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Rosters Announced For Maureen Connolly Challenge Trophy
By Tennis Week
09/23/2003
The International Tennis Hall of Fame announced the rosters for the United States and Great Britain teams that will contest the Maureen Connolly Challenge Trophy at the Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, October 2nd-4th.
Several of the top girls' 18-and-under players from both nations will compete in 11 matches over three days (nine singles and two doubles matches). The event is officially sanctioned by the USTA and The Lawn Tennis Association of Great Britain.
The United States has won 18 of the 28 meetings between the two nations in this competition.
Team USA
Whitney Deason, 17, of Houston, Texas has been ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in the 12s, 14s, 16s and 18s with USTA Texas Section and has held a USTA national ranking of No. 2 in Girls 18s. She was a singles and doubles winner in the 2001 Girls' 16s Orange Bowl. Whitney was also selected to the Fed Cup Junior Team in 2002. Whitney is the recipient of three USTA National Sportsmanship Awards and received the 2002 USTA Sections Mary Lowden Sportsmanship Award.
Vania King, of Long Beach California, has had a breakout year in 2003, posting an 8-3 singles record and a 7-3 doubles record. At 14, she currently holds a USTA national ranking of No. 6. She reached the singles quarterfinal at the Super National Hard Courts (Girls' 18s) in San Jose in August, and took third place in singles at The Easter Bowl (Girls' 18s) in Palm Springs in April. She reached the singles quarterfinals at the German Open in June and the doubles semifinals (with Sarah Fansler) at the Dutch Open in July.
Eighteen-year-old Iris Ichim of Woodland Hills, California is currently the No. 1 USTA nationally ranked junior girl 18 and under. In singles this year she has compiled a 23-13 record and 16-9 in doubles. She finished the 2002 tennis season with an ITF junior singles ranking of 102, and has since moved up 54 spots to her current No. 48 junior ranking. This year, Iris finished in third place at the Super National Hard Courts in San Jose, was a doubles semifinalist at Wimbledon and a doubles quarterfinalist at both Roland Garros and the Italian Open.
At age 15, Elizabeth Kobak of Old Westbury, New York is a USTA junior standout, as she is currently the USTA’s national No. 4 player in the Girls 16 and Under. In August, Liz won the 16s Super National Hard Court singles title in San Diego and also reached the 16s doubles quarterfinal with partner Jennifer Stevens. She is a consistent and competitive player. In April, Liz was also honored with the ATP Gator Bowl Sportsmanship Award.
Megan Falcon, 18, is a former USTA national No. 1 ranked player (Girls' 16s). She currently holds an ITF junior singles ranking of No. 61 and an ITF junior doubles ranking of No. 32. She was a singles quarterfinalist at the Super National Hard Courts in San Jose. She reached the doubles semifinals at Wimbledon with partner Adriana Penas of Spain in July.
USA Captain Mervyn Webster coached the 2002 U.S. Team for the Maureen Connolly Challenge Trophy in Bournemouth, England and the 2003 U.S. Team for the Maureen Connolly Brinker Cup in Sea Island, Georgia. Webster has worked with all levels of players from beginner to Top 10 ranked players and has coached junior players to national and Grand Slam titles. In 1996-1997 he was coach of Springfield Lasers World Team Tennis franchise. Webster coached the Wichita Advantage of World Team Tennis from 1991-1994, winning the WTT Championships in 1993. Webster was named U.S. Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) Touring Coach of the Year in 1994 and has been a USPTA Level 1 professional since 1976.
Team Great Britain
Six years after winning the 12 and under National Championships, 17-year-old Katie O’Brien re-affirmed her place in British junior tennis when she was crowned 18 and under Junior National Champion this year. Katie, from Hull, England, made her major move up the rankings in 2002 after winning two Junior ITF titles, the Bierumaki Junior Cup and the Team Leschly Danish Junior Cup. Katie, who still has another year (2004) on the junior circuit, continued on last year’s good form making it to the last 16 at this year’s Wimbledon Junior Championships and reaching the semifinals of both the Appletise Winchester Junior Tournament and the Kramfors Junior Challenge.
Claire Peterzan, 16, from Wimbledon, England reached the semifinals of the Doring Berlin Junior Open in July and prior to this was runner up at The Scottish Junior International Championships losing to compatriot Hannah Grady in the final. Success came in the doubles when Claire teamed up with sister Laura to take The Scottish Junior International doubles title.
