TROY -- Romina Oprandi of Italy claimed the women's singles title at the USTA Tennis Classic of Troy on Sunday with a quick 6-1, 6-2 victory over American Varvara Lepchenko.
Playing a tennis tournament in the state of Alabama during the month of October is apparently quite a hard sell to just about everyone outside of hardcore tennis fans in the South. High school, college and professional football are on the minds of most Alabamans this time of the year. In fact, on Saturday, a Louisiana-Monroe vs. Troy University football game took place around the corner from the tennis center. "The weather and the fact we are the smallest city to host an event of this size and importance, makes this a challenge," says tournament director Eric Hayes. "But it's a challenge I love."
Hayes does love it as he he takes a break from his post as Head Tennis Coach for both the men's and women's teams at Troy University for a week to run this event. I have to admit it was the first time I've even seen the tournament director take the court as a ball person when ball kids were in short supply. Hayes did a great job as tournament director, host and ball person.
While there might have been more officials on the grounds of the Lunsford Tennis Center than spectators, the players didn't seem to mind. "I'm glad I came," said Sessil Karatantcheva of Kazkhstan who beat American Melanie Oudin early in the week before losing to Lepchencko in the semi-finals.
The veteran Oprandi was the best player all week long, and from early in the first set on Sunday, there was going to be no stopping the Italian on this day. Oprandi avenged a loss against Lepchenko from last week at a similar tournament in Kansas City. Oprandi refused to admit she is tired as she travels around the U.S. playing these smaller tournaments to earn points that will get he directly into bigger events, but she does get inspired when she sees other Italian women like Francesca Schiavone, Flavia Pennetta and Roberta Vinci doing well as they approach the age of 30, or have passed the 30-year mark like Schiavone.
Lepchenko played a lot of tennis this week in Troy as she also reached the finals in doubles. She will take a short break and recharge her batteries. The doubles winners were the team of Elena Bovina and Valeria Savinykh of Russia. Lepchenko partnered with Mashona Washington this week.
Oprandi will now continue east as she is slated to be the top seed at another USTA Circuit Event, this one in Rock Hill, SC.
Romina Oprandi captures the singles title in Troy
Still a successful week for Varvara Lepchenko even though she lost in the finals
Valeria Savinykh of Russia was one-half the winning doubles team