SAN DIEGO, June 9, 2025 (by Steve Pratt)

Playing on his home courts, one of college tennis’ top players captured his second straight SoCal Pro Series singles title on the University of San Diego courts as senior Oliver Tarvet dominated former Division III national champion Leo Vithoontien, 6-0, 6-0, to win his fifth career ITF World Tennis Tour title.

In two finals that couldn’t have been more different from one another, Arizona State sophomore Lily Taylor from Brisbane, Australia, did her best Carlos Alcarazimpersonation, coming back from a set down to beat 17-year-old high school senior Aspen Schuman, 5-7, 6-2, 6-1, as the first set ended just minutes after Alcaraz’s stunning Roland Garros win in Paris.

The ITA All-American Singles and Doubles champion last fall, Tarvet, who did not drop a set all week, is now 20-1 in sets over the past two years at USD SoCal Pro Series events.

“I play on these courts every single day so there is that familiarity,” said Tarvet, from St. Albans, England, and ranked No. 738 in the ATP world rankings. “It’s tricky because we haven’t seen the sun all week. That makes it difficult to hit winners and can disrupt people’s game. But you get used to it and you know what works and what doesn’t work.”

Tarvet said he was aware that Vithoontien had won two straight 7-6 third-set tiebreakers in the quarterfinals and semifinals, and also played in the doubles final that ended just after 7 p.m. on Saturday evening.

“I saw Leo play his last two matches and he’s definitely a great player and did not expect this scoreline,” Tarvet said. “My gameplan was definitely to make it a little bit more physical. His time on court compared to mine is probably double. I did use my freshness to my advantage.”

The former NCAA Division III Singles and Doubles National Champion playing for Carleton College in Minnesota, Vithoontien said, “I’m sure it had a little effect. Physically it wasn’t like I couldn’t push off. Kudos to Oliver as he played amazing. Even if I hadn’t had the long matches he still would have probably gotten me.”

Vithoontien grew up in Bangkok, Thailand, but represents Japan on the pro tour. “They just provide a little more support,” he said. “Not just the association, but the fans, and the academies. And even Wilson immediately offered me racquets and shoes. They love tennis there.”

Tarvet collected 15 ATP singles ranking points and a $2,160 winner’s prize. Vithoontien, who was playing in his second career ITF pro singles final, received eight ATP ranking points and a $1,272 check as runner-up.

For the 18-year-old Taylor it was her first ITF title. Asked what she was going to do to celebrate, she said: “We’re going to get some tacos and ice cream sandwiches.”

As a 15-year-old at the USD SoCal Pro Series event in 2023, Schuman, from Menlo Park, qualified and made a finals run before running into the NCAA singles champion from UCLA, Fangran Tian.

Schuman said she felt more relaxed when she woke up Sunday morning than she did before her 2023 final. “I’ve been in more finals and have more experience, so I felt more comfortable,” she explained. “I knew Fangran had just won the NCAAs so was going to be tough to beat.”

In the men’s doubles final on Saturday, No. 2 seeds Keshev Chopra and Phillip Jordan beat Vithoontien and Matt Kuhar, 6-3, 7-6 (5). Last week’s doubles winner from Ukraine Anita Sahdiieva (LSU, Baylor University) teamed with last week’s doubles finalist, USC sophomore Lily Fairclough, as the No. 3 seeded team beat Mao Mushika and Kristina Nordikyan, a USD junior from Panorama City, 6-2, 6-1.

MATCHES OF THE WEEK: There’s a tie for Match of the Week, and both matches were wins by Vithoontien, who won the first set in both his quarterfinal and semifinal singles wins, dropped the second set, before coming back to win the third set tiebreaker, both 7-4, over Alexander Kotzen and Phillip Jordan.

Remaining 2025 SoCal Pro Series tournament schedule

June 9-15 – University of San Diego, San Diego

June 16-22 – Rancho Santa Fe Tennis Club, Rancho Santa Fe

June 23-29 – Lakewood Tennis Center, Lakewood

June 30-July 6 – Jack Kramer Club, Rolling Hills Estates

July 7-13 – San Diego State University, San Diego