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Patch's Jon Lightner returns a shot from ISB's Patrick Tan in his 3-6, 4-6 quarterfinal loss at the DODDS-Europe tennis tournament  in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday.

Patch's Jon Lightner returns a shot from ISB's Patrick Tan in his 3-6, 4-6 quarterfinal loss at the DODDS-Europe tennis tournament in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Patch's Jon Lightner returns a shot from ISB's Patrick Tan in his 3-6, 4-6 quarterfinal loss at the DODDS-Europe tennis tournament  in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday.

Patch's Jon Lightner returns a shot from ISB's Patrick Tan in his 3-6, 4-6 quarterfinal loss at the DODDS-Europe tennis tournament in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Number 2 seed Carli Arza of ASOR returns a shot by Casey Leon of Hohenfels in their quarterfinal match at the DODDS-Europe tennis tournament  in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday. Arza won 6-3, 6-0.

Number 2 seed Carli Arza of ASOR returns a shot by Casey Leon of Hohenfels in their quarterfinal match at the DODDS-Europe tennis tournament in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday. Arza won 6-3, 6-0. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Casey Leon of Hohenfels keeps her eyes on the ball as she prepares to return a shot by AOSR's Carli Arza during a quarterfinal match at the DODDS-Europe tennis championships in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday. The unseeded Leon lost the the tourney's second seed, 3-6, 0-6.

Casey Leon of Hohenfels keeps her eyes on the ball as she prepares to return a shot by AOSR's Carli Arza during a quarterfinal match at the DODDS-Europe tennis championships in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday. The unseeded Leon lost the the tourney's second seed, 3-6, 0-6. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Top-seeded Ajdin Tahirovic of Patch returns a shot to Heidelberg's James Chase in their quarterfinal match at the DODDS-Europe tennis finals in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday. Tahirovic beat the eighth-seeded Chase 6-0, 6-1.

Top-seeded Ajdin Tahirovic of Patch returns a shot to Heidelberg's James Chase in their quarterfinal match at the DODDS-Europe tennis finals in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday. Tahirovic beat the eighth-seeded Chase 6-0, 6-1. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Eighth-seeded James Chase of Heidelberg watches his return of a Ajdin Tahirovic shot sail across the net in a quarterfinal match at the DODDS-Europe tennis tournament in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday. Chase lost to the top seed from Patch 0-6, 1-6.

Eighth-seeded James Chase of Heidelberg watches his return of a Ajdin Tahirovic shot sail across the net in a quarterfinal match at the DODDS-Europe tennis tournament in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday. Chase lost to the top seed from Patch 0-6, 1-6. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Top-seeded Ginevra Bolla returns a shot at the net in her quarterfinal match against Ramstein's Michaela Corral at the DODDS-Europe tennis finals in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday. Bolla won 6-1, 7-5.

Top-seeded Ginevra Bolla returns a shot at the net in her quarterfinal match against Ramstein's Michaela Corral at the DODDS-Europe tennis finals in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday. Bolla won 6-1, 7-5. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Ramstein's Michael Corral, the tourney's eighth seed, returns a shot from top-seeded Ginevra Bolla in their quarterfinal match at the DODDS-Europe tennis championships in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday. Bolla won 6-1, 7-5.

Ramstein's Michael Corral, the tourney's eighth seed, returns a shot from top-seeded Ginevra Bolla in their quarterfinal match at the DODDS-Europe tennis championships in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday. Bolla won 6-1, 7-5. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Patrick Tan of ISB concentrates as he returns a shot from Patch's Jon Lightner in their quarterfinal match at the DODDS-Europe tennis tournament  in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday. Tan, the tourney's second seed, beat the seventh-seeded Lightner 6-3, 6-4.

Patrick Tan of ISB concentrates as he returns a shot from Patch's Jon Lightner in their quarterfinal match at the DODDS-Europe tennis tournament in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday. Tan, the tourney's second seed, beat the seventh-seeded Lightner 6-3, 6-4. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

SHAPE's Nickolay Gospodinov returns a shot from AOSR's Gabriele Boccaccini in his 7-6 (8-6), 6-2 quarterfinal win at the DODDS-Europe tennis finals in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday.

SHAPE's Nickolay Gospodinov returns a shot from AOSR's Gabriele Boccaccini in his 7-6 (8-6), 6-2 quarterfinal win at the DODDS-Europe tennis finals in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

AOSRs Gabriele Boccaccini slams back a shot from SHAPE's Nickolay Gospodinov at the DODDS-Europe tennis finals in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday. Unseeded Boccaccini lost the quarterfinal match to the third seed, 6-7 (6-8), 2-6.

AOSRs Gabriele Boccaccini slams back a shot from SHAPE's Nickolay Gospodinov at the DODDS-Europe tennis finals in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday. Unseeded Boccaccini lost the quarterfinal match to the third seed, 6-7 (6-8), 2-6. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Fourth-seeded Sayaks Goto of Iinternational School of brussels uses her forehand to return a shot by Bitburg's Kaitlyn Miller. Goto won the quarterfinal match at the DODDS-Europe tennis finals in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday, 6-1, 7-5.

