Kendrick claims Calabasas Challenger title

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers WINNING FORM- Robert Kendrick hits a return during his victory Sunday at the final of the Calabasas Pro Challenger. Kendrick beat Donald Young, 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4.

With winds gusting 60 to 70 miles per hour and helicopters flying overhead assessing fire damage in nearby Malibu, former Pepperdine All-American Robert Kendrick beat 18-year-old Donald Young in three sets to win the USTA $50,000 Pro Challenger on Sunday, 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4.

Kendrick pocketed $7,200 first-place prize money while Young took home $4,240. It was another payday for Kendrick after the singles final as he was awarded the runner-up prize money in doubles.

He and Cecil Mamiit split $1,800 in a 7-6 (10), 4-6, 10-8 (tiebreaker) loss over winners John Isner and Brian Wilson, who split $3,100.

No smoke was visible during the match as the warm, windy Santa Ana conditions blew northwest toward the ocean. An estimated crowd of 250 enjoyed the tennis, although sloppy at times because of the wind.

Kendrick said it was a mental battle out there.

"At first, I tried to come in a lot but he was coming back at me with a lot of top (spin)," Kendrick told the crowd after the match. "At one point I started joking around and hit a couple of spin shots short that he couldn't reach. I should have never won this match."

The changing of pace definitely threw off Young, who was visibly upset when Kendrick tied it at 6-6 to force a tiebreaker in the second set, throwing his racket to the ground in disgust.

It was a long week for Kendrick, the top-seeded player at the tournament and ranked No. 112 in the world. He actually opened the tournament with a 6-0 loss in the first set of his first-round match against Kevin Kim before coming back to win.

Kendrick also had to come back from a set down to beat Isner in the semifinals on Saturday.