The 2019 OHSAA state tennis tournament opened play at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason on Friday and all three Chagrin Valley Conference singles players won their first round match.
West Geauga sophomore Rylie Hanford defeated Frankfort Adena’s Madelyn Shipley, 6-0, 6-0, and will play Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy’s Lynn Kader in Friday’s second round. Hanford placed third at state last season.
Orange senior Blessing Nwaozuzu topped Dayton Oakwood’s Lily McCloskey, 7-5, 6-3, and will face Gahanna Columbus Academy’s Sydni Ratliff in the second round. Ratliff is the defending state runner-up while Nwaozuzu placed fourth in 2018.
If Hanford and Nwaozuzu both win, they’d face each other in the state tournament for the second straight year.
Orange freshman made the most of her first appearance at the state tournament with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Toledo Central Catholic’s Ellie Hire. She’ll face defending state champion Nicole Gillinov of Hathaway Brown in the second round.
SECOND ROUND UPDATE
Hanford advanced to the semifinals for the second straight year with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Kader. She’ll face Ratliff, who defeated Nwaozuzu, 6-2, 7-5. Hanford and Ratliff met in last year’s semifinals with Ratliff winning 6-3, 6-0 on her way to a second-place finish.
Nyborg fell to Gillinov, the defending state champion, 1-6, 7-6, 6-2.