Fourth-seeded Sayaks Goto of Iinternational School of brussels uses her forehand to return a shot by Bitburg's Kaitlyn Miller. Goto won the quarterfinal match at the DODDS-Europe tennis finals in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday, 6-1, 7-5. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Bitburg's Kaitlyn Miller runs down a ball from International School of Brussels' Sayaka Goto during the DODDS-Europe championship tennis tournament Friday. Miller, the tourney's fifth seed, lost to the fourth-seeded Goto 1-6, 5-7.

Bitburg's Kaitlyn Miller runs down a ball from International School of Brussels' Sayaka Goto during the DODDS-Europe championship tennis tournament Friday. Miller, the tourney's fifth seed, lost to the fourth-seeded Goto 1-6, 5-7. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Heidelberg's Cameron Meeker knocks back a shot from Bahrain's Emir Isik in their quarterfinal match at the DODDS-Europe tennis tournament in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday. The fifth-seeded Meeker beat Isik, the tourney's fourth seed 6-4, 7-6 (7-2).

Heidelberg's Cameron Meeker knocks back a shot from Bahrain's Emir Isik in their quarterfinal match at the DODDS-Europe tennis tournament in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday. The fifth-seeded Meeker beat Isik, the tourney's fourth seed 6-4, 7-6 (7-2). (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Bahrain's Emir Isik, the tourney's fourth seed, returns a Cameron Meeker shot in his 4-6, 6-7 (2-7) quarterfinal loss to the fifth-seeded Heidelberg player during the DODDS-Europe tennis tournament tennis finals in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday.

Bahrain's Emir Isik, the tourney's fourth seed, returns a Cameron Meeker shot in his 4-6, 6-7 (2-7) quarterfinal loss to the fifth-seeded Heidelberg player during the DODDS-Europe tennis tournament tennis finals in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Heidelberg's Paige Chase watches her serve to SHAPE&'s Svenja Jansen cross the net in their quarterfinal match at the DODDS-Europe tennis tournaments in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday. Chase won 6-2, 6-2.

Heidelberg's Paige Chase watches her serve to SHAPE&'s Svenja Jansen cross the net in their quarterfinal match at the DODDS-Europe tennis tournaments in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday. Chase won 6-2, 6-2. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Svenja Jansen returns a shot form Heidelberg's Paige Chase in their quarterfinal match at the DODDS-Europe tennis tournament  in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday. Chase beat Jansen 6-2, 6-2.

Svenja Jansen returns a shot form Heidelberg's Paige Chase in their quarterfinal match at the DODDS-Europe tennis tournament in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday. Chase beat Jansen 6-2, 6-2. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Patch's Ajdin Tahirovic slams back a Cameron Meeker shot in a boys semifinal match at the DODDS-Europe tennis championships in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday. The top-seeded Tahirovic  advanced to Saturday's final with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Meeker, the tourney's fifth seed.

Patch's Ajdin Tahirovic slams back a Cameron Meeker shot in a boys semifinal match at the DODDS-Europe tennis championships in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday. The top-seeded Tahirovic advanced to Saturday's final with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Meeker, the tourney's fifth seed. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

ISB's Patrick Tan, the tourney's second seed, advanced to Saturday's boys final at the DODDS-Europe tennis championships in Wiesbaden, Germany, with a 7-6 (7-2), 6-1 win over Nikolay Gospodinov of SHAPE, the defending champ.

ISB's Patrick Tan, the tourney's second seed, advanced to Saturday's boys final at the DODDS-Europe tennis championships in Wiesbaden, Germany, with a 7-6 (7-2), 6-1 win over Nikolay Gospodinov of SHAPE, the defending champ. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Third-seeded  Paige Chase of Heidelberg advanced to Saturday's girls final at the DODDS-Europe tennis championships in Wiesbaden, Germany, with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Carli Arza of AOSR, the tourney's second seed.

Third-seeded Paige Chase of Heidelberg advanced to Saturday's girls final at the DODDS-Europe tennis championships in Wiesbaden, Germany, with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Carli Arza of AOSR, the tourney's second seed. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Top-seeded Ginevra Bolla of Marymount returns a shot on her way to a three-set win against ISB&'s Sayka Goto, the fourth seed, and a spot in Saturday's girls final against Heidelberg's Paige Chase. Bolla won the match 3-6, 6-3, 6-1.

Top-seeded Ginevra Bolla of Marymount returns a shot on her way to a three-set win against ISB&'s Sayka Goto, the fourth seed, and a spot in Saturday's girls final against Heidelberg's Paige Chase. Bolla won the match 3-6, 6-3, 6-1. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Heidelberg's Jack Kolodziejski returns a shot in Friday's boys doubles semifinal as teammate Darien Ward watches. The top-seeded team advanced to Saturday's final with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win over Arman and Evin Alarilla of Wiesbaden.

