Cheam captures 3C2A women's singles title; Vich and Valenzuela are tops in doubles

April 29, 2024

OJAI - The Ojai Tennis Tournament is an annual competition renowned as the oldest and largest amateur tennis event in the United States. The tournament began in 1895 and has been held annually, with only three cancellations. The first cancellation occurred during World War I, the second because of an outbreak of hoof and mouth disease in 1924, and the third in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The tournament has hosted numerous legendary players, including Billie Jean King, who won the singles title in 1965 and then again in 1966, representing Cal State Los Angeles. Other notable players who have participated in the tournament include Jimmy Connors, Arthur Ashe, and Tracy Austin.

The 3C2A Women's Tennis Singles Championship match between Julianna Vich from Mt. San Antonio College and Nareen Cheam of American River College began later than scheduled due to the previous match running over into a third set. During warm-ups, Cheam appeared to have tightness in her left hamstring, which she had also experienced during the previous day's semifinal play. Despite this, she was able to serve up a break and take a commanding 4-2 lead in the first set. Cheam's strategy involved hitting two balls wide, forcing her opponent to recover the cross-court shot, changing the pattern and hitting behind her. She also masterfully incorporated moon balls and punished any short balls that landed inside the baseline.

Vich countered Cheam's strategy by stepping into the court and catching the ball on the rise, neutralizing her off-pace shots. Although Vich brought the set to a 4-5 score, Cheam eventually closed out the first set 6-4.

The second set followed a similar pattern, with both players increasing their level of play and reducing unforced errors. Cheam was able to break Vich's serve to go up 4-2. As had been seen throughout the tournament, Vich fought back, evening the match at 5-5, setting up a momentous 11th game, which would likely determine the match’s outcome. After a couple of tight shots from Vich, Cheam was able to go up 6-5, and eventually serve out the match for the title with a 6-4, 7-5 win, joining her name amongst the greats of tennis.

The freshman from American River College played superb tennis throughout the tournament. Her fitness, shot selection, and determination separated her from the pack. With the state title in hand and the coveted Ojai individual title, this freshman will be a force in the future.

Following a brief intermission, Julianna Vich and partner Paige Valenzuela proved too formidable for the Riverside City College tandem of Emily Thieme and Janine Kremling. The team from Mt. SAC cruised to the title with a 6-0, 6-3 win. With her powerful shots, Vich would control most of the points and frequently gave her partner shots to put away. Despite losing the singles championship, Vich's victory in the doubles division was a significant accomplishment for the freshman from Mt. SAC. She'll be back; the knowledge she picked up this year will help her prepare for another run.

(Bo Navarro, CCCSIA)