Troy University Athletics
Upsets Highlight The Day at USTA
10/13/2010 10:40:32 PM | General
Singles Main Draw Doubles Main Draw Order of Play Agate
Three Seeds Fall In Round One of Singles Main Draw
Wednesday saw five of the top eight seeds advance in the main draw of the singles bracket at The USTA Tennis Classic of Troy. Three of the top seeds weren't so lucky proving the field at the 2010 version of The Classic is as tough as ever.
Fourth-seeded Anna Tatishvili fell in her main draw opening match to Alexandra Stevenson. The upset saw the world's 136th ranked athlete fall to number 337 due to a retirement by Tatishvili. The other two matches however were finished on the court in full upset style.
Fifth-seeded and 185th ranked Madison Brengle fell to Asha Rolle in three sets 6-3, 0-6, 7-5. Rolle is no stranger to handing out upset bids in tournament play as she knocked off Tatiana Golovin who was ranked 18th worldwide at the time in the 2007 US Open. The upset advanced her to the third round, and her experience in big matches has proved to be a legitimate factor for her early in The Classic.
The final upset on the day to see a seeded player fall was Olga Puchkova knock off seventh-seeded and 204th ranked Heidi El Tabakh. Puchkova handled business in two sets as she won the first 7-6 in four tie-breakers, and the second she took 6-3.
On the doubles side of the bracket, the upset lived on as well.
The top-seeded duo of Lindsay Lee-Waters and Megan Moulton-Levy were shown an early exit from the tournament by the pair of Grace Min and Lauren Albanese.
Min has been hailed as the next Melanie Oudin on many occasions, and she lived up to the hype with her partner Albanese. Albanese, just 20-years-old, has seen the second round of the US Open, and she has been consistently ranked in the top 200 worldwide since 2006.
The pair of Min and Albanese has proven to be a difficult draw in the doubles field, and the action for them will continue on Thursday.
Thursday action will resume at the normal start time of 10:00 am at the Lunsford Tennis Complex in Troy. The Boys & Girls Club will also attend the tournament on Thursday for a clinic. Professionals will be on hand to teach the kids techniques about the game, and also talk with them about reaching goals in their future.
Fusano Looking Forward to Time in Troy
Christina Fusano has been a regular at The USTA Tennis Classic of Troy for four years running. The California native is seeded third in the doubles bracket with her partner Courtney Nagle, and for Fusano, the tournament provides a nice week for her schedule each year.
"I love this tournament," Fusano said. "I always feel welcome here when I come to town. The tournament is well-run, and Troy always lives up to the southern hospitality every year. There are a lot of great things about coming here, and it is one that I like forward to each year."
For Fusano, making headway in her tennis career each week on the USTA Pro Circuit is her top priority, but when she isn't playing she loves to volunteer her time.
"I really enjoy working with the kids in the area at every tournament I play in," Fusano said. "It's something I always try to make time for at each tournament. This is a great opportunity to expose kids to the game that they otherwise might not see, and I love teaching them a few things."
Fusano will have plenty of opportunities to show some of Troy's youth the ropes on the tennis courts, and that is one reason she enjoys The Classic. There are many more reasons her week of southern hospitality is enjoyable as well.
"I love being on a college campus," Fusano said. "It's something different from the normal tournament. It's really great being around the young college crowd for a week, and I enjoy the change of pace. I like the city, and the atmosphere is what makes this tournament great."
Fusano, like any other competitor, has only one thing on her mind though when she takes to the courts each day.
"Take the title in Troy."
So far, she's on the right path.
