Lajola, from 'Aiea, will be a freshman at Iolani this fall. He is fifth in the latest U.S. Tennis Association rankings for Boys 14s.

World Junior Tennis is a 14-and-under International Tennis Federation junior team competition. Sixteen countries qualified through their respective regions. Lajola won all his qualifying matches earlier this summer.

Lajola is involved through the USA Tennis High Performance Services Program. His teammates are Donald Young of Chicago and Leo Rosenberg of Manhattan, Kan. Their coach is Michael Sell, who used to work with Monica Seles.

This year Lajola was a singles finalist at Teen Tennis in England and reached the quarterfinals in doubles at Les Petits in France. He took fourth in singles at the Easter Bowl in April, and won doubles, where Sell first saw him.

"I saw a player who plays to win, instead of not to lose," Sell recalled. "He has great shot potential and knows the strategic part of tennis better than most players his age."

Lajola lost in the quarterfinals of Kailua Racquet Club Men's Night Doubles with Channon Alcon, then left to train with the 14s in California early this month. He flew to the Czech Republic Thursday.

"Dennis is a coach's dream," Sell said. "He works extremely hard, is a great listener, talented, wants to improve, is well-behaved, but most importantly, he is a great person."

In other tennis news:

• Nagel's the man: Kailua Racquet Club Men's Night Doubles stayed close to home with its 2003 Peter Isaak Outstanding Sportsmanship Award, honoring KRC manager Bruce Nagel at last Saturday's final.

Nagel is the Night Doubles Tournament Director. He also qualified for the main draw this year, with David Lam.

The award is named for the late Peter Isaak, also a former KRC manager and five-time winner of the event. Previous sportsmanship winners include Ryan Ideta (2002), Charlie Panui (2001), Tripp Gordon (1989) and Lam (1995).

San Jose's Erich Chen, who won this year's tournament with former Santa Clara teammate Michael Bruggemann, earned the inaugural Sam Caldwell Perpetual Trophy for best performance by an amateur.

• Upcoming at CORP: The Hawai'i Pacific Tennis Foundation took over management and operation of the Central O'ahu Regional Park tennis complex Aug. 1. The organization is currently adding equipment and planning programs and activities for players of all ages and abilities.

The Foundation is also putting together a U.S. Open party weekend for its members, Sept. 6 and 7. The women's final is scheduled for 2 p.m. that Saturday, with the men's final set for 10 a.m. the following day.

New members will be accepted at the parties. Food and other activities will be available.

The tennis complex is open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. everyday.

• Seniors to nationals: Six teams advanced to national championships last weekend by winning the USA League Tennis Senior Sectional Championships in Kailua, Kona.

Women's and men's teams in the 3.0, 3.5 and 4.0 levels competed at the U.S. Tennis Association/Hawai'i Pacific Sectionals. The only 4.5 senior league is on O'ahu, so the winners of that league advanced directly to nationals.

More than 300 players on 30 teams competed at the senior sectionals after finishing at the top of their local leagues. More than 280,000 adults participate annually in USTA League Tennis, making it the largest adult recreational tennis league in the world.

The winning teams, and the date and site of each national:

• 4.5 Sr. Women: Hot Flashes (Honolulu). CaptainiSusan Ashford. TeamiKatie Anderson, Minnie Chinn, Valerie Buschor, Jane Pang, Lurline Fujii, Claudia Giacomini, Sunny Au, Sinclair Bill.

• 4.5 Sr. Men: Makule Kane (Mililani). CaptainiWayne Abrigo. TeamiEugene McGeehan, Nick Sporik, Robert Ford, Paul Leong, Alfred Alcon, David Cox.

• Nationals: Oct. 16-19 at Riviera Resort and Racquet Club, Moore Tennis Academy, Palm Springs, Calif.

• 4.0 Sr. Women: A&P Gals (Wailea). CaptainiJudy Davi. TeamiSandy Frewer, Mary Little, Carol Massie, Janice Motooka, Jeanne Rea, Shelley Seideman, Donna Stevens, Sharyn Whitfield, Barbara Yee, Sue Zetteler.

• 4.0 Sr. Men: Men's Internetters (Kailua). CaptainiPaul Tomar. TeamiRobert Babyack, Paul Botts, Thomas Carpenter, Alvin Chee, James Denny, Steve Drake, Koichi Isayama, Andy Lopez, Tim Nations, Robert Nemechek.

• Nationals: Oct. 9-12 at Riviera Resort and Racquet Club, Moore Tennis Academy, Palm Springs, Calif.

• 3.5 Sr. Women: Kiahuna Tennis (Po'ipu Kai). CaptainiRosemary Smythe. TeamiJanice Blaylock, Pat Chaffin, Ilona Coffey, Verlene Dawson, Alana Fujikawa, Carol Mccarthy, Lanice Pullano, Carmen Yasis.

• 3.5 Sr. Men: Na Kane 'O Kaloapau (Honolulu). CaptainiBrian Miyagi. TeamiRichard Hanna, Brian Ishii, Lawrence Masuno, Roy Naito, Myo Nwe, Cary Ono, Andrew Park, Ron Sera, Richard Tahara, Derrick Taves.

• Nationals: Oct. 16-19 at Scottsdale Radisson Resort & Spa (Ariz.).

• 3.0 Sr. Women: MD High Five (Honolulu). CaptainiKaren Nose. TeamiDale Daida, Charlene Hayashi, Jennie Ohta, Wendy Sanemitsu, Maria Soroka-Piccus, May Yamamoto, Lois Yoshikawa, Charlotte Yoshioka.

• 3.0 Sr. Men: Kahului Diehards Tu (Kahului). CaptainiDaryl Yamamoto. TeamiLawrence Bernades, Walter Birk, Robert Chaves, Louis Kaaikala, Kevin Morris, Leebrick Nakama, John Soliven, Scott Splean, Ronald Tobias, David Victor.