Indoor Junior Nationals Recap: Albertans Stand Tall on the National Stage

Feature Image: U12 Junior National Team at the Osten & Victor Alberta Tennis Centre

Alberta’s Junior Nationals athletes wrapped up an outstanding run of indoor competition across the country. Our U12s took to the courts right here at home at the Osten & Victor Alberta Tennis Centre, our U14 squad competed in Vancouver, the U16s made their way to Quebec, and a small contingent of Alberta players battled at the U18 event in Toronto.

Across all the competitions, our athletes delivered exceptional performances, and some were right in the mix for the titles.

A special thank you to all the coaches, support staff, and families who guided, inspired, and traveled with our athletes throughout the national championships.

Teams & Coaches

Our two U18 players dodged the cameras, but they cannot dodge this shoutout: Kudos to Morgan Lee and Masha Kostic who represented Alberta at the U18 competition in Toronto.

Standout Performances

Zoe Mao (U12)

Zoe Mao put together an incredible week of tennis in the Girls U12 event, finishing as the runner up. Her one and only defeat came at the hands of Saskatchewan’s Yoyo Li, Canada’s #1 ranked U12 player. Including doubles play, Zoe finished the tournament with an incredible 9-1 record.

Kendra Zhang (U14)

Kendra Zhang had a sensational week in BC. She, along with Sophie Murray, Zimo Xiang, and Vera Wing all made the championship flight and were (unfortunately) pitted against one another in the round of 16. Zhang broke through and then made a run all the way to the semifinals. While she fell in the semifinals, she finished her campaign with a three-set victory in the battle for 3rd. In doubles, Zhang teamed up with BC’s Angelica Panzieri, and the two were dominant through the tournament, but fell short in the final to the top-ranked team. Zhang left the tournament with a record of ten wins and two losses.

Vlad Lupu (U14)

Vlad Lupu had an outstanding event, showing incredible determination (as always). In singles, he battled hard for his spot in the championship flight, winning two three-set matches along the way. He reached the quarterfinals but fell to the top seed from Ontario, and he would go on to finish 5th overall. Lupu teamed up with BC’s Aidan Xue in doubles once again and made a run all the way to the finals. They were within four points of claiming the title, but lost in a heartbreaking third set tiebreaker. We surely have not seen the last of the Lupu-Xue team.

Andreas Mjeda (U16)

Andreas Mjeda tore through his section of the Boys U16 draw, fighting all the way to the semifinals. His series of wins came against some of the country’s best, highlighted by an epic, three-set quarterfinal victory over top-5 ranked Callum Mackinnon of Ontario. His run only ended at the hands of the eventual champion, Antoine Tardif, in a 4-6, 4-6 loss.

Congratulations, Team Alberta

Congratulations to all of Alberta’s Junior Nationals athletes for their hard work, sportsmanship, and outstanding performances throughout the season. We’re incredibly proud of everything they accomplished, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for this talented group of players.

Bravo to all. Onward!