Riske and Tsoubanos Drop Opening Round Doubles Match at USTA Challenger 11/6/02

WEXFORD, Pa. - The Vanderbilt doubles tandem of senior Sarah Riske and junior Aleke Tsoubanos fell to Brie Rippner and Christina Wheeler in the first round of the PNC International Tennis Classic on Wednesday at the Oxford Athletic Club, 6-4, 6-1.

Riske and Tsoubanos decided to bypass this week's ITA/Omni Hotels National Indoor Championships in Dallas to take part in this USTA professional tournament. They initially received an automatic berth to the national tournament because of victory at the Riviera/ITA All-American Championship back in early October in Pacific Palisades, Calif.

Riske, Tsoubanos and the rest of the Vanderbilt women's tennis team return to action at the SEC Fall Championships Friday-Sunday, November 8-10, in Peachtree City, Ga.

Riske Falls in Opening Round of PNC International Tennis Classic
Riske and Tsoubanos Set to Compete in Main Draw of Doubles

WEXFORD, Pa. - Senior Sarah Riske (McMurray, Pa.) dropped her opening round match at the PNC International Tennis Classic to Bahia Mouhtassine of Morocco on Tuesday at the Oxford Athletic Athletic Club. Riske fell to the No. 141-ranked player in the world in three sets, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4. The tournament is apart of the United States Tennis Association's Challenger tour, which is one step below the Sanex WTA tour.

The Vanderbilt senior, who entered the 2002-03 season ranked No. 10 nationally by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), received the only main draw wild-card entry into the event.

Riske and junior Aleke Tsoubanos (Chesterfield, Mo.) also received a wild card into the doubles event. The ITA’s No. 1-ranked doubles team will take on Brie Rippner of the United States and Christina Wheeler of Australia on Wednesday. Rippner is ranked No. 159 in the world in singles, while one of Wheeler’s bright spots this season came at the French Open when she defeated Russia’s Anna Kournikova in the opening round.

Back in early October, Riske and Tsoubanos solidified their ranking by winning the Riviera/ITA All-American Championships in Pacific Palisades, Calif.