Consistency keys Abbott title repeat

During a week that lent inconsistency to playing conditions for the Dominion District girls’ singles and doubles tournament, staying consistent during the matches proved key for competitors. And it was consistency that gave Midlothian’s Christine Abbott her second consecutive singles championship.

Abbott won in two straight sets, 6-2 and 6-0, over Cosby’s Anjelica Esteves to defend her No. 1 seed.

The tournament started on Tuesday under cool skies and then was disrupted by rain. Matches resumed Wednesday on a drastically more humid day. But Thursday’s matches were halted again by storms and rain. By Friday, competitors were back in the heat and humidity of a central Virginia summer, and players had to find consistency in their game despite the disruptions.

Abbott appeared to have trouble with her serve early on. After spending an extra minute hitting serves before match introductions, Abbott double faulted on her first serve but quickly shook it off, winning four consecutive points for the early lead.

Esteves got her own game going, pulling even in the fifth game. She picked up the win as she drew close to the net to get a short shot by Abbott then placed a well-hit ball near the baseline which forced a long, defensive hit to go long.

With just a 3-2 advantage, Abbott got her serve going and took the next game behind an ace and a classic slam.

“I wanted to be consistent,” Abbott said. “I tried to hit the ball deeper because I know on short balls she’s just going to put them away.”

Down 4-0 in the second set, Esteves appeared to find an advantage. She got Abbott running with a nice hit to the left side of the court and a finish inside the right corner of the baseline.

“We’re always running [in practice],” Abbott said. “Our coach makes sure we get to the track and [with] stuff I did in the off season, I’m ready to do this, and I’ll have to do it for the next couple of weeks.”

Esteves pulled the fifth game to deuce four times behind similar plays, but Abbott took advantage of unforced errors to get the win.

Esteves and Abbott were set to see each other again in the district doubles final.

Abbott and partner Lauren Baxter played James River’s Katherine Stafford and Alexa Rennie in one of two doubles semifinals on Friday.

The teams battled in the first set with Midlothian taking a 1-0 lead on a 7-5 score line. Abbott and Baxter picked up some key serves in the second set, winning 6-1.

Esteves and partner Lauren Denuel defeated Clover Hill’s Michelle Lee and Erin Luhmann 6-2, and 6-4 to set up another meeting between Esteves and Abbott in the doubles final. Esteves and Denual are ranked first in the district while Abbott and Baxter are ranked second.

“It’s going to be a really hard match,” Abbott said.

As promised, the match was a battle. Forced inside at the Midlothian Tennis Club of Brandermill due to wet conditions, the two pairs battled point for point, but the Cosby duo took the match in two straight sets (6-4, 7-5).

Results:
Singles
First round: Christine Abbott (Midlo) bye; Lauren. Denuel (Cos) d. Caitlyn Warren (Man) 10-0; Katherine Stafford (JR) d. Melissa Hey (Mon) 10-3; Michelle Lee (CH) d. Petra Fritschi (LCB) 10-0; Alexa Rennie (JR) d. Erin Luhmann (CH) 10-1; Meredith Warfield (Midlo) d. Courtlyn Warren (Man) 10-1; Beata Lisiewicz (LCB) d. Corrine Huber (Mon) 10-1; Anjelica Esteves (Cos) bye.

Quarterfinals: Abbott d. Denuel 10-1; Esteves d. Lisiewicz 10-0; Rennie d. Warfield 10-0.

Semifinals: Abbott d. Lee 6-1, 6-1; Esteves d. Rennie 6-0, 6-1.

Finals: Abbott d. Esteves 6-2, 6-0.

Doubles
First round: Anjelica Esteves-Lauren Denuel (Cos) bye; Christine Abbott-Lauren Baxter (Midlo) bye; Alexa Rennie-Katherine Stafford (JR) d. Bailey Kirchener-Jamie Cochrane (Cos) 11-10 (7-3); Michelle Lee-Erin Luhmann (CH) d. Emily Malheiros-Aubrey Dulgnam (JR) 10-2; Savannah Ducre-Madison Goode (Man) bye; Ashleigh Thomas-Allison Thomas (Midlo) d. Corinne Huber-Melissa Hey (Mon) 10-0; Caitlin Warren-Courtlyn Warren (Man) d. Petra Fritschi-Brea Brown (LCB) 10-4; Ting Heah-Heather Cameron (CH) d. Lindsey Porter-Brittany Wray (Mon) 10-3.

Quarterfinals: Esteves-Denuel d. Ducre-Goode 10-1; Abbott-Baxter d. Heah-Cameron 10-1; Rennie-Stafford d. Warren-Warren 10-1; Lee-Luhmann d. Thomas-Thomas 10-6.

Semifinals: Esteves-Denuel d. Lee-Luhmann 6-2, 6-4; Abbott-Baxter d. Rennie-Stafford 7-5, 6-1.

Finals: Esteves-Denuel d. Abbott-Baxter 6-4, 7-5.