Glatch loses to Williams in Open

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, September 1, 2009

A tennis player who has participated in the U.S.T.A Tennis Classic of Troy had her sights set on an upset Monday in the during the U.S. Open Tournament.

In the first round of the tournament, which is held in Flushing Meadows, N.Y., Alexa Glatch, who is ranked No. 103 in the Women’s Tennis Association rankings, took on No. 2 ranked Serena Williams.

Despite a close first set, Williams won in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1.

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“You just try not to think about the occasion,” Glatch told Sports Illustrated after her match on Monday. “You try to pretend it’s any other court and you’re playing against any other opponent. But it’s very hard to do, especially when it’s your first time out there in the biggest stadium there is.”

The 19-year-old Glatch, who is from Long Beach, Calif., has been playing tennis professionally since 2005 and has competed in all four of the major tennis championships.

“To see former players, like Alexa, play against some of the world’s best really makes you feel good,” Troy University tennis head coach Eric Hayes said.

Glatch has been a part of the classic for the past three years and even advanced to the quarterfinals in 2007.

“We give [the players] a chance to play and develop against some good talent,” Hayes said.

“To be one of the best in the world is a process and it starts with tournaments like the Tennis Classic of Troy.”

Other girls that competed in the classic that were in action at the tournment on Monday were, Bethanie Mattek-Sands, the 2003 classic doubles champion and 2004 singles finalist, Vania King, the 2006 semi-finalist, Aleksandria Woznika, the 2005 finalist and Laura Granville, a 2003 semi-finalist.

The classic, which invites some of the players from the Top 70, will take place again this year beginning Oct. 5 and ending on Oct. 11.