Tennis Players Qualify for Main Draw

Sept. 23, 1998

BALTIMORE - James Shortall of the Ole Miss men's tennis team advanced to the main draw in men's singles at the T. Rowe Price National Clay Court Championships Wednesday. Lady Rebels' Mariana Eberle and Celeste Frey teamed up to qualify for the women's main draw doubles.

Shortall defeated Paul McInerney of South Alabama 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-3 to advance to the main draw. He has now won five matches in a row after starting in the prequalifying round on Saturday, including three three-setters. Shortall has now won 12 of his last 13 matches dating back to March 28 of last year.

For the second year in a row, Ole Miss will have three players represented in the 64-player singles main draw, as juniors Martin Sjoqvist and Vikrant Chada (automatic qualifiers) join Shortall in the main draw.

On the women's side, Ole Miss will have two players in the main draw singles with ninth-ranked Agnes Muzamel and 18th-ranked Ivona Mihailova. Muzamel, seeded No. 4, reached the finals at last year's clay court championships and is looking for her first grand slam title. She will also team up with Courtenay Chapman in doubles. The two, ranked No. 4 in the nation and seeded No. 2, got to the semifinals of last year's tournament, before rain cancelled the remainder of the doubles.

Eberle and Frey join Chapman and Muzamel in the main draw. They had a bye in the first round and then defeated Shannon Duffy and Kathrine Nasser of Northwestern 8-1 in the second round. In the final round of qualifying, the two held off Tracey Gobey and Marketta Blazakova of South Alabama 9-7.

T. ROWE PRICE NATIONAL CLAY COURT CHAMPIONSHIPS - Baltimore, Md.

WOMEN'S QUALIFYING SINGLES Third round - Viviana Mracnova (OU) def. Celeste Frey (OM) 6-1, 6-1

WOMEN'S QUALIFYING DOUBLES First round - Ivona Mihailova/Irena Mihailova (OM) def. Andrea Garcia/Louise Ostling (ARK) 8-2; Second round - Ondrejova/Iva Puflerova (USA) def. Mihailova/Mihailova (OM) 8-2; Mariana Eberle/Frey (OM) def. Shannon Duffy/Kathrine Nasser (NU) 8-1; Third round - Eberele/Frey (OM) def. Tracey Gobey/Marketta Blazakova (USA) 9-7. *

MEN'S QUALIFYING SINGLES Second round - James Shortall (OM) def. Paul McInerney (USA) 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-3. *

MEN'S QUALIFYING DOUBLES Second round - Alex Lenhoff/Mule (UNC-Greensboro) def. Chada/Shortall (OM) 9-8 (5).

* Advanced to Main Draw

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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