This Week in Wisconsin Women’s Tennis: Badgers open at Milwaukee Tennis Classic
September 18, 2017 | Women's Tennis
Wisconsin is sending four athletes to partake in the event
MADISON, Wis. – Returning five and bringing in two new members, the Wisconsin women's tennis team has many familiar faces, and some fresh ones, eager for the start of the season. The Badgers will open the 2017-18 campaign in Milwaukee this weekend when they compete in the 2017 Milwaukee Tennis Classic, which begins Friday morning.
Wisconsin will send four athletes to the tournament: Redshirt senior Sara Castellano, sophomore Michelle Linden and the pair of freshmen, Lexi Keberle and Maryann Rompf. All four athletes have qualified for the 32-player bracket and will compete in the first round matches beginning at 8 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 22 at The Town Club in Fox Point, Wisconsin.
New this year, the Milwaukee Tennis Classic has partnered with the ITA to make this an "ITA Gold Level Event." The event will provide the men's and women's singles champions with wildcards into the 2017 Oracle ITA National Fall Championships, which takes place November 1-5, at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden (Calif.) and other resort locations.
The 42nd MTC tournament will feature a draw of 32 for men's singles, 32 for women's singles and 16 for men's and women's doubles.
Play will commence on Thursday afternoon with round of 16 doubles play around 4:45 p.m. The round of 32 singles draw will begin at 8:00 a.m. on Friday and continue onto Saturday for a 9:00 a.m. start that signals the start of quarter and semifinal play.
The MTC finals will be played in the 10,000-seat UWM Panther Arena in downtown Milwaukee which hosted the 1998 Davis Cup World Semi-Final between the U.S. and Italy, drawing a total of 18,000 people over three days. The women's singles final will take place at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, while the doubles final concludes the Classic and takes place at 12:30 p.m.
The tournament bracket can be found online at milwaukeetennisclassic.org, or fans may follow @BadgerWTennis for match updates.
A LOOK BACK AT 2016-2017
Under first year Wisconsin coach Kelcy McKenna, the Badgers ended the season with a 4-16 record, failing to pick up a match victory against a Big Ten opponent, going 0-11 in conference play.
The Badgers began the season with a win and sweep over Colorado State before going on to knock off in-state opponents Marquette and Milwaukee. McKenna's squad began the season with a 3-1 record and entered Big ten play at 4-5 before the winning came to a standstill.
Team leaders Maria Avgerinos and Sydney Rider finished their careers at Wisconsin last season, both playing a crucial role in mentoring the younger athletes on the team and playing key roles in Wisconsin's victories.
Avgerinos ended her career at Wisconsin with a 46-63 record in singles and a 32-38 record in doubles play.
Rider retired with a 52-79 singles record and a 55-70 doubles record. Both athletes were two-time academic All-Big Ten recipients.
RETURNING BADGERS:
Wisconsin returns five athletes, two seniors and three sophomores, four of whom found their way into the starting lineup last season.
Sara Castellano: A transfer from Kansas State, Castellano was redshirted last season and will make her Wisconsin debut at the Milwaukee Tennis Classic. In the Carmagnola, Italy native's most recent season (2015-16) she put together a record of 13-13 in singles play and 11-8 in doubles for the Kansas State Wildcats.
Kelsey Grambeau: The oldest returning starter from last season, Grambeau ended the 2016-2017 year with a 10-22 singles record while playing in the No. 2 slot all season. Grambeau was also one-half of the doubles team with teammate Christa Zordani that finished 6-3 overall and 2-1 in Big Ten play.
Michelle Linden: A regular starter as a true freshman in last season's lineup, Linden owned an 11-18 record, typically playing in the No. 3 slot. The majority of Linden's doubles matches came with Melissa Pick; the pair ended 1-8 overall.
Melissa Pick: The Albuquerque native returns after piecing together an 11-18 singles record in a Wisconsin uniform last season. Pick's best spot was the No. 5 slot, where she went 3-4 on the season.
Christina Zordani: The third member of the freshmen trio from a year ago, Zordani played singles matches in the No. 3 spot as well as, four, five and six as a true freshman. Her final record was 9-21. Zordani was also with Grambeau as the best doubles team on the roster, going 6-1 in dual play and 6-3 overall.
INCOMING BADGERS:
Wisconsin adds two new faces to the roster this season, bringing in Lexi Keberle, a Milwaukee, native and Maryann Rompf, a native of Bradenton, Florida.
