Oct. 1, 2010

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky women’s tennis team is heading out West for the Riviera/ITA women’s All-American Championships.

The Riviera/ITA All-American Championships begin Saturday and are being held at the Riviera Tennis Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif., for the 26th consecutive year, and marks the third tournament of the fall season for the Cats.

Senior Megan Broderick and freshman Khristina Blajkevitch will team up to compete in the main draw doubles event. Broderick and Blajkevitch have already had success this season after going 2-1 in the Roberta Alison Fall Classic last week.

Broderick, a Tampa, Fla., native, will also be competing in the qualifying singles pool. Broderick will need to win three matches in the qualifying pool to advance to the main draw.

Sophomore Jessica Stiles will play with freshman Marni Venter in the qualifying doubles tournament. Similarly to Broderick and Blajkevitch, Stiles and Venter have had success playing doubles together this season with a 2-1 record from the Roberta Alison Fall Classic. Stiles and Venter will need to win three matches in the qualifying doubles pool in order to join Broderick and Blajkevitch in the main draw doubles pool.

Stiles will also be competing in prequalifying singles. There, Stiles will play Carolina Hitimana of Florida, the top-ranked player in the prequalifying singles pool, on Saturday at 9:45 a.m. PT.

Blajkevitch will also be competing in the prequalifying singles tournament. Blajkevitch, a Victoria, Canada, native, will compete against Courtney Dolehide of UCLA on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. PT.

Stiles and Blajkevitch will each have to win three matches in prequalifying singles to advance to the qualifying singles stage.

The tournament runs from Oct. 2-10, with prequalifying matches running Oct. 2-3, qualifying matches running Oct. 5-6, and the main draw being held Oct. 7-10.

Stay tuned to UKathletics.com for complete coverage of the Kentucky women’s tennis team at the Riviera/ITA All-American Championships.