Intensity Rises at Women's Pro Tennis Tournament
Wednesday, January 16, 2002 | Women's Tennis
Intensity and desperation were at high levels at the Ring Tennis Center on the campus of the University of Florida where the final rounds of qualification ended and first matches of main draw play for the United States Tennis Association (USTA) Women's Circuit Event began Tuesday, Jan. 15.
After a rain cancellation of Monday's matches, Mother Nature reared her head one last time causing a minor, 45-minute delay to the start of matches Tuesday. As the courts were dried of the last remains of the rain, emotional players took their places at their assigned courts.
Harsh screams echoed across the facility as players unleashed their frustration at mistakes they had made. Racquets were thrown in the air and bounced of the courts as they watched their last remaining chances to continue climbing throughout the draw fade away.
Four of the top-15 seeded players in the qualification rounds still remain, with only two in the top-five still playing. The top seeded player of qualification, Dimana Krastevitch, Bul. is not one of those remaining participants. Krastevitch defeated Sabita Maharaj, USA on Sunday after a having a bye in round one. In round three she faced Marina Bernshtein, Isr., who won a close match against Julianna Gates, USA Sunday; 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-2. The first match was a heartbraking 6-4 loss for Krastevitch, who had not lost a set in the tournament. Unable to recover, Krastevitch lost the second set 6-2.
"I desperately needed this tournament," Krastevitch said. "I was happy with my performance at the beginning of the tournament, but I knew that I needed to play better. Unfortunately I was unable to. I really needed to play well here."
A recent graduate of Florida, Stephanie Hazlett, USA continued to climb the ladder of qualification and claimed a spot in the main draw. After opening the tournament with a bye, Hazlett collected an easy victory over Cristina Moros in round two; 6-1, 6-3. She also upset No. 5 Darija Jurak, Cro. with little difficulty in round two. Her first struggle came in her final round match against No. 13 Daria Kustava, Blr. After a 7-6 first set, Hazlett just barely nudged out Kustava in scoring five in the breaker. Hazlett then again pulled a close victory with a 7-5 in the final set.
"I played pretty well," Hazlett said. "I had knee surgery this fall and this has been the first time I have played since the NCAA tournament in May. It is great to be back in Gainesville, I never thought that I would play here again. I think I have been doing a pretty good job so far and I just hope to make it to the main draw."
With one qualification match left to play, six other combatants have qualified for the main draw. No. 2 seed Whitney Benik, USA won her spot by defeating No. 15 Natallia Dziamidzenka, BLR; 6-3, 6-4. No. 10 Stephanie Mabry, USA claimed a victory over No. 6 Aneta Soukup, Can 4-3, after Soukup retired at 40-30 in game eight. Antonia Matic, Ger. Eliminated Daria Chemarda, Rus. 6-2, 6-3 and No. 14 Yoo-Mi Jung took out Marina Bernshtein 6-1, 2-6, 6-4. No. 11 Melanie Marois, Can. moved over Angela Haynes, USA 6-3, 6-2, and Shenay Perry finished her match to be fill in the last main draw spot of the day..
A couple of current Gators made their appearance as main draw play began. Alexis Gordon, USA took on No. 1 seed Vanessa Webb, Can. Webb was defeated by fellow Gator Jessica Lehnhoff, USA on her road to the singles semifinals at the USTA event in Tallahassee last week. Webb than teamed up with Lehnhoff to win the doubles title there. This time around the Gator was not to get the advantage. Webb defeated
Gordon; 6-2, 6-3.
"I think that this was a pretty good first match," Webb said. "I felt that I was able to make a strong start to the tournament. Gordon is a good young player. She has a good serve, and as she gained confidence throughout the match she made me raise my game. She is going to do very well at Florida."
The players will return to action at 10 a.m. Wednesday. Doubles qualifying also got a start on Tuesday and will continue Wednesday morning. The event is the first USTA event to be hosted at UF and only the second USTA event of the year. Lehnhoff will take the court at 10 a.m., with Hazlett and Dawaf playing at approx. 12 p.m.
