Sports
Tennis: Browne Dominates Mens Final, Wins Moraga Open
Las Lomas graduate pulls away to clinch title.
Walnut Creek native Tyler Browne has played in nine Moraga Open Tennis Championships since 2001, but it never seemed to be his year, until now.
The U.C. Berkeley graduate and the Bears' assistant tennis coach overpowered his opponent in the men's final of the Moraga Open, upsetting No. 2-seeded Ben Weston in straight sets 6-1, 6-4 Sunday at the Moraga Country Club.
"I haven't played this well like ever. This was one of my better matches in my career," Browne said. "I was pretty tired after last night but I got my meals in. I played really, really well."
Find out what's happening in Walnut Creekfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The No. 4 seed's work on the court showed. He broke Weston's serve twice in each set. During the second break in the first set, Browne evened the game at deuce before winning the advantage and using a down-the-line backhand winner to take a commanding 5-1 lead in the opening set.
Weston didn't go down quietly, at one time pulling ahead 2-1 in the second set, but Browne broke his serve for the final time in the fifth game of the second set to take a 3-2 lead. Weston came back to make it a 5-4 match, and didn't go down quietly. Down three points in the final game, Weston fought back to deuce, but that was as far as he got.
Find out what's happening in Walnut Creekfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
"Brad played a really great match as well, kudos to him, but it was a nice feeling that was for sure," Browne added.
Browne collected $3,500 for winning, and Weston $2000, a very large amount of cash for a non-professional tournament, but Browne said he has no direct plans to attempt a jump at the pro circuit even with the win.
"I just keep doing what I'm doing, I go back and I have bragging rights for one year," Browne said. "I'll be talking about this one for a while but every year is a new challenge. I'll continue to play some men's opens (tournaments) but I'm going back to work. I'll flirt around with it maybe next summer, but I'm committed to (Cal) and committed to the guys out there."
Later in the afternoon, Browne and doubles partner Geoffery Chizever clinched the men's doubles championship with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Oren Motevassel and Arunprakash Rajagopalan.
In the women's final, No. 1-seeded Ivana lisjak defeated unseeded Zoe De Bruycker 6-2, 6-0. Iisjak lost only six games during after the round of 32 en route to clinching the women's title and a $1600 check.
The women's champion also defeated St. Mary's student and Moraga resident Alex Poorta 6-0, 6-0 in the semi-finals Saturday.
Yasmin Schnack and Katsiaryna Zheltova clinched the women's doubles title with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Lyndsay Kinstler and Alison Ramos.
For more information, visit the tournament website.
