USTA Tennis Classic of Troy Honored

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TROY, Ala. – Perfect weather, record attendance and a huge honor made for a busy Monday at the USTA Tennis Classic of Troy. Oh, and there were 16 qualifying matches played as the main draw will start on Tuesday.

Brian Earley of the USTA made the trip to Troy from New York to present Troy tournament director Eric Hayes with a plaque celebrating the event's 10th anniversary. In turn, the current and incoming Mayors of Troy presented Earley with a key to the city.

"Troy gets it," stated Earley in a ceremony attended by about 200 media members and members of the Troy tennis community. "A tournament like this is important in the development of a tennis player."

Earley said a tournament like this teaches players how to be professionals.

"Every player (in the professional ranks) under the age of 30 has played in these events."

Earley also made the point that the USTA needs cities like Troy to host these events as much as cities the size of Troy need smaller professional tennis events.

"(Cities like Troy) are where these events are most successful," Earley admitted. "In a bigger city, this kind of tournament gets lost in the shuffle."

The remaining Troy University player in singles, Hannah Toro, a sophomore from the UK was defeated 6-2, 6-0 by a tough American player in Lauren Albanese.

Toro said she could've played better, but was satisfied with the result playing against the pros.

"It's my first tournament like this in years, and it's a real test, stated Toro.

Toro, who will be playing for the Troy women's team come January said this is a great event for college players.

"It's fun to play against the pros and see how your game compares."

Among the other winners on day two of qualifying were former WTA top-40 player Rebecca Marino of Canada, the top-seed in qualifying Angelia Gabueva of Russia and former University of Iowa player, Sonja Molnar of Canada.

Monday's results:

Starting at 09:00 WSQ Rebecca MARINO (CAN) [3] Eva RASZKIEWICZ (USA) 6-1 6-2
Starting at 09:00 WSQ Isabella ROBBIANI (PAR) [4] Mariya SLUPSKA (UKR) 6-3 6-3
Starting at 09:00 WSQ Anamika BHARGAVA (USA) [8] Rhiann NEWBORN (USA) 6-2 6-3
Starting at 09:00 WSQ Anne-Liz JEUKENG (USA) [5] Morocco HITT (USA) 6-2 6-2
Starting at 09:00 WSQ Sonja MOLNAR (CAN) [16] Daria SHARAPOVA (BLR) 7-6(4) 6-0
Starting at 09:00 WSQ Maria SMITH (USA) Rosalia ALDA (USA) [14] 6-4 6-0
Followed by WSQ Lauren ALBANESE (USA) [7] Hannah TORO (GBR) 6-2 6-0
Followed by WSQ Angelina GABUEVA (RUS) [1] Brooke LASHWAY (USA) 6-3 4-6 6-0
Followed by WSQ Vojislava LUKIC (SRB) [2] Magdalena EKERT (POL) 6-4 6-1
Followed by WSQ Jelena PANDZIC (CRO) [10] Kristi BOXX (USA) 7-6(1) 2-6 6-2
Followed by WSQ Chalena SCHOLL (USA) [6] Denise MURESAN (USA) 7-5 7-6(4)
Followed by WSQ Nicola SLATER (GBR) [9] Samantha POWERS (USA) 6-3 6-3
Followed by WSQ Natalie PLUSKOTA (USA) [11] Wendy Qi-Wen ZHANG (CAN) 6-1 7-6(7)
Followed by WDQ Rosalia ALDA (USA) / Isabella ROBBIANI (PAR) [1] Anne-Liz JEUKENG (USA) / Simone KALHORN (USA) 4-6 6-4 [10-7]
Followed by WSQ Emily J. HARMAN (USA) [12] Andie K. DANIELL (USA) 6-3 6-4
Followed by WDQ Anamika BHARGAVA (USA) / Jelena DURISIC (SLO) [2] Andie K. DANIELL (USA) / Karolyn GRYMEL (GER) 6-0 6-0
Followed by WSQ Keri WONG (USA) Jelena DURISIC (SLO) [13] 6-4 6-4
Followed by WSQ Amanda RODGERS (USA) Simone KALHORN (USA) [15] 6-3 6-2

Also on Monday, the annual kid's clinic took place with about 75 young tennis players from the area. Some of the tournament pros assisted with the clinic.

The tournament offers $25,000 in prize money to the singles and doubles players and a 64-player qualifying tournament will take place during the opening weekend of the tournament.

Troy University Athletics

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