By ROCKY STANLEY / The Independent
BELLEFONTE — Kennedy Womack and David Bush shook off tournament rust with winning performances Sunday in the Bellefonte Country Club Indoor Clay Championships.
Both local tennis players turned away tough opponents in the 16-under age group finals.
Womack, on the comeback after being stricken by the H1N1 virus last October, defeated Julian Mok of Lexington 6-1, 6-4 to repeat as champion in the Girls 16s.
Bush, meanwhile, feels refreshed after cutting back on his tennis travel in the fall and early winter. Down 5-4 in the first set against top-seeded Tanner Queen of Louisa, Bush played some of his best tennis in reeling off nine consecutive games for a 7-5, 6-0 victory.
The second-year tournament’s first of two weekends also included the 12-under division. Titles went to Robby Krick and Katie Baldock, both from Ashland.
Womack, a 15-year-old who last year advanced to the state high school singles semifinals as an eighth-grader, is thankful to be playing tennis again after her battle with swine flu.
“Not only was it the sickness of coughing, fever and throwing up,’’ she said. “It also included really weak muscles. I couldn’t get up the steps. I had to be carried by my father.’’
Womack was also hospitalized for two days.
“It was really bad,’’ she said. “I can’t believe I even survived it. I feel really blessed that I recovered.’’
After her H1N1 ordeal, Womack had a bout with stomach flu during November and contracted another bug in December that kept her out of school for several days.
“I think my immunity was down because of the swine flu,’’ Womack said.
She began playing tennis the week before Christmas but struggled with being out of shape. A fitness regimen has her feeling much better.
“I’ve been working out at Premier Pro (in Ashland) and I can tell a big difference,’’ Womack said. “I’m focusing on my fitness. I already know how to hit a tennis ball.’’
She got a workout against Mok, an eigth-grader at Lexington Sayre. The final game alone lasted 16 points.
Mok recently beat Womack in three sets during a tournament in Louisville.
“I didn’t move well the last time,’’ Womack said. “Today was better. I just need to play matches.’’
Womack controlled play early, but the second set featured a string of service breaks. Wok hit a forehand winner to pull within 5-4, but then Womack prevailed in the longest game of the match.
In the Boys 16s, Bush’s big finish avenged a loss to Queen in last year’s title match.
“David played really well,’’ said Queen, a junior at Lawrence County. “I was up 5-4 in the first set and he didn’t make many mistakes after that.’’
Bush, who is 13, displayed patience and moved Queen around the court with a variety of shots.
Bush’s good hands and intelligence make for an excellent combination.
“He thinks people off the court,’’ said his coach, Todd Wise.
After closing out the first set, Queen continued his momentum with a service break by putting away a short return and then ripping a forehand winner. In the next game, he hit two well-angled shots to win points and never looked back.
“When I got up 3-0 in the second set, I was thinking to myself that I was not going to let him come back,’’ Bush said.
A day earlier, Bush got past second-seeded Robert Skolik of Huntington 1-6, 7-6, 11-9. Bush came from behind in the second-set tiebreaker and the deciding super tiebreaker.
“I think I had a good tournament,’’ Bush said.
Baldock, seeded No. 2 in the Girls 12, outlasted No. 1 Micah Leslie of South Shore 7-5, 2-6, 10-8 for first place. Baldock won three matches overall.
In the Boys 12s, Krick completed a 3-0 run in round-robin play by beating Layne Meek 6-0, 6-0. Krick also had wins over Chandler Nguyen and Hayden Whitelaw.
The tournament resumes on Friday with the 10s, 14s and 18s.
ROCKY STANLEY can be reached at rstanley@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2671.
