Ryan Ybarra pinpointed a weakness in the game of Isamu Tachibana, then exploited it by driving repeated shots to Tachibana's backhand.
But the Rice-bound Tachibana, who would end up working at a 45-degree angle against the tennis court as he ran around backhands, simply emphasized his strengths.
Tachibana used a blistering forehand and a powerful serve to defeat Ybarra and capture the Texas Summer Grand Slam boys 18 singles championship with a 7-6, 6-1 victory at the Mitchell Tennis Center.
Tachibana lost just one set in the tournament, coming back from a first-set loss in the round of 32 and winning the last 10 sets he played to clinch the championship.
Tachibana broke Ybarra's serve on the first game of the match, but Ybarra battled back, keeping Tachibana on the run with drives to the backhand side. Ybarra, from Palestine, used several of his deep drives as approach shots, which he finished off impressively. Ybarra hit a running volley to set up a game win and a 4-3 lead.
"In the first set, he really attacked my backhand," Tachibana said. "I think his backhand has improved a lot since the last time I played him.
The competitive first set needed a tiebreaker. Tachibana jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first-set tiebreaker, and won it 7-4
Tachibana, who was born in Japan and grew up in Austin, has been training and living at the John Newcombe Tennis Academy in New Braunfels in the past year.
Tachibana had two double faults that cost him his only game of the second set, but he closed out the match with back-to-back service aces. He had six aces overall.
"After that first set, I just had to get away from hitting to his backhand and went up the line more," Tachibana said. Then he added, with a laugh, "his forehand is good, too.
"In the entire tournament, my serve helped me. I'm really happy, because I've been working on my serves."
In the boys 18 consolation final, Benjamin Chen fell behind 5-2 but rallied to win the second set in a tiebreaker and completed a 6-4, 7-6 win over Laredo's Bryan Welnetz.
Chen broke Welnetz's serve in the final game of the first set to win it, the only service break in the set. Chen survived several challenges by Welnetz, who took Chen to deuce in three straight games but couldn't break through.
In a third-place match, Dallas' David Holiner defeated Abilene's Nathan Robinson 6-1, 6-4.
• David Campbell's e-mail address is david.campbell@theeagle.com.
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 26 | Klein Oak | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 2 | Cypress Woods | Away | 7 pm |
| Sept. 9 | Austin Westlake | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 23 | Temple | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 29 | Killeen Ellison | Away | 7 pm |
| Oct. 7 | Bryan | Kyle Field | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 14 | Killeen Shoemaker | Home | 730 pm |
| Oct. 21 | Copperas Cove | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 28 | Harker Heights | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Nov. 4 | Belton | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 3 | Clear Springs | Away | 7 pm |
| Sept. 9 | Round Rock McNeil | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 15 | Woodlands College Park | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 23 | Killeen Ellison | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 30 | Killeen Shoemaker | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 7 | A&M Consolidated | Kyle Field | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 14 | Copperas Cove | Home | 730 pm |
| Oct. 21 | Harker Heights | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 28 | Belton | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Nov. 4 | Temple | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 26 | Taylor | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 2 | Leander Rouse | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 9 | Navasota | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 16 | Houston C.E. King | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 24 | Hutto | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 30 | Bastrop | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 14 | Manor | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 21 | Pflugerville Hendrickson | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 28 | Pflugerville Connally | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Nov. 4 | Elgin | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 26 | Huntsville | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 1 | Lamar Consolidated | Away | 7 pm |
| Sept. 9 | Houston Lamar | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 23 | Magnolia West | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 30 | Waller | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 8 | Spring Woods | Away | 6 pm |
| Oct. 14 | Montgomery | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 21 | Houston Northbrook | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 28 | Magnolia | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Nov. 4 | Houston Stratford | Home | 7 pm |
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 26 | Navasota | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 2 | Coldspring-Oakhurst | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 9 | Caldwell | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 16 | Crockett | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 23 | Rockdale | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 7 | Palestine Westwood | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 14 | Groesbeck | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 21 | Mexia | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 28 | Palestine | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Nov. 4 | Fairfield | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 26 | Bellville | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 2 | Austin Crockett | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 9 | Madisonville | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 16 | Waco Connally | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 30 | Brookshire-Royal | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 7 | Smithville | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 14 | Giddings | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 21 | Navasota | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 28 | La Grange | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Nov. 4 | Rockdale | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 27 | Abilene Wylie | Home | 6 pm |
| Sept. 2 | Salado | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 9 | Cameron | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 16 | Liberty Hill | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 7 | Navasota | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 14 | Smithville | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 21 | La Grange | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 28 | Giddings | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Nov. 4 | Caldwell | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 26 | Waco Connally | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 2 | La Vega | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 9 | Rockdale | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 16 | Navasota | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 23 | Hearne | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 30 | Marlin | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 7 | McGregor | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 14 | Academy | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 21 | Florence | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Nov. 4 | Troy | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 26 | Franklin | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 2 | New Waverly | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 16 | Corrigan-Camden | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 23 | Cameron | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 30 | Troy | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 14 | Marlin | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 21 | McGregor | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 28 | Academy | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Nov. 4 | Florence | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 26 | Grapeland | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 2 | Teague | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 9 | Elkhart | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 16 | Trinity | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 23 | Scurry-Rosser | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 7 | Buffalo | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 14 | Leon | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 21 | Axtell | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 28 | Blooming Grove | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Nov. 4 | Italy | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 26 | Elkhart | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 2 | Bremond | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 9 | New Waverly | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 16 | Hillsboro | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 23 | Lovelady | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 7 | Axtell | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 14 | Centerville | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 21 | Italy | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 28 | Buffalo | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Nov. 4 | Blooming Grove | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 26 | Hearne | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 2 | Tomball Memorial | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 9 | Whitney | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 16 | New Waverly | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 23 | Rogers | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 30 | Jarrell | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 7 | Rosebud-Lott | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 14 | Lexington | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 28 | Thorndale | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Nov. 4 | Bruceville-Eddy | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 26 | Smithville | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 2 | Blanco | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 9 | Academy | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 16 | Geronimo Navarro | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 23 | Jarrell | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 30 | Rosebud-Lott | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 14 | Franklin | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 21 | Thorndale | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 28 | Bruceville-Eddy | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Nov. 4 | Rogers | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 26 | St. Joseph | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 2 | Hull-Daisetta | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 9 | Milano | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 23 | Hubbard | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 30 | Snook | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 7 | Moody | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 14 | Thrall | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 21 | Somerville | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Nov. 4 | Normangee | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 26 | Trinity | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 2 | Elkhart | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 9 | Bremond | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 16 | Snook | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 23 | Bartlett | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 30 | New Waverly | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 14 | Moody | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 21 | Thrall | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 28 | Somerville | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Nov. 4 | Iola | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 26 | Cedar Park Summit | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 2 | Burton | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 9 | Snook | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 16 | Vanderbilt Inudstrial | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 23 | Granger | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 30 | Austin St. Dominic Savio | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 7 | Thrall | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 21 | Iola | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 28 | Normangee | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Nov. 4 | Moody | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 26 | Buffalo | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 2 | Leon | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 9 | Normangee | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 16 | Thorndale | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 23 | Axtell | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 7 | Frost | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 14 | Hubbard | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 21 | Chilton | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 28 | Wortham | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Nov. 4 | Dawson | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 26 | Waco Texas Christian | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 2 | Central Texas Christian | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 9 | Iola | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 15 | Giddings State School | Away | 7:00 pm |
| Sept. 23 | Chilton | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 7 | Burton | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 14 | Holland | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 21 | Bartlett | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 28 | Snook | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Nov. 4 | Granger | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 26 | John Paul Catholic | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 2 | Brazos Christian | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 9 | Somerville | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 16 | Normangee | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 30 | Iola | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 7 | Holland | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 14 | Granger | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 21 | Burton | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 28 | Milano | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Nov. 4 | Bartlett | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 27 | Strawn | Away | 10:00 am |
| Sept. 2 | Aquila | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 9 | TBA | TBA | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 16 | Penelope | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 23 | Greenville Christian | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 30 | Tomball Rosehill | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 7 | Waco Live Oak | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 21 | Star | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 28 | Oglesby | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Nov. 4 | Buckholts | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 26 | Iola | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 2 | Katy Faith West | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 9 | Katy Pope John XIII | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 16 | Brazos Christian | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 24 | Shiner St. Paul | Away | 7:00 pm |
| Oct. 8 | Hallettsville Sacred Heart | Away | 2:00 pm |
| Oct. 14 | Bay Area Christian | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 20 | Giddings State School | Home | 7:00 pm |
| Oct. 28 | Austin Regents | Away | 7:00 pm |
| Nov. 4 | Texas School for the Deaf | Home | 7:00 pm |
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 26 | Cypress Christian | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 2 | Snook | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 9 | Texas School for the Deaf | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 16 | St. Joseph | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 23 | The Woodlands Christian | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 30 | Katy Faith West | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 8 | Shiner St. Paul | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 14 | Austin St. Dominic Savio | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 28 | San Antonio St. Gerard | Home | 7:00 pm |
| Nov. 4 | Hallettsville Sacred Heart | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 27 | Waco Live Oak | Away | 7:00 pm |
| Sept. 2 | San Marcos Home School | Home | 7:00 pm |
| Sept. 9 | Harmony Science | Home | 7:00 pm |
| Sept. 16 | BVCHEA | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 23 | Marble Falls Faith | Home | 8:00 pm |
| Sept. 30 | Temple Holy Trinity | Away | 7:00 pm |
| Oct. 7 | Tomball Christian | Home | 7:00 pm |
| Oct. 14 | Bastrop Tribe Consolidated | Home | 7:00 pm |
| Oct. 22 | Waco Methodist Home | Home | 5:00 pm |
| Oct. 29 | Bell County ECHO | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 25 | Waco Parkview | Away | 7:00 pm |
| Sept. 2 | Tomball Rosehill | Home | 7:00 pm |
| Sept. 10 | Dallas The Covenant | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 16 | Orange Community | Home | 7:00 pm |
| Sept. 23 | Houston Texas Christian | Home | 7:00 pm |
| Oct. 1 | Houston Emery-Weiner | Home | 6:00 pm |
| Oct. 14 | Dickinson Pine Drive | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 21 | Throckmorton | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 28 | Alvin Living Stones | Home | 7:00 pm |
| Nov. 4 | Bellville Faith | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 25 | Bellville Faith | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 2 | Austin NYOS | Away | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 9 | Temple Centex | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 16 | Allen Academy | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Sept. 23 | San Antonio Sunnybrook | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 1 | San Antonio FEAST | Away | 1:00 pm |
| Oct. 7 | Central Texas ECHO | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 14 | Williamson County | Away | 7:00 pm |
| Oct. 21 | Waco Live Oak | Home | 7:30 pm |
| Oct. 28 | Waco Methodist Home | Away | 7:30 pm |