CALABASAS, Calif., (Oct. 25, 2009) – Unseeded Donald Young of Atlanta, Ga., captured his first tournament title of the year and the third of his career with a straight-set win over No. 2 seeded Michael Russell as the ninth annual USTA Men’s Pro Tennis Championship of Calabasas came to a close on Sunday.
 
    Young, 20, remained steady and played the swirling, moderate wind and the bigger points a little better to take the first set, 7-6 (4) before amping up his game to take the second, 6-1, for the title and the $7,200 first-place prize money at the Calabasas Tennis & Swim Center.  
 
    “I know it came in the fall but it feels great to get my first tournament win of the year,” said a smiling Young, who lost to Russell back in February in Dallas. “Michael gets a lot of balls back. He doesn’t ever give up so you just have to stay in there and be patient.” Russell, who lives in Houston, is the USTA Pro Circuit’s all-time leader in tournament wins with 20.
 
    Young played great, especially the last four matches. After needing three sets to beat qualifier Louk Sorensen in the first round, Young gave up just 13 games over his next three matches including a convincing straight-set win over former Top 25 player Taylor Dent.
 
    Young said he’s been trying to work on his mental toughness the last few weeks. “It’s something that I’ve lost over the past year and I’m trying to get it back,” he said.
 
    Russell, 31, earned $4,240 for his efforts and thanked the crowd, some who remember watching him play in the first Calabasas Challenger. “Way back in 1887,” Russell joked to the fans. “It’s a great event and I’m happy to come back here and be in the final.”
 
    Young also thinks Calabasas is nice. But he’s not particularly hoping for a return trip here next year. He hopes to be coming off a successful season on the ATP Tour. “I really like it here,” he said. “But I hope the next time I come it’s just for a visit.”
 
    In the doubles final, Santiago Gonzalez of Mexico and Simon Stadler of Germany went the distance against third-seeded Treat Conrad Huey of the Philippines and Harsh Mankad of India, eventually pulling out the victory, 6-2, 5-7, 10-4. Huey and Mankad were coming off a win at last week’s Tiburon $50,000 Challenger.
 
RESULTS - OCTOBER 25, 2009
Sunday’s Singles Final
Donald Young, United States, def. Michael Russell (2), United States, 7-6 (4), 6-1
 
Sunday’s Doubles Final  
Santiago Gonzalez, Mexico-Simon Stadler, Germany, Treat Conrad Huey, Philippines-Harsh Mankad (3), India, 6-2, 5-7, 10-4

USTA Pro Circuit
With 94 tournaments throughout the country and prize money ranging from $10,000 to $100,000, the USTA Pro Circuit is the pathway to the US Open and tour-level competition for aspiring tennis players and a frequent battleground for established professionals. Last year, more than 1,000 men and women from more than 70 countries competed on the USTA Pro Circuit for approximately $3.2 million in prize money and valuable ATP and WTA Tour ranking points. Maria Sharapova, Andy Roddick, James Blake, Lindsay Davenport, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Jelena Jankovic are among the top stars who began their careers on the USTA Pro Circuit. The USTA Pro Circuit is world-class tennis administered on the local level and played on local tennis courts as part of the fabric of communities nationwide — an opportunity for current and new fans to experience the excitement and intensity of the professional game in their neighborhood.