Bryan Edges Mamiit to Reach Semifinals at First  Serve Entertainment Men’s Tennis Championship

By Fred Sidhu

Tarzana, Ca. – In a match between two former NCAA singles champions, Bob Bryan defeated fourth-seeded Cecil Mamiit, 7-6 (2), 6-7 (4), 6-3 to advance to the semifinals of the First Serve Entertainment Men’s Tennis Championship.

Bryan, who won the NCAA singles title in 1998 while playing for Stanford, broke Mamiit four times in the final set on his way to the victory, which took two-hours and four-minutes.

Mamiit, the 1996 NCAA singles champion, served to stay in the match at 3-5 in the third set but failed to put away an overhead on game point, as Bryan returned the shot with a topspin lob winner.

Bryan won the next two points to break Mamiit’s serve and seal the win.

“I’ve been playing a lot of doubles, but I still feel my game has been improving even though I haven’t been playing a lot of singles,” Bryan said.

“Hopefully I can keep building in every match. I feel like I’m getting better and better,” he added. “I feel like I can be (in the) top 50 if I just get some shots and break through.”

Also advancing to the semifinals were qualifier Eric Taino, who defeated Sweden’s Bjorn Rehnquist, 6-4, 6-1 and Bjorn Phau of Germany, a 6-4, 6-2 winner over Fresno’s Robert Kendrick.

General admission for each day of the tournament is $12. Kids under 18 can purchase tickets for $6. Series and box seats are available. For ticket information, call (818) 345-3230.

Saturday’s semifinals and Sunday’s final begin at noon.

The First Serve Entertainment Men’s Tennis Championship is a $50,000 Challenger event. The tournament is part of the United States Tennis Association Professional Circuit.