SAN DIEGO, August 16, 2026 (by Steve Pratt)
Top-seeded Shristi Selvan is headed to New York City, earning direct entry into the upcoming US Open Junior Championships following her dramatic three-set win over her good friend and training partner No. 14 Aarini Bhattacharya on Saturday, capturing the 16-and-under singles title at the 107th annual USTA Billie Jean King Girls’ 16s and 18s National Championships taking place at the Barnes Tennis Center.
After dropping the first set, 6-4, Selvan rebounded to win the second set, 6-4, and took a 3-1 lead in the third set when her hand and wrist started cramping to the extent she described it as “glued shut. I couldn’t open it.”
The cramps then moved to her quads and her calves and Selvan, returning serve and down 30-15 in the fifth game, asked for a medical timeout. Unable to move to her chair, Selvan dramatically stood a few feet behind the service line midcourt unable to move. She was given a warning for a time violation, and then assessed a point penalty, making the score 40-15.
Not being allowed a second medical timeout for the same injury, Selvan was then assessed yet another code violation, giving Bhattacharya the game 3-2. Selvan, writhing in pain, was literally carried off the court by the physio with the assistance of the tournament referee. With help from the physio on the changeover, Selvan’s cramps dissipated and she was heroically able to continue playing.
Selvan won the next game to lead 4-2 and held off a late charge by Bhattacharya to win the final set, 6-4, in a match that lasted 2 hours, 59 minutes.
Just three weeks ago at the Clay Court Nationals, Selvan experienced full-body cramps after winning the first set 6-0, and continued to play, ultimately losing in three sets. “I was determined to win this match,” Selvan said. “It’s always been my dream to get into the US Open Juniors, and to have Billie Jean King give me the award.”
Woodland Hills’ Thea Frodin is hoping to receive a congratulatory handshake from BJK, and the USTA gold ball – as well as accept her US Open main draw women’s wild card on Sunday. The No. 3 seed Frodin beat friend and one-time Wimbledon junior doubles finalist partner Julieta Pareja from Carlsbad, 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-4), in the 18s semifinals.
Frodin’s Sunday finals opponent (match to start not before 1 p.m.) will be Janae Preston of Henderson, Nev. Preston battled Chukwumelije Clarke from Humble, Texas, for more than three hours and came out on top, 6-4, 5-7, 6-2. In July, Preston made the Wimbledon girls’ semifinals and won several more important junior events, seeing her ITF junior world ranking soar to No. 6. Preston turned 16 on Thursday, while Clarke celebrated her 17th birthday on Friday.
In the girls’ 18s doubles final, it will be Bella Payne (Bradenton, Fla.) and Sara Shumate (Charlotte, N.C.) facing off against Welles Newman (Boca Raton, Fla.) and Jordyn Hazelitt (Henderson, Nev.) in the 10:30 a.m. doubles final. Payne and Shumate beat Natalie Kha (Chino Hills) and Yilin Chen (San Diego), 6-3, 6-3, in one semifinal, and Newman and Hazelitt got past Brooke Kwon (Diamond Bar) and Alyson Shannon (Plano, Texas), 6-1, 6-2.
In the girls’ 16s doubles final, the No. 9-seeded duo of Abigail Haile (Los Angeles) and Olivia de Los Reyes (Orlando) beat the No. 9-seeded SoCal tandem of Madeline Cleary (Moorpark) and Isabelle Nguyen (San Gabriel), 6-3, 6-1 to win the USTA gold ball. Nikol Davletshina (Lake Worth, Fla.) won the 16s bronze ball in singles, and Avita Beitler (Scandia, Minn.) was fourth.
For more information, visit the official tournament website at ustagirlsnationals.com.