Keberle was ranked No. 26 in the nation, won the Division 1 state singles championship, going 61-0 in her prep career.
Rompf comes in as a five-star recruit as the ninth overall player in the state of Florida and No. 44 nationally. Playing on the national circuit, Rompf's overall record was 30-23.
Wisconsin will send four athletes to the tournament: Redshirt senior Sara Castellano, sophomore Michelle Linden and the pair of freshmen, Lexi Keberle and Maryann Rompf. All four athletes have qualified for the 32-player bracket and will compete in the first round matches beginning at 8 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 22 at The Town Club in Fox Point, Wisconsin.
New this year, the Milwaukee Tennis Classic has partnered with the ITA to make this an "ITA Gold Level Event." The event will provide the men's and women's singles champions with wildcards into the 2017 Oracle ITA National Fall Championships, which takes place November 1-5, at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden (Calif.) and other resort locations.
The 42nd MTC tournament will feature a draw of 32 for men's singles, 32 for women's singles and 16 for men's and women's doubles.
Play will commence on Thursday afternoon with round of 16 doubles play around 4:45 p.m. The round of 32 singles draw will begin at 8:00 a.m. on Friday and continue onto Saturday for a 9:00 a.m. start that signals the start of quarter and semifinal play.
The MTC finals will be played in the 10,000-seat UWM Panther Arena in downtown Milwaukee which hosted the 1998 Davis Cup World Semi-Final between the U.S. and Italy, drawing a total of 18,000 people over three days. The women's singles final will take place at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, while the doubles final concludes the Classic and takes place at 12:30 p.m.
The tournament bracket can be found online at milwaukeetennisclassic.org, or fans may follow @BadgerWTennis for match updates.
A LOOK BACK AT 2016-2017
Under first year Wisconsin coach Kelcy McKenna, the Badgers ended the season with a 4-16 record, failing to pick up a match victory against a Big Ten opponent, going 0-11 in conference play.
The Badgers began the season with a win and sweep over Colorado State before going on to knock off in-state opponents Marquette and Milwaukee. McKenna's squad began the season with a 3-1 record and entered Big ten play at 4-5 before the winning came to a standstill.
Team leaders Maria Avgerinos and Sydney Rider finished their careers at Wisconsin last season, both playing a crucial role in mentoring the younger athletes on the team and playing key roles in Wisconsin's victories.
Avgerinos ended her career at Wisconsin with a 46-63 record in singles and a 32-38 record in doubles play.
Rider retired with a 52-79 singles record and a 55-70 doubles record. Both athletes were two-time academic All-Big Ten recipients.
RETURNING BADGERS:
Wisconsin returns five athletes, two seniors and three sophomores, four of whom found their way into the starting lineup last season.
Sara Castellano: A transfer from Kansas State, Castellano was redshirted last season and will make her Wisconsin debut at the Milwaukee Tennis Classic. In the Carmagnola, Italy native's most recent season (2015-16) she put together a record of 13-13 in singles play and 11-8 in doubles for the Kansas State Wildcats.
Kelsey Grambeau: The oldest returning starter from last season, Grambeau ended the 2016-2017 year with a 10-22 singles record while playing in the No. 2 slot all season. Grambeau was also one-half of the doubles team with teammate Christa Zordani that finished 6-3 overall and 2-1 in Big Ten play.
Michelle Linden: A regular starter as a true freshman in last season's lineup, Linden owned an 11-18 record, typically playing in the No. 3 slot. The majority of Linden's doubles matches came with Melissa Pick; the pair ended 1-8 overall.
Melissa Pick: The Albuquerque native returns after piecing together an 11-18 singles record in a Wisconsin uniform last season. Pick's best spot was the No. 5 slot, where she went 3-4 on the season.
Christina Zordani: The third member of the freshmen trio from a year ago, Zordani played singles matches in the No. 3 spot as well as, four, five and six as a true freshman. Her final record was 9-21. Zordani was also with Grambeau as the best doubles team on the roster, going 6-1 in dual play and 6-3 overall.
INCOMING BADGERS:
Wisconsin adds two new faces to the roster this season, bringing in Lexi Keberle, a Milwaukee, native and Maryann Rompf, a native of Bradenton, Florida.
Keberle was ranked No. 26 in the nation, won the Division 1 state singles championship, going 61-0 in her prep career.
Rompf comes in as a five-star recruit as the ninth overall player in the state of Florida and No. 44 nationally. Playing on the national circuit, Rompf's overall record was 30-23.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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