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A mix of established and up-and-coming players will aim this week to continue Orange County’s hot streak at 122nd Ojai Tennis Tournament.
Corona del Mar senior and USC commit Niels Hoffmann is the top seed for the CIF boys singles event, which a county player has captured the past four tournaments.
Beckman brothers Caden and Tyler Lee are the No. 1 seed for CIF boys doubles, which an Orange County tandem has claimed the past two tournaments. Caden is a junior while Tyler is a rising freshman.
The prestigious high school tournament begins Thursday and concludes with the finals Saturday at 11 a.m. at Libbey Park.
Hoffmann also was seeded first last year and lost in the singles final to No. 2 James MacDonald of University 6-4, 6-2.
About a month later, Hoffmann bounced back to capture the CIF-SS singles title. He called the victory “a little bit of redemption” for his runner-up finish at Ojai.
More redemption could be achieved this week. Hoffmann’s brother Bjorn was a Ojai runner-up in singles in 2015 and 2016.
On Tuesday, Hoffmann captured the Surf League singles title by defeating teammate Jack Cross 3-6, 6-4, 10-5.
Orange County’s string of singles champions at Ojai started with Woodbridge’s Stefan Dostanic in 2018 and continued with University’s Aditya Gupta the following year. After the pandemic canceled consecutive tournaments, University’s Conrad Brown claimed another singles title in 2022.
The Lee brothers could become the second consecutive pair of Orange County siblings to claim the doubles crown at Ojai. Last season, Woodbridge’s Avery and Brayden Tallakson won the title.
Tyler Lee showed his promise by recently winning the Pacific Coast League singles title by defeating sophomore Brady Tallakson 8-4.
Tyler Lee also is the only player this season to defeat Hoffmann. Lee posted a 6-4, 6-3 victory.
University, the defending team champion in Ojai, features its own set of brothers to watch in doubles. University senior SangHyuk Im, a runner-up in doubles in 2022, teams with his brother JiHyuk, another freshman to watch.
The Trojans have claimed Ojai’s team title — known as the Griggs Memorial Challenge Trophy — three consecutive tournaments and nine times overall, second all-time to Santa Barbara (14).
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