Six-deuce game proves pivotal in title victory

Katherine Lyman of Mount Pleasant, S.C., defeated Carly Briggs of Calhoun, Ga., 6-4, 7-6 to win the USTA Southern Closed 16s girls title Saturday at Rebsamen Tennis Center in Little Rock.
Katherine Lyman of Mount Pleasant, S.C., defeated Carly Briggs of Calhoun, Ga., 6-4, 7-6 to win the USTA Southern Closed 16s girls title Saturday at Rebsamen Tennis Center in Little Rock.

One game stood out and best represented the two-hour, four-minute match boys singles final Saturday.

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Atlanta’s Tyler Stice got a surge of confidence during his second set against Max Giddens of Sylacauga, Ala., one that helped him win 7-5, 6-4.

Moments after Tyler Stice's 7-5, 6-4 victory over Max Giddens in the United States Tennis Association Southern Closed Boys and Girls 16s Championships, played at Little Rock's Rebsamen Tennis Center, he talked about the significance of the second set's eighth game.

Saturday’s results

CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND

BOYS

Tyler Stice, Atlanta, def. Max Giddens, Sylacauga, Ala., 7-5, 6-4

GIRLS

Katherine Lyman, Mount Pleasant, S.C., def. Carly Briggs, Calhoun, Ga., 6-4, 7-6

Stice, 15, of Atlanta, already up a set, served at 4-3 in the second set. Giddens, 15, of Sylacauga, Ala., led 40-15, a point away from tying the set. Before the game was completed, seconds short of 13 minutes from its start, the competitors reached deuce six times.

"That game was the story of the match, and it was probably the most important game of the match," Stice said. "I'd like to call it a battle game."

Stice prevailed with a cross-court forehand, struck from baseline to baseline, that landed inches beyond Giddens' reach.

"When I finally won that, it was a huge relief," Stice said. "It gave me a lot of confidence."

Giddens won his subsequent serve, but Stice responded with a match winner at 40-15 of the 10th game.

The girls singles finals was also a hard-fought two-setter, won by Katherine Lyman over Carly Briggs 6-4, 7-6.

Lyman, 15, of Mount Pleasant, S.C., said she felt sluggish and out of sorts in the first set, although she won it 6-4.

The second set proceeded on even terms, with neither player separated from the other by more than a game.

Briggs, 15, of Calhoun, Ga., served to tie the match at 6-6 and force the seven-point tiebreak.

"I knew that there was no way Carly was going to give up," Lyman said. "I really had to focus to finish it out."

Lyman dominated the tiebreak to win 7-2. She said the victory was the most significant of her career.

"I just really wanted to improve," Lyman said. "I knew everyone back home was cheering for me."

Stice improved his career record against Giddens to 4-1. He lost in their first meeting when both were 12, but he said nothing about their match in the 16s final surprised him.

"I knew Max had been playing really, really well," Stice said. "I knew he was going to fight and never give up."

Sports on 06/19/2016

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