Lehnhoff & Laiho Play US Open 3rd Round on Sunday
Sunday, September 2, 2001 | Women's Tennis
University of Florida senior Jessica Lehnhoff (Delray Beach, FL) and recent Gator graduate Whitney Laiho (Newport, RI) play tennis legends Martina Navratilova (USA) and Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario (ESP) on Sunday in the third round of the U.S. Open Women’s Doubles Championship. The match is scheduled to be played on the Grandstand showcourt and will not start before 6:30 p.m.
By reaching the third round, Laiho and Lehnhoff have tied the best performance by the reigning NCAA women's doubles champions at the U.S. Open since Louise Allen and Gretchen Rush of Trinity (Texas) lost to No. 5 seeds Billie-Jean King and Sharon Walsh in 1983. Navratilova and Sanchez-Vicario are the No. 7 seeds in this year’s tournament.
Lehnhoff and Laiho earned an automatic wildcard into the U.S. Open after winning the 2001 NCAA Championship in May. The pair was the third different Gator duo to win the NCAA title, which has been won by a UF team four times.
This is only the third time that an NCAA Championship doubles team has won its first round match at the U.S. Open after receiving a wildcard entry.
By reaching the third round, Laiho and Lehnhoff have tied the best performance by the reigning NCAA women's doubles champions at the U.S. Open since Louise Allen and Gretchen Rush of Trinity (Texas) lost to No. 5 seeds Billie-Jean King and Sharon Walsh in 1983. Navratilova and Sanchez-Vicario are the No. 7 seeds in this year’s tournament.
Lehnhoff and Laiho earned an automatic wildcard into the U.S. Open after winning the 2001 NCAA Championship in May. The pair was the third different Gator duo to win the NCAA title, which has been won by a UF team four times.
This is only the third time that an NCAA Championship doubles team has won its first round match at the U.S. Open after receiving a wildcard entry.
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