Heidelberg's Jack Kolodziejski returns a shot in Friday's boys doubles semifinal as teammate Darien Ward watches. The top-seeded team advanced to Saturday's final with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win over Arman and Evin Alarilla of Wiesbaden. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

SHAPE's Alvaro Sanchez returns a shot against Ramstein as teammate Aaron Yip backs him up. The unseeded team beat Lee Debose and Forrest Kampermann, the third seed, to advance to Saturday's final.

SHAPE's Alvaro Sanchez returns a shot against Ramstein as teammate Aaron Yip backs him up. The unseeded team beat Lee Debose and Forrest Kampermann, the third seed, to advance to Saturday's final. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Ramstein's Olivia Rockwell returns a shot in a girls doubles semifinal at the DODDS-Europe tennis championships in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday. Rockwell and Meghan Augsburger, the defending champions, will defend their title Saturday after beating Yu Murakami and Ana Torrijos of International School of Brussels in the semis.

Ramstein's Olivia Rockwell returns a shot in a girls doubles semifinal at the DODDS-Europe tennis championships in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday. Rockwell and Meghan Augsburger, the defending champions, will defend their title Saturday after beating Yu Murakami and Ana Torrijos of International School of Brussels in the semis. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

WIESBADEN-NORDENSTADT, Germany — Ginevra Bolla will attempt to three-peat as DODDS-Europe girls tennis champion, and top-seeded Patch freshman Ajdin Tahirovic will try to win his first boys title when he squares off against No. 2 seed Patrick Tan of International School of Brussels on Saturday at the indoor courts of the Tenniszentrum Vitis.

Bolla, a junior at Marymount International School of Rome and seeded No. 1 again, will take on hard-hitting Paige Chase of Heidelberg, the No. 3 seed playing in her first DODDS-Europe tournament, for the girls title.

But don’t assume that a third straight appearance in the finals is old-hat to the two-time champ.

“It’s more challenging this year,” said Bolla, who lost a set for the first time this season in her semifinal match and spent the next two hours completing a 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 comeback against moon-balling Sayaka Goto, an ISB sophomore seeded fourth. Bolla prevailed by moving the agile Goto, a human backboard, all over the court in an exhausting match.

“It’s better when it’s a challenge,” Bolla said of her three-set victory.

The two managed to catch their breath several times during the marathon by exchanging clay-court-type lobs, four or five at a stretch, in the late going as their legs grew heaqvy. Both took as much time as allowed on the bench between games.

Bolla will face an entirely different match in the final. Chase, a junior transfer from North Carolina, sports a heavy serve and puts plenty of pace on every ball. She has not lost a set in this tournament.

”My serve is the strength of my game,” Chase said after demonstrating her prowess in that area during a 6-2, 6-0 beat-down of second-seeded Carli Arza of the American Overseas School of Rome. Chase didn’t know how many aces she served against Arza, but in her final service game of the second set, she uncorked an ace and three service winners to prevail at love in what looked to be a familiar pattern.

Chase welcomed the move of the competition from the clay courts she used during the regular season to the carpet at the Vitis center, even though she said she’s not a serve-and-volley specialist.

“I prefer to serve,” she said, “and stay on the baseline.”

Tahirovic earned his berth in the final with a 6-4, 6-4 conquest of No. 5 Cameron Meeker of Heidelberg. Having won every match in straight sets here, he finished long before Tan and Nikolay Gospodinov of SHAPE completed their battle on an adjacent court.

“I don’t care who I play,” Tahirovic said as he glanced at the Gospodinov-Tan match. “Tennis is tennis.”

Tan, however, was the choice, as he prevailed 7-6 (7-2), 6-1 for his second straight victory over Gospodinov, the defending DODDS champ.

“It helped to have played him before,” Tan said. “I had seen his shots.”

He hasn’t, however, seen any of Tahirovic’s shots. But he knows what the future holds.

“He’s an amazing player,” Tan said as he and Tahirovic stood with the arms around each other’s shoulders as Friday’s play ran down.

“It’s going to be an amazing match,” Tahirovic said.

The top-seeded boys and girls doubles teams also advanced to the finals.

The Ramstein girls tandem of Olivia Rockwell and Meghan Augsburger, the defending champs, will take on the second-seeded AFNORTH pair of Stephanie Seitz and Taylor Bonen Clark after sweeping aside fourth-seeded Yu Murakami and Ana Torrijos of ISB 6-3, 6-4. The AFNORTH team needed three sets to get past the fifth seed, Kasmira Della Schiava and Elisse Hooley of Milan, 6-2, 4-6, 6-1.

In the boys finale, Heidelberg’s duo of Jack Kolodziejski and Darien Ward will take on unseeded Alvaro Sanchez and Aaron Yip of SHAPE. The top seeds advanced with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win over Arman and Evin Alarilla of Wiesbaden, while the SHAPE pair knocked off third-seeded Lee Debose and Forrest Kampermann of Ramstein, 7-6, 6-4.

All championship matches will begin around 11 a.m.

bryanr@estripes.osd.mil.

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