Hanfmann/Quiroz Win LA Doubles Title; Soderlund Last Cavalier Standing; Evan King Rallies Past Gomez

Yannick Hanfmann (USC ’15) was the big winner on Friday at the $25K USC/Los Angeles USA F1 Futures. The 6’4″ German started off the day playing a fellow 6’4″ German in former Pepperdine Wave Sebastian Fanselow. The opening set stayed on serve through the first five games until Fanselow broke Hanfmann at love to go ahead 4-2. Fanselow would hold for 5-2 and then break in a one-deuce game to claim the opening set 6-2. Hanfmann struck first in the second set when he broke for a 3-2 lead and then two games later he broke again to go up 5-2. A love hold would give Hanfmann a 6-2 set to send it to a winner take all third set.

Hanfmann fought off a break point in his opening service game to hold for 1-1 and then he broke from 30/40 to go in front 2-1. Hanfmann held at love for 3-1, broke from 15/40 for 4-1, and held in a one-deuce game to extend the lead to 5-1. Fanselow was able to scratch out a hold but Hanfmann served it out in the next game to take it 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 in 1 hour and 51 minutes. Hanfmann double faulted nine times in the match and only landed 48% of his first serves but he still managed to hold in 10 of 12 service games.

Hanfmann will meet another LA rival in the semifinals after Mackenzie McDonald slid past former USC Trojan Roberto Quiroz in straight sets. McDonald broke Quiroz twice in the first set with the second break securing the set 6-3. Quiroz got the first break of the second set when he broke McDonald in a one-deuce game to go in front 2-1 however McDonald would break right back in a one-deuce game to even it at 2-2. The next seven service games were holds until Quiroz found himself facing a match point at 5-6 (30/40) after hitting a backhand chip wide into the alley. Quiroz wouldn’t have a chance to redeem himself as he double faulted and McDonald moved on to the semifinals with a 6-3, 7-5 win. 

In another All-Virginia matchup it was freshman Carl Soderlund facing junior Collin Altamirano. Soderlund started the match off with a hold and a break but Altamirano broke back and held for 2-2. Soderlund held and broke again to go up 4-2 only to have Altamirano do the same to even it at 4-4. Altamirano broke for 5-4 but and then he had a pair of set points at 40/15 but Soderlund won the next four points to break for 5-5. After an exchange of holds they went to a tiebreak. It was tied at 3-3 at the changeover but Altamirano took the next three to go up *6-3. Soderlund won both points on Altamirano’s serve and then the next two on his own to make it 7-6. Altamirano evened it at 7-7 but Soderlund took the last two to take it 9-7. Altamirano had a total of 5 set points with four on his own serve but he wasn’t able to push through. The second set started with six straight hold then Soderlund finished the match off by breaking in a six-deuce game, holding from 40/30, and breaking from 30/40 to win it in 2 hours and 18 minutes. 

Soderlund’s semifinal opponent will be Evan King after the 2013 Michigan graduate came back from 5-3 down in the third set to defeat Emilio Gomez 7-5, 1-6, 7-5 in 2 hours and 59 minutes. Despite the lopsided second set King did win two more total points (107-105). 

You can rewatch these matches at these links – McDonald/Quiroz (feed starts at 4-3 in the first), Soderlund/Altamirano, Hanfmann/Fanselow (feed starts with Hanfmann serving 0-1 in the second), King/Gomez (first 2 1/2 hours), King/Gomez (final 24 min)

$25K Los Angles USA F1 Futures Quarterfinals