Daily Court Report
by Walt Reese
Red, white, and blue mixed with sunshine and high-level tennis on Thursday as the Cary Tennis Classic celebrated July 4th in style. With quarterfinal matches on deck, the biggest crowd of the week packed Cary Tennis Park, and the atmosphere felt more like a festival than a tournament. Fans were treated to a Fourth of July cookout catered by City BBQ, free for all ticket holders, which only added to the already festive vibe.
On the men’s side, North Carolina native and No. 8 seed Patrick Kypson came through in a three-set battle against No. 4 seed Alexis Galarneau, winning 5-7, 6-3, 6-4. Backed by a lively hometown crowd, Kypson raised his level late in the match and dug deep when it mattered most. Yibing Wu continued his strong run, taking out American qualifier and NCAA champion Michael Zheng 6-2, 6-3. Zheng, representing Columbia University, had strung together a great week, but Wu was locked in from the start and never let up.
In one of the biggest surprises of the day, Japan’s Rei Sakamoto took down top seed Tristan Schoolkate 7-6(2), 6-4 on Anthony Blackman Stadium Court. Sakamoto’s aggressive play and ability to absorb pace frustrated Schoolkate, earning him a well-deserved spot in the semifinals. No. 2 seed Liam Draxl rounded out the men’s final four with a solid 6-2, 7-5 win over American Aidan Mayo, staying steady throughout and closing the match with confidence.
On the women’s side, Darja Vidmanová of the Czech Republic outlasted 17-year-old Wakana Sonobe, handing the Japanese qualifier her first loss of the week in a 6-7(9), 6-3, 6-0 result. After dropping a close first set, Vidmanová took control and never looked back. Monika Ekstrand, one of the breakout stories of the tournament, picked up another big win—this time over Elizabeth Mandlik, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2. The American qualifier has shown real grit and composure all week long.
In doubles, UNC’s Reese Brantmeier and Alanis Hamilton, both All-Americans, stayed hot with a 6-4, 6-0 win over Haley Giavara and Alexandra Osborne. The Tar Heel duo continues to look sharp and hasn’t dropped a set heading into the semifinals.
With just two days left, the stakes are rising, and the crowds keep getting louder. Saturday’s semifinals promise more high-level tennis, local flavor, and plenty to cheer for. For schedules, draws, and ticket info, visit https://carytennisclassic.com/.
