta, saw Diaz rally to tie the second set at 4 and the third set at 3, before closing them out.
During Saturday’s semifinal, Diaz swept through Logan Hansen of Santa Monica, 6-2, 6-2, in the morning. In the afternoon, Diaz and doubles partner Anital Loyola lost in the opening round of the Women’s Open Doubles, which the tandem won in 2005. Montez and Cierra Gaytan-Leach defeated them, 6-3, 6-1.
Earlier in the Men’s Open Doubles tournament, Yim and Rizza opened up play on Saturday afternoon by defeating Dustin Kemick and Travis Rettenmaier, 6-4, 6-4.
A semifinal match-up later that day against the top seed of Lester Cook and Shane Laporte never materialized, as Yim and Rizza advanced to Sunday afternoon’s final when their opponents retired due to injury.
Yim, who competes out of Henderson, Nev., and Rizza were set to face second-seeded Aleksander Vlaski and Brian Wilson.
GRANT GORDON is the sports editor. He can be reached at (818) 637-3225 or at grant.gordon@latimes.com.
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