Oct. 18, 2004
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This Week
The University of Iowa women’s tennis team will travel to Minneapolis, MN, to compete at the ITA Women’s Tennis Midwest Regional. Competition will take place Thursday through Tuesday at the Baseline Tennis Center.
The Competition
Players from about 30 teams will be competing at the ITA Midwest Regional. All the Big Ten schools but Michigan State will be competing.
Fourteen of the nation’s top 120 singles players and nine of the top 60 doubles teams will be participating. Top singles players in the tournament include Northwestern’s Cristelle Grier and Michigan’s Michelle DaCosta. The top doubles team is Catrina and Christian Thompson of Notre Dame.
Hawkeyes In the Tournament
Three Iowa singles players are automatically in the main draw. Meg Racette, Hillary Mintz and Anastasia Zhukova will begin play Saturday. The remaining players will have to go through qualifying matches to advance to the main draw.
All three doubles teams have also automatically made the main draw. The doubles teams are Mintz and Racette, Zhukova and Milica Veselinovic, and Hilary Tyler and Morgan Tuttle.
Schedule of Events
Thursday, Oct. 21 – 1st and 2nd round qualifying singles
Friday, Oct. 22 – Final round qualifying singles; 1st and 2nd rounds doubles
Saturday, Oct. 23 – 1st and 2nd rounds main draw singles; round of 16 doubles
Sunday, Oct. 24 – Doubles quarterfinals and semifinals; round of 16 singles
Monday, Oct. 25 – Doubles final; singles quarterfinals and semifinals
Tuesday, Oct. 26 – Singles final
At Hoosier Classic
The Hawkeyes finished the Hoosier Classic with eight singles wins and two doubles victories. Freshman Milica Veselinovic won the Flight C singles bracket. Anastasia Zhukova finished third in Flight B singles.
Meg Racette and Hilary Tyler competed at the Riviera All-American Tournament. Tyler won two singles matches in the pre-qualifying rounds before losing. Racette lost in the first round of the qualifying singles, but won two matches in the consolation rounds. In doubles, the duo won their first match before losing.
Hawkeyes In the Rankings
In the ITA Preseason Poll, Megan Racette is ranked 79th in singles. Along with Hillary Mintz, they are ranked 23rd in doubles.
Quoting Assistant Coach Toni Neykova
“We are hoping for a very good ITA Midwest Regional tournament in Minneapolis. It is the first time in a few years that Iowa has gotten three singles players and all three doubles teams in the main draw. The players are really excited and ready to bring their games to a whole new level.”