Yufei Long and Jamie Wei Stun Top Seeds: Yufei Long and Jamie Wei pulled off a major upset at the Select Medical Orange County Cup in San Clemente by defeating No. 4 seeds Jorja Johnson and Lacy Schneemann. The match ended 12-10, 8-11, 11-5 in favor of Long and Wei, who are part of the UPA Asia Trailblazers Program.
Training Pays Off
For over two months, Yufei Long and Jamie Wei have been training in Mesa, Arizona, at the Arizona Athletic Grounds with ten other top Asian players. Their hard work showed in Wednesday’s match, where they showed focus and teamwork against one of the tournament’s top women’s doubles teams.
After winning the first game 12-10, Long and Wei lost momentum in the second. Jorja Johnson and Lacy Schneemann scored six straight points to take the game 11-8. But Long and Wei quickly bounced back, taking a 5-0 lead in the final game and closing it out 11-5.
“It feels amazing, especially after losing a close second set and then being able to come back stronger in the third set to finish it.” -(Yufei Long)
“Being here in the US is a very exciting opportunity, and we appreciate UPA Asia for this chance, I think we present the next generation of Asian talent.”-(Jamie Wei)
Tennis Background and Singles Success
Both Yufei Long and Jamie Wei played college tennis in the United States before turning their focus to pickleball. Long played at Boston College and Vanderbilt University, while Wei played at Temple University.
“It’s so exciting to be able to compete again and experience that thrill of competition.” -(Yufei Long)
The two are also doing well in women’s singles. Yufei Long will face No. 3 seed Kaitlyn Christian in the Round of 16, and Jamie Wei will take on No. 1 seed Anna Leigh Waters.
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Next Challenge in Women’s Doubles
On Thursday, Yufei Long and Jamie Wei will return to the court together to play No. 14 seeds Alix Truong and Andrea Koop. A win would send them to the quarterfinals of the women’s doubles bracket.
Their strong play and team chemistry have made them one of the surprise stories of the tournament. They are now players to watch in both singles and doubles events.
News in Brief: Yufei Long and Jamie Wei Stun Top Seeds
Yufei Long and Jamie Wei upset No. 4 seeds Jorja Johnson and Lacy Schneemann in women’s doubles at the Select Medical Orange County Cup. They won 12-10, 8-11, 11-5. Both Long and Wei also advanced in singles and will play again Thursday for a spot in the doubles quarterfinals.
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