Unseeded Berris Wins Title in 18s

Beth Berris watched Anne Mall come back from 0-5 in the first set to a 7-5, 6-1 quarterfinal victory Friday. On Saturday, Berris was back at the same court, trying to forget it.

An unseeded 17-year-old from Lodi, Calif., Berris managed to concentrate on the match she was playing in upsetting top-seeded Mall of Laguna Niguel, 6-3, 6-3, for the championship of the 18-and-under division of the Seventeen Magazine Tournament of Champions at the Mission Viejo International Sports Complex.

“Let’s just say that match went through my mind,” Berris said. “I tried to block it out, but it was hard.”

Mall was erratic, hitting several shots more than a yard beyond the baseline.

Berris was steady. She made very few unforced errors and took shots at winners when she had the good angle.

“This is my first win in singles at a national event,” said Berris, No. 25 in the country. “Hopefully, this will help my ranking.”