©Colette Lewis 2008--
Coral Gables, FL--
The heavy dark clouds that plagued the Plaza Cup on Sunday and Monday continued to cause problems on Tuesday, but the final set of the boys' 18s championship was completed, with Sekou Bangoura Jr. of Bradenton, Fla. defeating Billy Federhofer of N. Miami Beach, Fla. 5-7, 6-2, 6-4.
The final set, which stood at 1-1 when Monday's mid-afternoon rain ended play, was moved from the Biltmore Tennis Center to a hard court at Salvadore Park due to a drenching morning shower Tuesday morning. Salvadore Park, only seven blocks north, didn't get that rain, so as the sun peeked through, Bangoura and Federhofer prepared to finish the only Plaza Cup championship still undecided.
Although Federhofer held in the third game, the first of the day, breaks and errors were common in the match, which was played before a half dozen spectators. Federhofer had a 3-1 lead after breaking in the next game, but immediately gave it back when he was broken at love. At 3-3, Federhofer, who had hit very few successful first serves, had trouble with his second, double faulting twice to give Bangoura a 4-3.
It looked like it would be more of the same in the next game, when Bangoura went down 15-40, but 16-year-old held, with help from a net cord winner and a perfectly executed volley. Although Federhofer then held for 5-4, Bangoura was determined not repeat the scenario in Monday's first set, when he squandered a 5-3 lead and lost the next four games.
"It was the exact same circumstances as the first set," said Bangoura. "I was up 5-3 and a couple of things happened that shouldn't have. (Today) after he held serve at 3-5, I just kept telling myself, get a serve in and go for your shots, because that's the mistake you made last time and you might as well try and correct it."
Bangoura went for for his shots and made them, hitting a backhand winner, an overhead winner, and two forehand winners to secure the championship.
Federhofer admitted that he wasn't feeling in tiptop physical condition after the five matches he'd played in the previous three days.
"I'm pretty sore today and I felt that every point that was long, I knew I was in trouble," said the 17-year-old left-hander, who hits a two-handed forehand and creates a lot of angle winners with it. "He'd just work my backhand and I really couldn't set up to do anything too great today. I just kept missing, but he played good."
At last week's Florida sectional, Bangoura saved a match point in a semifinal win over Federhofer, and their rivalry is growing with each new chapter.
"It's always tough when we play; it's usually always three sets and close," said Federhofer. "I beat him the last few times and he got me these next two times, so now it's my turn, I guess."
"I think this is just the beginning," said Bangoura. "We're definitely going to have a lot more matches; I know it's coming. Next time he's going to be gunning for me, so we'll see what happens."
The matches in progress on Sunday afternoon were abandoned including the bulk of the doubles and consolation finals. For draws and results, see the TennisLink site.
For additional coverage of the Plaza Cup, visit collegeandjuniortennis.com.
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