Sept. 24, 2010
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky women’s tennis team began play at the 23rd Roberta Alison Fall Classic Friday with 10 wins in the 16 matches they played.
The Cats had a pair of wins from the doubles teams of Megan Broderick and Khristina Blajkevitch, and Jessica Stiles and Marni Venter. Both duos will compete in their respective pools’ championship match Saturday.
Kentucky also had strong singles play in the first round of the tournament. UK was led by Broderick, Stiles, Blajkevitch, Caitlin McGraw and Misha Testerman, who all picked up wins in their respective draws.
“We made some very important steps in the right direction today,” UK head coach Carlos Drada said. “Our players are trying to work in shaping a culture of excellence and courage on the court.”
The doubles portion of the Roberta Alison Fall Classic is broken into four tournaments. Three of the tournaments, called the Wimbledon Draw, US Open Draw, and Austrailian Open Draw, have eight doubles teams competing in them. The French Open Draw is the fourth tournament, and consists of four doubles teams and is played in a round-robin format.
Broderick and Blajkevitch opened play in the Wimbledon Draw Friday with an 8-3 win over Carolina Faught and Giorgia Romeo of UAB. Then in their semifinal match, Broderick and Blajkevitch downed Courtney Collins and Stefanie Mikesz of Memphis, 8-6.
In the US Open Draw, the tandem of Stiles and Venter dispatched Jodie Tiley and Alice Laing of UT Martin by a score of 8-6. In the semifinals, Stiles and Venter were again victorious, this time over Liz Hamlin and Hila Elster of Tulane, 9-7.
After the matches, Drada said he was especially pleased with Venter’s play both in doubles and singles.
“Marni Venter definitely improved dramatically and is beginning to grasp and execute the game plans that suit her game style,” Drada said.
Broderick and Blajkevitch will play for the championship in the Wimbledon draw on Saturday morning against Miriam Kurdadze and Emma Levy of Tulane. Stiles and Venter will play for the championship in the US Open draw against Kir Kemp and Tereza Lerova of Georgia State.
Sophomore Elle Coldiron and freshman Meredith Morrow competed in the French Open draw, and won their first match 9-7 over Michelle Elkin and Katie McCall of UT Martin.
The singles portion of the Roberta Alison Fall Classic was broken into seven different draws of eight individuals and an eighth draw of four individuals. The draws were named after some of the most accomplished women’s tennis players from around the world both past and present.
Broderick, a senior from Tampa, Fla., won her first round match in the Serena Williams Draw against Anna Winkelmann of UT Martin, 6-0, 7-5. Broderick will play Courtney Collins of Memphis on Saturday with a trip to the championship of the pool on the line.
Stiles, a sophomore transfer from Duke, defeated Stefanie Mikesz of Memphis by a score of 6-0, 6-1 in the Venus Williams Draw. She will face Cristina Danaila of Baylor in the semifinals on Saturday.
Blajkevitch, a freshman, was playing in her first singles match of her collegiate career, went up against Liz Hamlin of Tulane. Blajkevitch was victorious by a score of 6-0, 6-3. She will play again Saturday against Taylor Lindsey of Alabama.
“Khristina Blajkevitch had her day today,” Drada said. “She showed her tenacity as a player and will eventually become a strong leader for our team.”
McGraw, also a freshman, won her first singles match of her career with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Rebecca Kirven of Samford. McGraw will face Danielle Terpko of Mississippi State Saturday in the semifinals.
Testerman defeated Kristin Lewis of Samford 6-4, 6-2 to advance to the semifinals of the Lindsay Davenport Draw. Testerman will face Kir Kemp of Georgia State Saturday.
Kentucky players went a combined 10-6 on the first day of play in the Roberta Alison Fall Classic.
“I was especially happy to see a whole team competing and working on fundamentals that will better prepare us for the spring,” Drada said.
Play will continue Saturday with the final round of doubles and the second round of singles. With rain looming in the forecast, the final round of singles may be pushed up from Sunday to Saturday afternoon. That decision will be made Saturday morning. Matches will begin at 8 a.m., ET.
As with all fall tennis tournaments, results will only go toward the players’ individual records, and will not go toward team records.
Stay tuned to UKathletics.com for complete coverage of the Kentucky women’s tennis team at the Roberta Allison Fall Classic.
ROBERTA ALISON FALL CLASSIC
Sept. 24-26
Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Friday results
SINGLES
Serena Williams Draw
Megan Broderick (UK) def. Anna Winkelmann (UT Martin) 6-0, 7-5
Venus Williams Draw
Jessica Stiles (UK) def. Stefanie Mikesz (Memphis) 6-0, 6-1
Caroline Wozniacki Draw
Khristina Blajkevitch (UK) def. Liz Hamlin (Tulane) 6-0, 6-3
Maria Sharapova Draw
Caitlin McGraw (UK) def. Rebecca Kirven (Samford) 7-5, 6-4
Lindsay Davenport Draw
Misha Testerman (UK) def. Kristin Lewis (Samford) 6-4, 6-2
Monica Seles Draw
Lindsey Mallory (Samford) def. Marni Venter (UK) 6-1, 2-6, 6-3
Chris Evert Draw
Menanteau Moolman (UAB) def. Elle Coldiron (UK) 6-3, 6-0
Billie Jean King Draw
Emily Mallory (Samford) def. Meredith Morrow (UK) 6-0, 6-1
DOUBLES
Wimbledon Draw
Broderick/Blajkevitch (UK) def. Faught/Romeo (UAB) 8-3
Broderick/Blajkevitch (UK) def. Collins/Mikesz (Memphis) 8-6
US Open Draw
Stiles/Venter (UK) def. Tiley/Laing (UT Martin) 8-6
Stiles/Venter (UK) def. Hamlin/Elster (Tulane) 9-7
Australian Open Draw
Fonseca/Gerber (Tulane) def. McGraw/Testerman (UK) 9-7
Pietraroia/Zachary (Miss. State) def. McGraw/Testerman (UK) 9-7
French Open Draw
Coldiron/Morrow (UK) def. Elkin/McCall (UT Martin) 9-7
Lewis/Mallory (Samford) def. Coldiron/Morrow (UK) 8-2
