2018 Crim Smash Tennis Tournament
the year.”
Cibola coach Duncan Phillips said it was the worst he’s ever seen Tawanda play.
“(White) played well,” Zvavamwe said. “I’m not going to take that away from him. But I just wasn’t playing at my level that I should’ve.” Zvavamwe made up for it in the final. “(The final) was very good tennis,” Phillips said, while turning to former Cibola tennis star Beau Boyer for his take. “Wasn’t it, Beau? You can quote Beau Boyer on that. They were hitting the ball, serving big serves, it looked good.”
Boyer, who graduated from Cibola last year, won the 2016-17 Crim Smash titles. Before him, Abhijay Murugesan went back-to-back for the Raiders.
Next year, Zvavavme will have a chance to join those two as two-time champs.
“I came in knowing that I was expected to win,” Zvavamwe said. “But I just had to take every match as it came.” said. “Just last week I said the final four was going to be (exactly what it was), and I was just hoping we could have the right person against Amulya. And Jess did amazing to take her out.
“And then the finals was three sets just like it is every year it seems.”
Two years ago, Gila Ridge sisters Kylie and Kacey Wellard squared off in the final.
Those past two championship matchups were somewhat expected, at least in terms of involving Gila Ridge’s No. 1 and No. 2 players.
But Hook is Gila Ridge’s No. 3 — and actually before last week, was No. 4 on the ladder.
“Her confidence is the biggest improvement (this year),” Bogart said of Hook. “She feels like she can win matches.”
Gila Ridge also had a fourth player reach the quarterfinals Friday, as Danielle Monroe lost to Taylor with a semifinals berth on the line.
Yuma High’s Jennifer Sesma (lost to Hook) and Veronika Krejova (Doniparthi), and Kofa’s Valeria Anguiano (Roth) were the other quarterfinalists.