July 11, 2009
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt women’s tennis signee Alison Riske is putting together a strong list of credentials on the court this summer while competing on the United States Tennis Association Pro Circuit. Most recently, Riske won six of seven matches to advance to the semifinals of the Empire Loan $50,000 USTA Pro Circuit Tournament in Boston.
The McMurray, Pa. native had to win three straight matches during the qualifying draw just to receive a spot in the main 32-player championship draw. Riske defeated Yi Chen (Taiwan), Caitlin Whoriskey (USA) and Katie Ruckert (USA) all in straight sets to clinch a spot in the championship bracket. The future Commodore breezed through Tennessee’s All-American Whoriskey, 6-1, 6-1 in the qualifying round of 16.
Riske catapulted the momentum that she gained in the qualifying round and used it to defeat Ukraine’s Tetiana Luzhanska in three sets. After dropping the first set 4-6, Riske found her stroke as she closed out the match by winning the second and third sets, 6-4, 6-3 and clinching a spot in the round of 16.
The future Commodore had little trouble in the round of 16 as she topped Lauren Albanese (USA) in straight sets before pulling out an impressive three set comeback win over Canada’s Valerie Tetreault in the quarterfinals.
Riske was faced with another difficult challenge in the semifinals as she squared off against the world’s 212th-ranked player in Canada’s Rebecca Marino in hopes of advancing to her second straight USTA Pro Circuit final. In the end, Marino proved to be on top of her game as she pulled out the 6-3, 6-1 win.
Riske’s performance at the Empire Loan $50K marks the third time this season that she has reached the semifinals of a USTA Pro Circuit event this season.
Earlier this summer she teamed up with Arizona State commit Jacqueline Cako to capture the doubles championship before finishing runner-up in the singles championship at the $10,000 Head/Tail Activewear Women’s Pro Circuit Tournament in Hilton Head, S.C.
