Dec. 14, 2009
POITIERS, France –
Irish sophomore Kristy Frilling and the U.S. national team took top honors at the Fourth Annual Master’U BNP Paribas held Dec. 9-14 in Poitiers, France.
The Master’U BNP Paribas is an international collegiate competition featuring eight teams composed of college and university players from around the world.
Joining Frilling on this year’s U.S. squad was Georgia Tech’s Irina Falconi, who won the 2009 Riviera/ITA All-American Championship, and Tennessee’s Caitlin Whoriskey, who won the doubles title at the 2009 All-American. Former Irish standout and current Illinois women’s tennis coach Michelle Dasso coached the women’s team. The men’s team was coached by Boise State’s Greg Patton and consisted of Southern California’s Steve Johnson, Texas A&M’s Austin Krajicek and Kentucky’s Eric Quigley.
The U.S. team opened play with a 7-0 sweep of Switzerland in the quarterfinals. Frilling teamed with Whoriskey to knock off Milica Tomic and Sarah Frey, 6-2, 6-1, in doubles action.
As the U.S. defeated Great Britain 5-1 in the semifinals, Frilling downed Annabel Bann, 6-3, 6-4.
In the final match, the US rallied from a 3-1 deficit, winning the last three matches to claim the team crown. Frilling played a key role in the finals as she and mixed doubles partner Quigley toppled Nathalie Piquion and Maxime Quinqueneau, 6-4, 6-2, to clinch the final point for the title.
The U.S. competed for the second consecutive year against a field that included teams from Belgium, China, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland and Mexico.
Frilling and the Notre Dame women’s tennis team open the dual season Jan. 23 at Iowa.
Master’U BNP Paribas Results
Quarterfinals
USA 7, Switzerland 0Irina Falconi (USA) def. Milica Tomic (SUI) 6-0, 6-0Caitlin Whoriskey (USA) def. Sarah Frey (SUI) 6-1, 6-0Austin Krajicek (USA) def. Patrick Fischer (SUI) 7-6, 6-2Eric Quigley (USA) def. Thomas Petrich (SUI) 6-2, 6-1Kristy Frilling/Whoriskey (USA) def. Tomic/Frey (SUI) 6-2, 6-1
Semifinals
USA 5, Great Britain 1Falconi (USA) def. Claire Ricketts (GB) 6-3, 6-3Frilling (USA) def. Annabel Bann (GB) 6-3, 6-4Steve Johnson (USA) def. Richard Irwin (GB) 6-2, 6-7, 6-4Quigley (USA) def. Keith Meisner (GB) 6-3, 6-3Whoriskey/Falconi (USA) def. Ricketts/Birney (GB) 9-8Brassington/Meiser (GB) def. Johnson/Krajicek (USA) 8-4
Final
USA 4, France 3Falconi (USA) def. Nathalie Piquion (France) 6-2, 6-2Manon Garcia (France) def. Whoriskey (USA) 7-6, 6-4Dorian Descloix (France) def. Johnson (USA) 6-2, 6-7, 7-6Maxime Quinqueneau (France) def. Krajicek (USA) 7-6, 6-3Falconi/Whoriskey (USA) def. Garcia/Fracassi (France) 6-3, 6-2Johnson/Krajicek (USA) def. Descloiz/Rousset (France) 6-4, 6-4Frilling/Quigley (USA) def. Piquion/Quinqueneau (France) 6-4, 6-2
–ND–