Jim Ji is bringing strong credentials to Yale when he arrives on campus in late August. His latest accomplishment only adds to his resume. Ji captured the USTA Boys' 18s National Clay Court Championship over the weekend, posting a straight sets win in the championship match at the Delray Beach (Fla.) Tennis Center.
 
No. 8 seed Ji, who is from La Jolla, Calif., defeated ninth-seeded Cyrus Mahjoob of Rockville, Md. 6-4, 6-1.
 
"I really asserted myself and played an offensive game style by putting a lot of pressure on him throughout the whole match," Ji said in a post-match press release. "He likes long rallies, so I tried to shorten the points and force him to hit winners. It paid off."
 
Ji was coming off grueling three-set quarterfinal and semifinal victories over top-seeded Cassius Chinlund (7-6 in the third) and Ian Mayew, but his superior conditioning held up during his title run.
 
Ji, who attended Bishop High in San Diego and has been ranked as high as No. 11 by the USTA, is looking forward to getting started with the Bulldogs in the fall.
 
"I believe the coaches there will help take me to the next level," he said.