Nathan Lee Headlines Strong Start
Nathan Lee is back at the Easter Bowl, and making up for lost time.
One year after skipping the prestigious USTA Junior Spring Nationals, the No. 3 seed in the Boys’ 14s division has returned in dominant fashion at the 58th Annual Easter Bowl Presented by adidas, held this week at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
Lee, 13, delivered a statement performance in his opening rounds, including a decisive 6-2, 6-2 victory over Ethan Su of Kissimmee, Fla. The Tustin, Calif. native—who trains about 100 miles from Indian Wells—has quickly established himself as a top contender in this year’s Level 1 national tournament.
Lee first made national headlines in 2024 when he reached the Boys’ 12s final as an unseeded player. However, he chose not to compete in last year’s Easter Bowl.
“I thought I was too good for the 12s, but the 14s would have been really tough,” Lee said. “Plus, I was in public school, and it was an important week and I didn’t want to miss it.”
Now fully committed and back in the draw, Lee advances to face Redondo Beach’s Benjamin Inukai in the third round.
Local Talent Shines in Boys’ 12s Draw
The Coachella Valley was represented by Palm Desert’s Benjamin Foreman, who made his Easter Bowl debut in the Boys’ 12s division. The 12-year-old battled hard before falling to Yann Carl Barthold of Port Washington, N.Y., 5-7, 6-3, 10-4.
Foreman, competing in his fifth USTA National event, showed resilience by rallying from a 3-5 deficit to capture the first set.
“I just tried to be more aggressive and hit to his backhand more,” Foreman said. “I think I stayed calm even though I was in a big hole.”
He was supported by family, friends, and coach Pam Montez—a former CIF-Southern Section champion from nearby La Quinta and UCLA All-American.
Foreman embraced the experience of competing at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, especially after attending the BNP Paribas Open earlier this month.
“It was pretty nerve-wracking,” he admitted. “But really cool.”
Next on his schedule are the USTA National Clay Courts in July before moving up to the 14s division later this year.
Seeds Hold Strong With Notable Upsets
Top seeds in the Boys’ 14s division have largely cruised through early rounds. No. 1 Ishaan Marla (Mason, Ohio) and No. 2 Michael Chervenkov (Canton, Ga.) each advanced comfortably, dropping just a handful of games combined.
However, the draw has already seen its share of surprises. In an all-Southern California matchup, Goleta’s Ciaran Tober-Bridges upset No. 7 Yi He Gao in a third-set super tiebreaker. Meanwhile, Aarian Nayak of Henderson, Nev., defeated No. 4 Evaan Mohan, 6-3, 6-1.
In the Girls’ 14s division, top seed Nadia Poznick (Ann Arbor, Mich.) advanced safely, but two major upsets shook the bracket. Angela Li stunned No. 3 Ava Chua in a tight tiebreak, while Isabelle Nguyen of San Gabriel defeated No. 5 Reese Ellingson in straight sets.
Action Continues Across Divisions
In Boys’ 12s play, top seed Dmitriy Flyman dominated his second-round match without dropping a game, while No. 2 seed Yifan Nie was upset by Mile Markham. On the girls’ side, top seeds Chloe Anthony, Summer Yang, and Valentina Singh Carvajal all advanced.
The tournament continues to build momentum, with Boys’ and Girls’ 16s and 18s divisions set to begin play on Tuesday.
One of the nation’s premier junior tournaments, the Easter Bowl features competition across the 18s, 16s, 14s, and 12s divisions, with coveted gold, silver, and bronze balls awarded in singles and doubles.
