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BY LOGAN FINNELL All week, Klahn stunned the Seascape he let out a thunderous “Yeah!” as he crowds with two big weapons: his massive turned to his coach Craig Boynton and Stanford’s Bradley Klahn climbed the serve and lethal forehand, which some the cheering fans. “I had a lot of support victory tree, claiming his first ever Chal- compared to Nadal’s. out there,” he said. “It makes it extra spe- lenger title at the 26th Annual Comerica When Klahn finally broke serve at 5- cial to win my first Challenger title in my Bank Challenger. Having played college 4 to win the match and capture the title, second home.” Klahn’s Stanford coaches tennis a little north of Aptos in John and J.J. Whittinger were Palo Alto, CA, Klahn obvious- also in attendance. ly had a bit of home-court ad- Currently ranked No. 123, vantage. After reaching the fi- Klahn has jumped more than nals in Binghamton, NY last 100 spots since the beginning month, and scoring a quarterfi- of the year. “It’s a really good nal win over No. 5 seed Wayne feeling and shows that I’ve Odesnik at Seascape, he se- come a long way,” he said. cured himself a wild card into This summer alone has been the main draw at the US Open. huge for the former Stanford Although Klahn was happy star: “I haven’t made it past the with the wild card in his pocket quarterfinals in a Challenger (he should be, it’s worth RIDEOUT/[email protected] TARTER JOYCE before, so to make two finals, $32,000), that wasn’t his main and a semi . . . it feels really focus at Aptos. He was in it to good to culminate that with a win it. win here.” On the road to his first vic- After winning the NCAA tory, 22-year old Klahn beat singles title as a sophomore, ‘07 Seascape champion, Don- Klahn contemplated going pro, ald Young, who ousted last but Stanford kept calling him year’s champ, USC alum Steve back. “I wouldn’t have wanted Johnson, in the first round. He to change those four years for also dispatched No. 5 seed anything,” he said. As a rising Odesnik, No. 2 seed Evgeny star, Klahn admits that tennis Donskoy, and then England’s has become more of a full-time Daniel Evans in the final. job now: “I don’t like to look Klahn started off tentatively, at it that way, though, because allowing Evans to dictate I love what I do.” Next up for points, but he rallied to score a him is the US Open. Last year, 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4 win. “He’s a the Stanford standout ousted crafty player,” Klahn said of top 50 player Jurgen Melzer in Evans afterward, “I knew it five sets to become the first- was going to be a tricky ever qualifying wild card to match.” And tricky it was: win a round at the Open. Klahn even saved a match In doubles, ‘08 Australian point in the second set. “I was Open champs Andy Ram and happy to escape that and get Jonathan Erlich took the title through the tiebreaker,” he re- with a 6-3, 6-7(6), 10-2 victory called. over Matt Reid and five-time That moment proved piv- Seascape finalist Chris Guc- otal, as Klahn took control in cione. The Israeli duo played the final set. “I was trying to fearlessly all week long, and

INSIDE TENNIS • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013 • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER TENNIS INSIDE stay in the moment, stay com- their 20-year partnership posed, stick with the game Bradley Klahn won his first tour title at the Comerica Bank Challenger, collecting a wild proves that a team that plays card into the US Open along the way. 38 plan, and it paid off,” he said. together stays together.