Laura Peterzan, 15, younger sister of Claire, has emerged this year to establish a name of her own among the British juniors. Laura was champion at the ITF event in Nottingham and a quarterfinalist at the Rushbrooke Junior International. However, perhaps her most notable success was her title at the 15 and under Junior National Championships in August. Laura is not new to Team Great Britain, as she has represented her country in the European Winter and Summer Cups.
Jade Curtis, from Plymouth, Cornwall is the youngest player in the Maureen Connolly Trophy squad at just 14, but is certainly not without her achievements. This year, her first year in ITF Junior events, Jade had success at the Prokom Cup where she made it to the final and then followed this up with a quarterfinal appearance at The Scottish Junior International Championships.
Melanie South, 17, from New Malden, Surrey, started 2003 very strongly, winning the 17th Salk Open title and making it to the semifinals of the Vasteras International Junior Championships in January. She followed this up with a quarterfinal appearance at the LTA International Junior Tournament in Wrexham in February. Melanie’s success was cut short by a knee injury that has kept her out of tennis for a large part of the year. She recently made an impressive comeback at the 18 and under Junior National Championships, making it through to the quarterfinals.
Great Britain Captain Nick Brown is a former U21 British Champion (1980) and National Senior Singles Champion three years later. After leaving the ATP Tour in 1984 to work as a coach to such young talent as Tim Henman, he returned after five years to play seven Davis Cup matches, reached the third round of Wimbledon and achieved a world ranking of 140. He has also had success in doubles with a quarterfinal appearance in the Australian Open and a world doubles ranking of No. 40. Brown is currently the Fed Cup Captain for The Lawn Tennis Association of Great Britain.
Matches will be held on Bill Talbert Stadium Court at the International Tennis Hall of Fame starting daily at 10 a.m. Thursday’s schedule: opening ceremonies followed by four matches; Friday’s schedule: four matches; Saturday’s schedule: three matches, closing ceremonies and the trophy presentation.
Tickets for the Maureen Connolly Challenge Trophy at the International Tennis Hall of Fame can be obtained by calling (401) 849-3990. Daily tickets are available for $10 each and a three day combo ticket is available for $25.
By Tennis Week
09/23/2003
The International Tennis Hall of Fame announced the rosters for the United States and Great Britain teams that will contest the Maureen Connolly Challenge Trophy at the Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, October 2nd-4th.
Several of the top girls' 18-and-under players from both nations will compete in 11 matches over three days (nine singles and two doubles matches). The event is officially sanctioned by the USTA and The Lawn Tennis Association of Great Britain.
The United States has won 18 of the 28 meetings between the two nations in this competition.
Team USA
Whitney Deason, 17, of Houston, Texas has been ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in the 12s, 14s, 16s and 18s with USTA Texas Section and has held a USTA national ranking of No. 2 in Girls 18s. She was a singles and doubles winner in the 2001 Girls' 16s Orange Bowl. Whitney was also selected to the Fed Cup Junior Team in 2002. Whitney is the recipient of three USTA National Sportsmanship Awards and received the 2002 USTA Sections Mary Lowden Sportsmanship Award.
Vania King, of Long Beach California, has had a breakout year in 2003, posting an 8-3 singles record and a 7-3 doubles record. At 14, she currently holds a USTA national ranking of No. 6. She reached the singles quarterfinal at the Super National Hard Courts (Girls' 18s) in San Jose in August, and took third place in singles at The Easter Bowl (Girls' 18s) in Palm Springs in April. She reached the singles quarterfinals at the German Open in June and the doubles semifinals (with Sarah Fansler) at the Dutch Open in July.
Eighteen-year-old Iris Ichim of Woodland Hills, California is currently the No. 1 USTA nationally ranked junior girl 18 and under. In singles this year she has compiled a 23-13 record and 16-9 in doubles. She finished the 2002 tennis season with an ITF junior singles ranking of 102, and has since moved up 54 spots to her current No. 48 junior ranking. This year, Iris finished in third place at the Super National Hard Courts in San Jose, was a doubles semifinalist at Wimbledon and a doubles quarterfinalist at both Roland Garros and the Italian Open.