Agate
Singles Qualification, Round 3
Marina Bernshtein, ISR def. No. 1 Dimana Krastevitch, BUL; 6-4, 6-2
No. 2 Whitney Benik, USA def. Shelley Panford, GHA; 6-3, 6-1
Stephanie Hazlett, USA def. No. 5 Darija Jurak, CRO; 6-1, 6-2
No. 14 Yoo-Mi Jung, KOR def. Aiko Nakamura, JPN; 6-4, 6-4
No. 15 Natallia Dziamidzenka, BLR def. Stacia Fonseca; 6-1, 6-2
Antonia Matic, GER def. Gaelle Adda, FRA; 6-4, 6-1
Daria Chemarda, RUS def. No. 12 Anna-Eugenia Nefedova, RUS; 6-2, 6-2
No. 4 Ivana Abramovic, CRO def. Natalia Sanchez, COL; 6-4, 6-0
No. 13 Daria Kustava, BLR def. Neha Uberoi, USA; 6-2, 6-4
No. 6 Aneta Soukup, CAN def. Kyung-Mi Chang, KOR; 7-6 (7), 7-5
No. 10 Stephanie Mabry, USA def. Kyung-Won Kim, KOR; 6-1, 6-0
No. 9 Tanner Cochran, USA def. Celine Regnier, 6-1, 6-1
Angela Haynes, USA def. Marta Simic, YUG; 6-1, 6-0
Shikha Uberoi, USA def. Annika Bengtsson, SWE; 7-5, 7-5
No. 7 Shenay Perry, USA def. Mami Inoue, JPN; 6-3, 6-4
Melanie Marois, CAN def. So-Jung Kim, KOR; 6-3, 6-4
Singles Qualification, Round 4
No. 2 Whitney Benik, USA def. No. 15 Natallia Dziamidzenka, BLR; 6-3, 6-4
Stephanie Hazlett, USA def. No. 13 Daria Kustava, BLR; 7-6 (5), 7-5
No. 10 Stephanie Mabry, USA def. No. 6 Aneta Soukup, CAN; 4-3 (40-30 ret.)
Antonia Matic, GER def. Daria Chemarda, RUS; 6-2, 6-3
No. 14 Yoo-Mi Jung, KOR def. Marina Bernshtein, ISR; 61-, 2-6, 6-4
No. 11 Melanie Marois, CAN def. Angela Haynes, USA; 6-3, 6-2
Shenay Perry, USA def. Tanner Cochran, USA; 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-2
Doubles Qualification
Yeon Kim, KOR/Eun-Mi Oh, KOR def. Lioudmila Skavronskaia, RUS, Ilona Vichnevskaya, RUS; 6-2, 4-6, 6-2
Seul-Ki Chin, KOR /Milica Stamenic, CAN def. Shelley Panford, GHA/Marilyn Baker, USA; 3-5, 4-0, 4-0
So-Jung Kim, KOR/Yoo-Mi Jung, KOR def. Annika Bengtsson, SWE/Daria Kustava, BLR; Walkover
Beau Jones, USA/Anzela Zguna, LAT def. Natalie Beck, USA/Sabita Maharaj, USA; 4-1, 4-2
Kristina Kraszewski, USA/Alexis Gordon, USA def. Darija Jurak, CRO/Petra Russegger, AUS; 4-1, 4-1
Melanie Marois, CAN/Stephanie Hazlett, USA def. Antonia Matic, Ger./Kyung-Mi Chang, KOR; 4-2, 4-2
Amanda Parson-Siegel, DEN/Annie Trepanier, CAN def. Dewonder Davis, USA/Nancy Loeffler-Caro, CAN; 4-1, 4-0
Jung, KOR/Kim, KOR def. Aiko Nakamura/Paula Zabala, USA; 4-0, 5-3
Maria Kirilenko, RUS/Daria Kustava, BLR def. Angela Haynes, USA/Feiel Esseghir, ALG; 5-3, 4-2
Main Draw-Singles
No. 1 Vanessa Webb, CAN def. Alexis Gordon, USA; 6-2, 6-3
No. 2 Oxana Karyshkova, RUS def. Eugenia Chialvo, ARG; 7-6 (1), 2-6, 6-3
Stephanie Schaer, VEN def. Anzela Zguna, LAT; 6-0, 7-6 (1)
Courtenay Chapman, USA def. Zuzana Lesenarova, CZH; 6-2, 1-6, 6-2
