The University of Mississippi Athletics
Lady Rebels Fall In Semifinals Of National Clay Courts
9/25/1999 | Women's Tennis
Sept. 25, 1999
BALTIMORE, Md. - The Ole Miss women's tennis team's run at the T. Rowe Price National Clay Court Championships ended Saturday in the semifinals as both Celeste Frey and Ivona Mihailova lost, while Frey and Mariana Eberle lost in the doubles semifinals.
Frey, ranked 16th in the country, faced the 1999 NCAA Champion and defending clay court champion, Zuzana Lesenarova (San Diego) in the semifinals and fought hard before losing 6-4, 6-4. This is Frey's best showing in a grand slam tournament in singles.
Mihailova, ranked No. 21 in the nation, dropped a 6-1, 6-4 decision to 25th-ranked Katarina Valkyova, also of San Diego. Mihailova won their previous match, a three-setter in the Lady Rebels' 9-0 dual match win over San Diego last year. This also marks Mihailova's best showing in a grand slam tournament. Her previous best was a quarterfinal appearance in last year's clay court championships.
In doubles, Frey and Eberle, ranked No. 5 in the nation, failed to reach their second consecutive clay court final, losing to the nation's No. 3 team, Martina Ondrejkova and Iva Puflerova of South Alabama 6-1, 6-0. Frey and Eberle defeated the Jaguar duo last year in the semifinals of the clay courts.
The Lady Rebels enjoyed one of the best seasons ever in 1999 and are up picking right where they left off last year, with two successful tournament showings to open the season. Freshman Mira Radu captured the Roberta Allison Fall Classic last weekend, and just missed making the main draw at the clay courts. Eberle qualified for the main draw in singles and reached the round of 16 before falling to Lesenarova.
T. ROWE PRICE NATIONAL CLAY COURT CHAMPIONSHIPS - Baltimore, Md.
WOMEN'S SINGLES SEMIFINALS - Zuzana Lesenarova (USD) def. Celeste Frey (OM) 6-4, 6-4, Katarina Valkyova (USD) def. Ivona Mihailova (OM) 6-1, 6-4.
WOMEN'S DOUBLES SEMIFINALS - Martina Ondrejkova/Iva Puflerova (USA) def. Frey/Mariana Eberle (OM) 6-1, 6-0.
