Girls 18 top seed No. 1 in attitude, too
The celebrated junior tennis career of Spencer Olivia Liang is entering its final few weeks, but the Potomac, Md., native and soon-tobe Harvard freshman isn’t exiting quietly.
Liang is leaving with a resounding send-off.
Not only is she the No. 1 seed at this week’s USTA Girls 18 National Clay Court Championships at The Racquet Club — the first time she’s been the top seed at a USTA national tournament — she’s coming off a weekend in which she was honored at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I.
Liang was presented the Bill Talbert Junior Sportsmanship Award Saturday during enshrinement ceremonies for, among others, former teenage tennis star Martina Hingis. The trip to the Tennis Hall of Fame was a first for Liang, but receiving a sportsmanship award wasn’t.
According to Liang, she has accumulated at least seven sportsmanship awards, a collection she wouldn’t have thought possible early in her career. But she gradually changed her attitude and demeanor, and others noticed.
“I’m so proud of these awards considering how far I’ve come,” she said. “The first one I won was at the Easter Bowl (in the age 14 division). When they called me up to receive the award I kind of laughed and remember thinking: ‘Do they have the right person?’ Ever since then I’ve realized how important it is to have good sportsmanship on and off the court.”
Failing to do so, Liang said, is to show disrespect not only for your opponent but for the sport.
“My attitude used to not be that great,” she said. “As I’ve grown and matured my attitude has (improved). I think my mom is proud of what I’ve done, too, because she knows the importance of sportsmanship.”
Her mother, Velma, has relished the development of Spencer’s demeanor as much as her play.
“It’s been a blessing; it’s been unbelievable,” Velma said. “Years ago (Spencer) would not have been picked by other kids to win a sportsmanship award. I think the first time she won a sportsmanship award I got very teary-eyed because I thought it was such a major accomplishment, much more so than winning a tournament.”
Spencer said she never threw her racket out of frustration during her early junior career, but she yelled at herself on the court frequently and felt sorry for herself.
“Back then I’d show my frustration every single time,” she said.
Spencer, as the No. 8 seed, reached the round of 32 in last year’s National Clay Court Championships. The tournament’s second seed, Peggy Porter of Dallas, is Liang’s doubles partner. They’ve won several events, including the Easter Bowl doubles title and the USTA National Open championship in mid-May. Liang beat Porter in three sets to claim the National Open singles title. Porter was the top seed at that event and Liang was No. 2.
Also returning to the Clay Court Championships is 2011 champion Gabrielle Andrews, the No. 1 seed last year. Andrews, of Pomona, Calif., has Memphis roots. Her father, Michael Andrews, grew up in Memphis and attended South Side High.
There are four Memphians — Emerald Able, Kenya Jones, Claire Sullivan and Oroma Womeodu — in the field. None is seeded. Jones, from White Station High, is the Class AAA state singles champion and Sullivan, from St. George’s, won the Class D2-A state doubles title with partner Libby Heflin. Jones plays Allison Hansen of Champaign, Ill. when play begins Sunday at 8 a.m. and runs through July 21. Kyle Busch celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race Saturday in Loudon, N.H.