Three Americans Into Semifinals at Carson USTA Women’s $50,000 Challenger

Written by: Staff on 28th May 2011

Three Americans Into Semifinals at Carson USTA Women’s $50,000 Challenger |

By Steve Pratt

CARSON, Calif., (Friday, May 27, 2011) – It’s been quite a last couple of months for 17-year-old American tennis player Jessica Pegula.

On Feb. 22, her father Terry purchased the Buffalo Sabres NHL hockey team and soon after Pegula began working with Maria Sharapova’s former coach Michael Joyce. That pairing has helped Pegula crack the Top 400 of the WTA world rankings and has led to two consecutive quarterfinal appearances in USTA $50,000 Pro Circuit events, including this week’s Carson USTA Women’s Challenger presented by the Farmers Classic.

Although she fell to top-seeded Italian Camila Giorgi of Friday, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, Pegula said she took a lot away from her experiences this week. “I think I’m really improving and I’m right there,” said Pegula, who lost in the quarterfinals to Irina Falconi in a third-set tiebreaker at Indian Harbour three weeks ago. “I fought through some tough matches the first few rounds and that was really good for me.”I think if I would have just come forward a little bit more on a couple of points like (Giorgi) did and just got my serves in a couple of more times then I might be here talking about how I won the match instead of how I lost it. But things do always go your way.”

Also on Friday at Carson, 15-year-old qualifier Taylor Townsend of Stockbridge, Ga., beat former UCLA All-American Yasmin Schnack, 6-4, 6-4, to move on to the semifinals. On Saturday Townsend will face No. 2 seeded Alexa Glatch, who beat No. 8 seeded Chichi Scholl, 6-1, 6-1, in her quarterfinal.

The No. 2-seeded Glatch, 21, was a finalist here in 2008 losing to Mashona Washington in the final. She wants nothing more than to beat Townsend on Saturday in the semis and to get back to the final.

“This has been a great week to be out here and to get some points,” said Glatch, of Newport Beach. “We’ve had some great play by the younger USTA girls this week. I feel like a veteran out here and I’m only 21. I do feel old.”

Pegula said working with Joyce has made a ton of difference in her game the last few weeks. “I’ve improved so much since I’ve been with him,” said Pegula, who is 5-feet, 7 inches tall. “I don’t know what it is. It might be the drills. I don’t get bored with them and I’m the kind of person who gets bored easily. He doesn’t let me get bored and he makes it fun. I think also because I play so much like Maria (Sharapova). I’m a big hitter like her so it’s easier for him to be successful with me because we have such similar games. I wish I was 6-foot-2 like Maria when I’m serviing. We seem to click well which is good.”

Pegula’s father Terry is described online as a “Pennsylvania natural gas billionaire.” The Buffalo native said her father’s purchasing the Sabres in February has been a great thing for her hockey-loving family.

“I was a Pittsburgh Penguins fans first but I’ve always rooted for the Sabres,” said Pegula, adding that her mom’s parents are from Montreal and root for the Canadiens. “At one point I said, ‘Dad, why can’t you just buy the Penguins,’ but I don’t think he could ever bring himself to do that. He loves the Sabres too much and has been a huge fan for so long and doesn’t like any other teams.”

Pegula said she will likely choose to go the pro route soon instead of attending college. “I haven’t turned pro yet but I’m pretty sure I’m going to,” she said. “Given my family situation it’s not like I need the tennis scholarship like some of the girls do which is nice because I’m so lucky to have that. My parents are like, ‘yes, go for it.’ ”

She said she plans to work with Joyce in Southern California for another week and then head back to Boca to rest for a couple of weeks before another USTA $50,000 event in Boston. She hopes to get a wild card into the U.S. Open qualifying and wants to play the junior USTA National Hardcourts in August. The winner of that San Diego event receives an automatic wild card into the main draw of the U.S. Open.

For more information on the tournament log onto the website at www.usta.com/carsonchallenger.

Friday’s Quarterfinal Singles

WC: Wild card; Q: Qualifier

Taylor Townsend, U.S. [q], def. Yasmin Schnack U.S., 6-4, 6-4

Alexa Glatch, U.S. [2], def. Chichi Scholl, U.S. [8], 6-1, 6-1

Camila Giorgi, Italy, [1], def. Jessica Pegula, U.S., 5-7, 6-4, 6-4

Ashley Weinhold, U.S. [3], def. Teodora Mircic, Serbia [6], 7-6 (3), 6-2

Friday’s Semifinal Doubles

WD Alexandra Mueller, U.S., / Asia Muhammad. U.S. [4] def. Alexa Glatch, U.S. / Marie-Eve Pelletier, Canada [1], 7-6 (6), 2-6, 10-6 (super tiebreak)

Christina Fusano, U.S. [2] / Yasmin Schnack U.S., def. Macall Harkins, U.S. [3] / Teodora Mircic, Serbia, 7-5. 6-4

Saturday’s Schedule

WS: Women’s Singles; WD: Women’s Doubles

Court 4 starting at 10 a.m.

WS semis Alexa Glatch U.S. [2] vs. Taylor Townsend, U.S. [q]

Followed by WS semis Camila Giorgi, Italy, [1] vs. Ashley Weinhold, U.S. [3]

Followed by WD final Alexandra Mueller, U.S. [4] / Asia Muhammad, U.S. vs. Christina Fusano, U.S. [2] / Yasmin Schnack U.S.

ABOUT THE USTA PRO CIRCUIT:

With more than 90 tournaments throughout the country and prize money ranging from $10,000 to $100,000, the USTA Pro Circuit is the pathway to the US Open and tour-level competition for aspiring tennis players and a frequent battleground for established professionals. Last year, more than 1,000 men and women from more than 70 countries competed on the USTA Pro Circuit for approximately $3.2 million in prize money and valuable ATP World Tour and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour ranking points. Maria Sharapova, Andy Roddick, James Blake, Andy Murray, Jelena Jankovic, Melanie Oudin and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga are among today’s top stars that began their careers on the USTA Pro Circuit. The USTA Pro Circuit is world class tennis administered on the local level and played on local tennis courts as part of the fabric of communities nationwide — an opportunity for current and new fans to experience the excitement and intensity of the professional game in their neighborhood.

– www.USTA.com/carsonchallenger –