Kirkland, the top seed among 192 players, dominated the singles portion of the United States Tennis Association Girls 18 Hardcourt Championships and earned the gold ball and an automatic entry into the U.S. Open in New York next month.

In ten matches at Los Gatos Swim and Racquet Club and the Almaden Valley Athletic Club courts, Kirkland never lost a set. Her skill and poise on the court she now gives her a chance in the U.S. Open.

Kirkland was one of six professionals taking advantage of recent USTA rules changes that now allow age-eligible professional athletes to compete in national championships. More than 200 of the nations best junior girls competed in the singles or doubles tournaments Aug. 8-15. Almaden Valley Athletic Club (AVAC) hosted the event for the 20th consecutive year.

Audra Cohen of Florida and Riza Zalameda from Los Angeles took control of the doubles tournament. In the title match Cohen and Zalameda, the second seeded team, defeated the No. 3 unit, Lindsay Burdette of Georgia and Alexa Glatch from Newport Beach, Cal.

Neither of these teams knocked off the number one seed. It was the fifth-seeded pair, Frances W. Deason of Houston and Carly Gullickson of Florida, that was able to dethrone Kirkland and her partner, Alexandra Mueller of Pennsylvania. Deason and Gullickson were defeated in the semifinal round by Burdette and Glatch.

Cohen and Zalameda will join Kirkland at the U.S. Open, America's biggest tournament each year, thanks to their doubles championship tournament.