Van Der Meer title goes to teen Hibi

Mayo Hibi had never been this nervous before.

No one could blame her, either. After all, the youngster was playing in her first singles championship Saturday in the Head/Tail Activewear Women's 10K USTA Pro Circuit Tournament against Jessica Moore, who already has three ITF singles titles to her credit.

"I was really, really nervous," Hibi said as she shook her head.

It was only last year that Hibi began playing in front of an audience, too. That one came in the semifinal round in Evansville, Ind., where she competed in her first match involving ball boys.

"I was so nervous," she recalled. "I played way too big than what I should have done. Played pretty poorly there, so I didn't want to make the same mistake today."

Far from it. Hibi cruised to her first-ever singles title, as she downed the third-seeded Moore in straight sets, 6-3, 6-1 at the Van Der Meer Tennis Center. With the win, Hibi claimed 12 ranking points and $1,568 in prize money.

"I just tried to move well, fight well," she said. "I think I was able to do that."

Hibi turned what had been a tight 4-3 contest in the first set into a rout by the match's end. She picked up a victory in the fifth game thanks to Moore's double fault before cruising from there.

"I played some poor points on that game, but she gave me a few double faults, which saved me," she said. "I got up 5-3 and was able to close out the set. After that, I think she started double faulting a few times per game."

Added Moore: "I probably didn't serve my greatest, which put me a bit more under pressure."

Hibi understood her strategy against the Aussie and executed it to perfection. The Irvine, Calif., resident knew she had to pick and choose when to be aggressive or patient against the 21-year-old Moore, who generally hits balls with lots of topspin.

"I didn't want to get too far back," she said. "I didn't want to be too aggressive. ... I think I did it pretty well."

The match's outcome wasn't a true indicator of the fierce competition, however. Most of the duo's games went to deuce before the seventh-seeded Hibi was able to close out her opponent.

"She has a different game," said Moore, who earned eight ranking points and $980 in prize money with the runner-up finish. " ... She slashed a lot. It was difficult for me playing someone like that."

"That can change the game greatly, when you're not used to it," she later added. "You're off-balance."

Moore will now return to Australia for some time off after competing in the United States for the last two months. She plans on returning in a few weeks.

Hibi, meanwhile, will continue her exciting year. She turned 16 in April and continues to fend off her father, who is encouraging her to take the driver's test.

"I'm too scared," she said, laughing. "I'm not going to take it."

Yet she was able to conquer her nerves in her first singles final, so earning a license should be a piece of cake.

This story was originally published June 4, 2012 at 12:51 AM with the headline "Van Der Meer title goes to teen Hibi."