Oct. 13, 2003
Kentucky’s Aibika Kalsarieva continues to be a significant force on the collegiate tennis scene, as the junior claimed singles and doubles titles Monday at the First Annual USTA National Tennis Center Women’s College Tennis Invitational in Flushing Meadows, N.Y. Monday’s “A” flight singles final marked the third time Kalsarieva had appeared in the finals of a top singles bracket in as many weeks. The USTA tournament featured players from last season’s top 16 women’s tennis programs.
After dispatching Harvard’s Melissa Anderson in the semifinals by a 6-2, 6-3 count, Kalsarieva made short work of Brown’s Stephanie Falconi to claim victory in the 32-player flight, taking her second singles title in eight days with a 6-1, 6-4 win. Junior Danielle Petrisko earned a trip to the finals of the “B” bracket Monday but came up just shy after winning a hard-fought three-set match Sunday in the semifinals.
“Aibika has made tremendous progress at Kentucky in such a short time,” UK Assistant Coach Carlos Drada said. “It has been exciting to see her develop as a top player as quickly as she has.”
A decisive 8-2 victory for Kalsarieva and UK freshman Sarah Foster over Harvard’s Preethi Mukundan and Melissa Anderson earned the pair a trip to a doubles final for the second time in as many weekends. The Kansas Jayhawk pair of Emily Haydock and Kristen Steinbock was no match for Foster and Kalsarieva, as the Wildcats ran away with an 8-1 victory in the finals of the top doubles flight.
“For Aibika and Sarah to get this far in two consecutive weeks of tough competition is just incredible,” Drada said. “This weekend, they simply put on a clinic on how to play doubles. This experience has been invaluable for them.”
The Cats return to action on Thursday, Oct. 23 at the Omni/ITA Southeast Regional event in Winston-Salem, N.C.
AGATE:
“A” Flight Singles FinalAibika Kalsarieva (UK) def. Stephanie Falconi (Brown) – 6-1, 6-4
“A” Flight Doubles FinalSarah Foster/Aibika Kalsarieva (UK) def. Emily Haydock/Kristen Steinbock (Kansas) – 8-1
