Six champions crowned at Champaign Labor Day tennis tournament

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Jason Zumwalt takes advantage of a weak ball from his opponents during the Men's Open title match at the annual park district Labor Day tennis tournament on Monday. Zumwalt and partner Shaun Peterson, who won the division a year ago, continued their reign as champions for another year after defeating Tim and Daniel O'Brien in two sets, 7-5, 6-1.

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CHAMPAIGN - Hunter Madigan dropped just three sets in his four matches at this weekend's Champaign Park District Labor Day Tennis Tournament. Last year's Junior Boys 16-and-under champion, Madigan secured the Men's Open division title, besting former Centennial High School standout Tim O'Brien in a marathon 6-3, 1-6, 1-0(4) finish on Sunday afternoon.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Hunter Madigan rips a forehand shot back over the net during his title match again Tim O'Brien. Madigan finished his sophomore season at St. Thomas More with an 18-6 singles record, and went 2-2 at the Class 1A state tournament this spring. He survived the three-set showdown against O'Brien, who had given up just nine games in his first three matches, 5-7, 7-5, 1-0(5).

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Madigan started his run through the adult bracket with a quick, double breadstick win over Youngjoo Jing, 6-1, 6-1. He advanced to the quarterfinals to face Charles Crawmer, who cruised past David Sale, 6-0, 6-0, in their second-round matchup.

Crawmer easily took the first set from the 17-year-old upstart, 6-2. The second set was a different story. Madigan changed his strategy and battled to a 5-5 tie before Crawmer retired.

Hyeonmin Jeong, who cruised through his first two matches with double bagels, was the next victim to fall at the hands of the youthful Madigan. In the three USTA-sanctioned tournaments he played earlier this summer, Jeong beat seven of the nine opponents he faced and won the title at the Outdoor Summer Extravaganza @ JTCC. Unfortunately, Madigan proved to be too much, taking both sets, 6-4, 6-0.

Meanwhile, Jason Zumwalt and Shaun Peterson reprised their winning doubles duo to claim the Men's Open Doubles title in an all-Charger affair. Zumwalt, the boys head coach at Centennial High School, and his assistant, Peterson, took on brothers Tim and Daniel O'Brien, both former players at the school, in the final match of the tournament.

In a sport where youth and agility are clear advantages, Zumwalt and Peterson, senior to the O'Briens in combined age, secured the title with a 7-5, 6-1 victory.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Helaman Lucas uses his quick reflexes while playing at the net during his consolation semifinal doubles match against Travis Davis and Anish Bose on Monday. Lucas and his doubles partner Ryan Smith went on to win the Open Division consolation title.

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In the past, championship and consolation bracket winners received trophies for their efforts. This year's champions received a swag bag filled with tennis accessories.

"Trophies are getting expensive," said tournament director Yuri Sohn, who is also the head tennis professional at Dodds Tennis Center in Champaign. "We wanted to try something different this year."

Inside the branded racquet bag given to division champions was a tournament T-shirt, racquet overgrips, a water bottle, ink pens, and racquet dampeners.

Below are this weekend's championship results:

Men’s Open Singles Final:
Hunter Madigan defeated Tim O'Brien 6-3, 1-6, 1-0(4)

Men’s Open Singles Consolation Final:
Youngjoo Jung defeated L. Vergari 5-7, 7-5, 1-0(5)

Men’s 45 Singles Final:
Sendhil Kumaran defeated Daniel Morris 6-1, 6-3

Men’s 45 Singles Consolation Final:
Scott Aikman defeated Kevin Martlage 6-1, 7-6(4)

Beginner/Intermediate Singles Final:
Sangwon Park defeated Andrew Flores 6-2, 6-1

Beginner/Intermediate Singles Consolation Final:
Ayrton Nascimento defeated Trey Smith 2-6, 6-4, 1-0(6)

Boy’s 12 Singles Final: William Guo defeated Jason Cheng 6-4, 6-1

Boy's 12 Singles Consolation Final:
Declan Downing defeated Nathanael Saldeen 7-5, 6-3

Men’s Open Doubles Final:
Jason Zumwalt & Shaun Peterson defeated Tim O'Brien & Daniel O'Brien 7-5, 6-1

Men’s Open Doubles Consolation Final:
Helaman Lucas & Ryan Smith defeated Hamed Kadiani & Nick Levanti 6-2, 7-5

Mixed Open Doubles Round Robin:
1st place Paul Cheung & Molly Tracy
2nd place Sarah Benevento & Chris Kuehn
3rd place Rhoda Lewis & Francesco Botticella

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