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Michael McClune, a 6-foot-2 bundle of freckles and blistering serves, arrived in New York with a suitcase, a bag of tennis rackets and a hope...

His hope is to play well in his first U.S. Open main draw, a huge opportunity of his young lifetime. The former Woodbridge High standout earned a wild-card entry when he won the USTA Boys 18s national title in Kalamazoo, Mich., earlier this month. He will play veteran Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina in the first round.

McClune has twice played in the Junior U.S. Open, but never got past the first round. This year, though, he is as different as his smile. The braces are gone and so are his nerves.

"There's definitely some pressure, but I'm just planning on going out and playing my game and having the time of my life," McClure, 17, said.

The one thing McClune left back home in Irvine, though, is the pressure that tends to weigh down a young talented American.

No sooner does a tennis-wielding teen show a hint of promise, someone who can pound ground strokes and serves into the cement, than the tennis community latches on like a leech. Just ask Donald Young and the denizens who came before him.

"I think I'm mature enough to handle those kinds of expectations," McClune said. "I feel I'm definitely prepared for whatever comes next."

McClune turned professional in April and immediately headed for the professional tour, spending the better portion of this year playing USTA Challenger and ITF Futures events in exotic places such as Loomis, Calif., Rock Forest, Canada, Brownsville, Texas and Celoya Cto, Mexico.

"Some of those places I never knew existed," he said.

McClune also attempted to qualify for three ATP Tour events in the better-known cities of Cincinnati, San Jose and Los Angeles. Not only did the cities sound familiar, so did the players.

"It was great, sitting in the locker room and there goes (Rafael) Nadal and (Roger) Federer walk by," McClune said. "That's when I decided that's where I want to be, at this level, in locker rooms like this."

McClune first picked up a racket at age 4, on the urging of his father, Mickey. By age 8, Michael was playing and winning junior tournaments.

Four years later, McClune took his big serves and devastating forehand to the Advantage Tennis Academy, located at the Racquet Club of Irvine, and quickly immersed himself into the junior program. He showed promise and a huge backhand, but he lacked aggressiveness.

"Historically, he had been too nice,' said teaching pro Jimmy Johnson, who has worked with McClune for the past five years. "I can recall about 100 matches where my blood pressure would be so high because he was scared to call a ball."

Johnson remembered an Easter Bowl match where a deep ball hit to his backhand was clearly out and McClune played it anyway and ended up losing the point and the set.

"He's a great kid who's all business out there now," Johnson said. "But to me, Michael will always been that freckled-faced kid with braces."

McClune eventually developed a killer instinct as evidenced by his growing resume that includes the Ojai High School championship and CIF title. He capped off last year by being named an All-American.

Previously ranked No. 1 nationally in the USTA boys 12s and16s, McClune solidified his place at the top of the 18s division this year with his victory at Kalamazoo.

"He's a very talented and gifted player who is able to pick up things quickly," said fellow pro Taylor Dent, who worked with McClune at Nick Bollettieri's Academy in Florida for two weeks heading into the Boys 18s Championships.

"He also just wants it (success)."

Dent, who played seven years on the ATP Tour before back trouble sidelined him this year, said he told McClune to remember that not everything will go exactly your way.

"You just have to put your best foot forward and give it your best out there and whatever happens, happens and accept that," Dent said.

Even if it happens on the biggest tennis stage in America.