At age 15, Elizabeth Kobak of Old Westbury, New York is a USTA junior standout, as she is currently the USTA’s national No. 4 player in the Girls 16 and Under. In August, Liz won the 16s Super National Hard Court singles title in San Diego and also reached the 16s doubles quarterfinal with partner Jennifer Stevens. She is a consistent and competitive player. In April, Liz was also honored with the ATP Gator Bowl Sportsmanship Award.
Megan Falcon, 18, is a former USTA national No. 1 ranked player (Girls' 16s). She currently holds an ITF junior singles ranking of No. 61 and an ITF junior doubles ranking of No. 32. She was a singles quarterfinalist at the Super National Hard Courts in San Jose. She reached the doubles semifinals at Wimbledon with partner Adriana Penas of Spain in July.
USA Captain Mervyn Webster coached the 2002 U.S. Team for the Maureen Connolly Challenge Trophy in Bournemouth, England and the 2003 U.S. Team for the Maureen Connolly Brinker Cup in Sea Island, Georgia. Webster has worked with all levels of players from beginner to Top 10 ranked players and has coached junior players to national and Grand Slam titles. In 1996-1997 he was coach of Springfield Lasers World Team Tennis franchise. Webster coached the Wichita Advantage of World Team Tennis from 1991-1994, winning the WTT Championships in 1993. Webster was named U.S. Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) Touring Coach of the Year in 1994 and has been a USPTA Level 1 professional since 1976.
Team Great Britain
Six years after winning the 12 and under National Championships, 17-year-old Katie O’Brien re-affirmed her place in British junior tennis when she was crowned 18 and under Junior National Champion this year. Katie, from Hull, England, made her major move up the rankings in 2002 after winning two Junior ITF titles, the Bierumaki Junior Cup and the Team Leschly Danish Junior Cup. Katie, who still has another year (2004) on the junior circuit, continued on last year’s good form making it to the last 16 at this year’s Wimbledon Junior Championships and reaching the semifinals of both the Appletise Winchester Junior Tournament and the Kramfors Junior Challenge.
Claire Peterzan, 16, from Wimbledon, England reached the semifinals of the Doring Berlin Junior Open in July and prior to this was runner up at The Scottish Junior International Championships losing to compatriot Hannah Grady in the final. Success came in the doubles when Claire teamed up with sister Laura to take The Scottish Junior International doubles title.
Laura Peterzan, 15, younger sister of Claire, has emerged this year to establish a name of her own among the British juniors. Laura was champion at the ITF event in Nottingham and a quarterfinalist at the Rushbrooke Junior International. However, perhaps her most notable success was her title at the 15 and under Junior National Championships in August. Laura is not new to Team Great Britain, as she has represented her country in the European Winter and Summer Cups.
Jade Curtis, from Plymouth, Cornwall is the youngest player in the Maureen Connolly Trophy squad at just 14, but is certainly not without her achievements. This year, her first year in ITF Junior events, Jade had success at the Prokom Cup where she made it to the final and then followed this up with a quarterfinal appearance at The Scottish Junior International Championships.
Melanie South, 17, from New Malden, Surrey, started 2003 very strongly, winning the 17th Salk Open title and making it to the semifinals of the Vasteras International Junior Championships in January. She followed this up with a quarterfinal appearance at the LTA International Junior Tournament in Wrexham in February. Melanie’s success was cut short by a knee injury that has kept her out of tennis for a large part of the year. She recently made an impressive comeback at the 18 and under Junior National Championships, making it through to the quarterfinals.
Great Britain Captain Nick Brown is a former U21 British Champion (1980) and National Senior Singles Champion three years later. After leaving the ATP Tour in 1984 to work as a coach to such young talent as Tim Henman, he returned after five years to play seven Davis Cup matches, reached the third round of Wimbledon and achieved a world ranking of 140. He has also had success in doubles with a quarterfinal appearance in the Australian Open and a world doubles ranking of No. 40. Brown is currently the Fed Cup Captain for The Lawn Tennis Association of Great Britain.
Matches will be held on Bill Talbert Stadium Court at the International Tennis Hall of Fame starting daily at 10 a.m. Thursday’s schedule: opening ceremonies followed by four matches; Friday’s schedule: four matches; Saturday’s schedule: three matches, closing ceremonies and the trophy presentation.
Tickets for the Maureen Connolly Challenge Trophy at the International Tennis Hall of Fame can be obtained by calling (401) 849-3990. Daily tickets are available for $10 each and a three day combo ticket is available for $25.
