There was no easy way around the winner.
Little Rock's Jef Simpson, 17, said he knew it going into the boys 18 final of the United States Tennis Association state junior qualifying tournament at Burns Park in North Little Rock on Monday.
Hunter Harrison, 17 of Little Rock, proved it with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Simpson.
"You have to be on your game mentally when we play," Simpson said. "I think that goes for both of us."
Simpson and Harrison said they practice together almost every day.
"I know his game very well," Simpson said. "He really doesn't have any weaknesses. If you want to beat him, you better be ready. That's what I'd tell anyone. You just have to give all you got. That's your only chance. There's a reason he's a [No.] 1 seed."
Harrison said Simpson made Monday's match much more of a struggle than the score indicated. It lasted 1 hour, 24 minutes, but player comfort was helped by an overcast sky and a late-morning high temperature of 79 degrees.
"You couldn't have asked for better weather," Harrison said.
Harrison led 3-0 to start the first set and seemed in command, but Simpson fought back. Harrison said he might have become overconfident, and Simpson won consecutive games to pull within 3-2.
Serving with a chance to tie the set, Simpson led 30-0 in the sixth game.
"That could've been a turning point for me, but I just didn't play smart," Simpson said. "I had a mental lapse. That gave Hunter a lot of momentum, and he's hard to stop once he has the momentum. That was a bad mistake on my part to let him back."
Harrison said he reminded himself that he is never out of a game. He spoke of a 0-40 reversal he made in his 7-6, 6-7, 6-2 semifinal victory over Little Rock's Parker Stearns on Sunday. He scored the next three points before a Simpson backhand sent the game to deuce. Simpson would regain advantage, but Harrison won the next two points to take a 4-2 lead.
"That was a very important game," Harrison said. "I think when I went up three, I might have thought it was going to be easy for me, but then he started hitting very good shots, and I got a little tight and didn't execute. I just was sticking to my game plan."
Simpson had qualified for the semifinals with a 6-3, 6-1 semifinal victory over Stuart Riser of Hot Springs.
"Hunter's really solid all around," Simpson said. "If you're going to play him, all I can tell you is, 'Good luck.' ''
Sports on 05/31/2016