Fresno State Athletics
Gloria and Rowe Ranked No. 1 in the Country
1/8/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Jan. 8, 2008
FRESNO, Calif. - The Fresno State women's tennis program has boasted some outstanding doubles tandems over the past several years. Simone Jardim and Kim Niggemeyer were All-Americans during the 2001-02 season. Lucia Sainz and Katharina Winterhalter were finalists in the 2006 All-American and the 2007 NCAA Championship while becoming All-Americans during the 06-07 campaign.
Juniors Melanie Gloria and Tinesta Rowe will also go down as one of the top doubles tandems in Fresno State history. On Tuesday, the Bulldog duo earned the No. 1 national ranking.
"It's great to see that Melanie and Tinesta have been rewarded for such an outstanding fall season," head coach Simon Thibodeau said. "They played well in big tournaments and have become a very consistent doubles team. Melanie and Tinesta have great potential."
Gloria and Rowe have been a potent combination since being paired together early in the dual season last year. The two finished the year 13-5 overall and were participants in the 2007 NCAA Doubles tournament. During the fall season, Gloria and Rowe went 9-2 and had wins over six ranked opponents. They participated in the All-American and National Indoors and won the ITA Northwest Regional, one of the toughest in the nation.
In Tuesday's rankings, the Bulldogs maintained their No. 14 team ranking. Fresno State reached the NCAA Round of 16 last year and earned a final 2007 ranking of No. 14.
In singles, sophomore Anastasia Petukhova earned the top ranking among Bulldogs. She is now ranked No. 11 after having a tremendous fall season. She went 13-2, won the Bulldog Classic and was a semifinalist at the Northwest Regional Championships. Her best win of the fall was a straight-set victory over former NCAA champion and then-No. 4 ranked Susie Babos of Cal.
Gloria earned a No. 39 ranking and sophomore Renata Kucerkova got a No. 94 ranking. Rowe, jumped into the rankings for the second time in her career, this time at No. 43. Rowe's fall season was tremendous. She went 9-3 and won eight straight at one point. Her best win of the fall was a three-set victory in the round of 32 at the Northwest Regionals over then-No. 9 Celia Durkin of Stanford. Rowe reached the quarterfinals of the regionals, as well.
Kucerkova and Petukhova earned a No. 29 ranking in doubles.
"It's really nice to see four players ranked in singles," Thibodeau said. "We still have a lot of work to do, but it's a great way to start the season."
The Bulldogs, who went 22-4 last season, will begin the 2008 campaign at home on Jan. 27 against WAC foe Nevada. The Bulldogs and Wolf Pack will battle at 11 a.m. in the Wathen Tennis Center.
