NEW ORLEANS, La. – University of Houston women’s tennis signee Elena Kordolaimi continued her strong play this summer, winning a total of four matches to advance to the main draw’s round of 16 at the PJ’s Coffee Women’s International Tennis Classic at the University of New Orleans’ University Center.
Kordolaimi, who transfers to Houston after a stellar freshman season at Stephen F. Austin, won three matches in straight sets to qualify for the main draw and posted another straight-sets victory to advance to the round of 16 before falling in threesets to the tournament’s top seed.
“Once again Elena was a couple of games away from beating the best player in the tournament, this time a top-200 professional,” head coach Patrick Sullivan said. “Obviously this wasn’t the result we wanted but her first career main draw win is an exciting milestone and we both know that her breakthrough win is right around the corner.”
After taking the first two matches of the qualifying round in straight sets, Kordolaimi cruised past Kenna Kilgo, who won 28 contests as a freshman at Texas Tech last season, by a score of 6-3, 6-2 to advance to the main draw.
The Lamia, Greece, native then topped Samantha Powers, an American pro, by a score of 6-2, 6-3 to set up a match with the tournament’s top-seeded Sachie Ishizu of Japan. Kordolaimi claimed the first set, 7-5, marking nine-straight sets won, before dropping the next two.
“Her performance is also a great testimonial for Houston Tennis as well, as she is out there showing that if you are willing to work very hard you can concurrently be a top level student and a great college athlete, and our program is a viable pathway toprofessional tennis,” Sullivan said.
Earlier this summer, Kordolaimi claimed four wins to advance to the finals at the U.S. Open Women's Sectional Qualifier.
-- UHCougars.com --
