Posted on: Wednesday, November 10, 2004

UH players lose at Waikoloa event

Advertiser Staff

University of Hawai'i sophomore Derrick Lajola and former UH player and state high school champion Malino Oda both lost yesterday in the opening round of the Hilton Waikoloa Village Futures on the Big Island.

Oda, who won his spot in the main draw in a wild-card qualifier, took American Tim Smyczek to three sets before falling, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2.

Lajola, given a wild card into the main draw of the $15,000 U.S. Tennis Association Pro Circuit tournament, fell to Brendan Evans, 6-3, 6-0. Lajola's 15-year-old brother Dennis plays today.

Evans is No. 2 in the ITF World Junior Rankings and won the Australian Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open boys' doubles titles this year. Evans, Scoville Jenkins, Phillip Simmonds and Alex Kuznetsov — considered among the top young players in the U.S. — all advanced in straight sets yesterday. Kuznetsov, 16, is ranked first in the U.S. in Boys 18's and 15th in the ITF World Junior Rankings.

In doubles, Oda and older brother Kula, the tennis coach at UH-Hilo, lost to Americans Bo Hodge and Fritz Wolmarans, 6-1, 6-2. The UH-Manoa team of Jarrod Diepraam and Bryon Weinberg was forced to withdraw due to Diepraam's shoulder injury. Weinberg won the singles qualifier and plays Nathan Price this morning at 10 a.m.

Matches start at 9 a.m. today. Admission is free.