Elkhorn freshman Parker Christensen advances to WIAA Division 1 state girls tennis final
Oct. 16—MADISON — Elkhorn tennis player Parker Christensen made the undefeated WIAA Division 1 state champion work for her title Saturday afternoon.
In a battle of powerhouse freshmen, the third-seeded Christensen (25-2) pushed Franklin's top-seeded and undefeated Kaede Usui (35-0) to a third set before Usui pulled out a 7-5, 6-7 (8), 6-2 victory in the state final at Nielsen Tennis Stadium.
It was only the second loss of the season for Christensen (25-2), whose only other loss came in a regular-season match to Lake Geneva Badger's Zaya Iderzul on Sept. 9, also in three sets (6-4, 4-6, 6-2). Christensen later beat Iderzul twice in straight sets, on Sept. 25 and Oct. 6.
Aside from her three matches against Iderzul and one against Usui, Christensen had lost only 17 games in her other 23 matches.
Iderzul, a state tournament fixture the last three years, made some noise herself on Saturday. She earned her third consecutive top-three finish in the Division 1 singles field, capturing third place with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Middleton sophomore Netra Somasundaram (30-6) on Saturday.
In her semifinal match, Iderzul became the first player all season to win a set against Usui, who had dropped only 42 games in her first 42 matches and had never lost more than four games in any match. Usui rallied from a first-set loss to beat Iderzul, 3-6, 6-1, 6-1.
Iderzul, the state runner-up in 2019 and third-place finisher in 2020, will take a career record of 115-14 into next weekend's WIAA state team tournament, also at Nielsen.
In Division 2 singles, Walworth Big Foot/Williams Bay senior Emily Gauger (31-6) finished fifth after a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Appleton Xavier's Maggie McGinnis (25-3).
Gauger—a state semifinalist last season—made it to the fifth-place match with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Appleton Fox Valley Lutheran's Olivia Pethan (20-5) in a consolation semifinal.
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WIAA STATE INDIVIDUAL TENNIS
At Nielsen Tennis Stadium, Madison
RESULTS
DIVISION 1 SINGLES
Saturday
Championship—Kaede Usui (35-0), fr., Franklin, def. Parker Christensen (25-2), fr., Elkhorn, 7-5, 6-7 (8), 6-2.
Third-place match—Zaya Iderzul (34-4), sr., Lake Geneva Badger, def. Netra Somasundraram (30-6), so., Middleton, 6-2, 6-3.
Friday
Quarterfinals—Iderzul def. Ava Dunsirn, Neenah, 6-0, 6-0; Christensen def. Annalise Yang, Madison La Follette, 6-2, 6-0.
Round of 16—Iderzul def. Molly Asfeld, Waukesha West, 6-0, 6-1; Christensen def. Rya Arreazola (16-3), fr., Janesville Craig, 6-1, 6-0.
DIVISION 1 DOUBLES
Saturday
Championship—Sophia Paape/Shelby Roth, Neenah, def. Christina Pan/Emily Pan, Muskego, 6-4, 6-0.
Third place—Carly Lehman/Madelyn Dziubek, Franklin, def. Ella Martin/Anna Sueflohn, Wales Kettle Moraine, 6-4, 6-3.
DIVISION 2 SINGLES
Saturday
Championship—Lily Olson, Madison Edgewood, def. Lauren Lindow, East Troy, 6-1, 6-0.
Fifth place—Emily Gauger (32-6), Walworth Big Foot/Williams Bay, def. Maggie McGinnis (25-4), jr., Appleton Xavier, 6-1, 6-2.
Consolation semifinal—Gauger def. Olivia Pethan (20-5), jr., Appleton Fox Valley Lutheran, 6-2, 6-3.
Friday
Quarterfinals—Jessica Jacobson, Waukesha Catholic Memorial, def. Gauger, 7-5, 4-6, 6-3.
Round of 16—Gauger def. Paeton Kringel, New London, 6-1, 6-1.
DIVISION 2 DOUBLES
Saturday
Championship—Rebecca Daskal/Isabel Werner, University School of Milwaukee, def. Sophie Rondeau/Katie Metcalf, East Troy, 6-2, 6-3.
Third place—Jeslyn Singson/Courtney Sturm, Waukesha Catholic Memorial, def. Ella Schroeder/Marissa Stolt, Stevens Point Pacelli, 6-3, 6-1.
