Without much question, Tampa's Timothy Neilly of came out of virtual nowhere to win the Orange Bowl last week. While the 17-year-old has been hacking around of the junior circuit for five years, he was in no way expected to go through the elite field without dropping a set and then take care of phenom Donald Young, 6-4, 7-5 in the final.

"He really tuned the corner," said USTA High Performance chief Eliot Teltscher. "He's always had a lot of power and been a tremendous talent, but had a hard time keeping the ball in the court. At Orange Bowl, he decided to keep the ball further inside the lines. He hits such a heavy ball anyway that he doesn't have to hit the lines to win points."

Ron Cioffi/TR.net

Atlantan Donald Young whack his lefty serve at the '04 U.S. Open.

Neilly was the first African-American male to win the Orange Bowl in the event's 58-year history. He and Young were the first African-Americans to reach the Orange Bowl 18s final. The Williamses sisters may not have yet inspired a huge group of African-American girls to take the tour by storm (although Angela Haynes and Shenay Perry are still hanging in there), but the boys side is looking good. Last summer, Scoville Jenkins became the first African-American winner at the USTA Boys' 18s Super Nationals in the tournament's 89-year history. African American junior Phillip Simmons also had a good year.

"It's been a good year (for African-American juniors) and really is a product of all of our American guys doing well," said Rodney Harmon, director of men's tennis, USA Tennis High Performance. "We're also seeing the assistance we've given kids through multicultural participation grants manifesting itself. All of these kids starting receiving help when they were 12- and 13-years-old and have kept improving."

Harmon was the last African-American to reach the US Open quarterfinals in 1982. ESPN commentator and former Wimbledon finalist MaliVai Washington and, to a certain degree James Blake, were last the African-American men to have a major impact on tour.

So other than crediting Neilly himself with the run, who else could be credited for his improbable run? He hadn't won an ITF title in two years prior to the Orange Bowl and took losses to both Jenkins and Young earlier this year. His singles record in 2004 is a respectable but not terrific 23-16.

GETS COACHING HELP
Three weeks prior, Neilly had lost in the first round of the Eddie Herr tournament. Then he called Tarik Benhabiles, who coached Andy Roddick. "I was totally negative after that loss and called Tarik right after the match to ask for some advice," said Neilly. "He told me to come to Miami right away. It was time to get some direction and Tarik has done that for me immediately."

After the final, Benhabiles told The Miami Herald: "Young is an unbelievable talent. But one was built like a man and the other like a boy. The fitness and strength of Tim were superior. Emotionally, Donald Young played a better match. But Tim's power saved him. I'm happy he won. He's never won anything this big before. Today, the title was on the table, some points [Neilly] played very good, other points he was tight and couldn't move. `He needs to be successful more and more and win 10 tournaments next year in the juniors to get ready for the pros."

Whether Benhabiles and Neilly continue to work with each other is an open question. Neilly's mother, Queen, apparently doesn't have much money and Benhabiles won't come cheap. Unless Octagon – who signed Neilly last year comes up with some major dough – Neilly will likely be without a private coach in 2005, although the USTA is sure to step in and give him some aid.

One of Neilly advisors, Dell Pride, told TennisReporters.net that Neilly has been used and abused by a variety of academies and private coaches over the years. Pride says that once Neilly learns to be a "finisher, no one will be able to stop him."

As impressive as Neilly's run was, the 15-year-old Young's appearance in the final was just as eye-popping. The lefty from Atlanta is still small of stature, but finds a way to win matches. As he continues to grow, he may fulfill all the that Top-10 potential everyone keeps talking about.

"He has a winning way about him," said Teltscher. "It would be hard to believe that he won't make it as a pro. He moves very well and has beautiful strokes. He really know his way around the court."

The USTA must also be pleased that Greg Ouellette of Ormond Beach, Fla., and Mykyta Kryvonos of Flushing, N.Y. reached the OB semis. Let's not forget Americans Brendan Evans, Scott Oudesma and Alex Kuznetsov, who will all be playing in the pros in 2005.

Courtesy of Easter Bowl

Sam Querrey shows an impressive net game.

QUERRY DEFEATS FRENCHMEN
Thousand Oak, Calif.'s Sam Querrey – the 16s Super Nationals and the Easter Bowl winner – also made hay in Key Biscayne, when he took out France's Jeremy Chardy 6-3, 6-4, who had won the Eddie Herr. The 6-foot-5 Querrey fell in the next round. At the U.S. Open juniors, he reached the quarters and held a match point before losing in three sets to eventual champion Andrew Murray of Scotland.

"He's got a very good serve, forehand and his net game is improving," Teltscher said. "He's not Henman at the net yet, but he's making good decisions. He's like Sampras in the way he competes, calm and cool, but fiery inside," said Teltscher.

Another US male who played the Orange Bowl was Carston Ball, the son of Aussie Davis Cupper Syd Ball. He won two titles in 2004, including the Chanda Rubin tournament in Texas. The 17-year-old lefty from Orange County, Calif. looked to be the top man at the totem pole in the year-end USTA Boys' 18s. "He's got a nice all around game," Teltscher said. "He's got a very good lefty serve and a solid all-around game. But we'd like to see him develop a few more weapons." 16s standout Kellen Damico also had a fine run in the November-December Florida tournaments.

MAGEE PLAYS THREE SPORTS IN HIGH SCHOOL
While Super National champ Chase Buchanan reached the Orange Bowl 14s final, another 14-year-old, Andy Magee, has shown promise, playing up in the 16s and reaching the quarters of a series of national Opens. He also reached the final of the Easter Bowl 14s. "He's very big and strong," Teltscher said. "He's a terrific athlete with a great forehand who competes very well."

His private coach, the Jack Kramer Club's Dennis Rizza, says that Magee is one of the best all-around athletes he's ever seen. Magee starts for the Chadwick High varsity basketball team in LA and is also an all-star baseball player. He'll play for Chadwick's baseball team this spring. "It's a testament to how good he is that Andy has done this well in tennis, given his other sports commitments and the fact that his school is so academically demanding," Rizza said. "During basketball season, he's only able to practice a few hours a week He might have to choose one sport sometime in the future but for now he's doing fine."

During the December holidays, Magee decided to step it up tennis-wise, arranging a trip to the Bollettieri Academy and John Roddick's academy in Texas. "He's a self-starter," said Rizza. He's an aggressive baseliner who's not afraid to serve and volley once and a while and come into net. He's got great hands. He's not the type of player who's going to be satisfied to sit on the baseline."

Another 14-year-old to watch is Poway, Calif.'s Bradley Klahn, who reached the semis of the 14s Super Nationals Clay and Hard Courts. The lefty was slated the to finish the year ranked No. 2 nationally.