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Marco’s Matt Browne played among the elite this week in the 60th USTA Florida Junior State Closed Championships at the Daytona Beach Tennis Center.

Browne competed in the 14-and-under class, winning three matches and losing two.

“This tournament represents the best junior tennis players in the great state of Florida,” said Ann Brown, USTA Florida coordinator of tournaments and rankings.

“Since Florida is the strongest section in the USTA, to be selected for this tournament the participants are among the elite juniors in the country,” she said.

Browne said, “That I was considered among the best players made me feel pretty good, but I also knew I was in for a challenge. I knew I had to get better and prove myself more by winning as many rounds as I could.”

Browne downed David Papworth of Middleburg in his first round, 6-2, 6-0.

“He has played in many tournaments, but I was ready. I just tore him a part,” Browne said.

In the second round he won the first set, 6-4, then lost a tough 7-5 set. In the last set 12th-seeded Mario Nicosia of Bradenton took control, winning, 6-0.

“I was down two set points in the second set at 2-5 (in games), but battled back to 5 all. He won the next two games then cut out my heart in the third set,” he said.

Browne bounced back in the consolation bracket, downing Dylan Nunez of Boca Raton, 6-3, 6-4.

“I was up 5-1 in the first set and 4-1 in the second, but he was a scrappy player,” Browne said.

His next opponent was Jose Gracia, who had beaten the number one seed earlier. In winning, 6-1, 6-3, Browne said, “I took it to him and then I would mix in drop shots and he couldn’t handle my kick serve.

Unfortunately his tournament experience ended in the next round, losing to 10th-ranked Jake Albo of Plantation, 6-3, 6-3.

“Shots I hit by other people he got and he had a huge forehand,” Browne said of Albo.

“Overall I played pretty well. (Not being ranked) I picked up points for a ranking and more people started talking about me, like who is this guy.”