Ojai locals fare well
Weil Tennis Academy yields top honors
by Misty Volaski

For one small academy, Mark Weil's tennis academy sure has a lot of winners. As expected, Weil Tennis Academy students Sesil Karatanchev, Yevgeny Supeko and Anna Tatishvili all won their respective divisions.
Karatanchev, a 12-year-old playing in the girls' 16-and-under division, blasted away the competition with her far-superior skills. She beat Ojai native Nathalie Selleslags, 8-0 in early play, then went on to beat Saskia Nauenberg, 6-3 and 6-0, for the championship title. She was presented with the Hal Gorham Trophy.
Supeko, playing in the boys' 16-and-under competition, came out strong, beating Ojai player Ryan Rifkin in the quarterfinals, 8-4. Supeko went on to win his division against Kaes Van't Hof of Newport Beach, 6-4, 6-3. He was presented with the Perry T. Jones Trophy.
Tatishvili, a 12-year-old originally from the Republic of Georgia but now boarding at Weil, won the girls' 14-and-under division. She topped Logan Hansen, 6-4, 6-4, in the championship game. She was presented with the Rotary Club of Ojai Trophy.
Lori Stern, the first Ojai native to win the girls' 16-and-under division last year, made it to the semifinals of the girls' 18-and-under division this year. However, she was eliminated by eventual winner Elizabeth Exon, 6-2, 6-4. Stern, a high school senior, does not attend Weil Tennis Academy.

© 2002 The Ojai Valley News

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