THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, August 2, 1994 TAG: 9408020476
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines
As Virginia Beach's Julie Shiflet can attest, securing the one big win which can accelerate one's progress up the women's tennis rankings often takes years.
In the case of Angela Lettiere, however, it took less than two hours. In the first match of her first major pro tournament last week, Lettiere spanked Bulgaria's Katerina Maleeva, formerly among the world's top 10 players, in the $400,000 Acura U.S. Women's Hardcourt Championships and stamped herself as a player poised to make the jump from college star to successful touring pro.
``I'm playing with a lot more confidence now,'' Lettiere said.
No wonder. Two months before stunning Maleeva, Lettiere capped her college career at the University of Georgia by rolling to the NCAA singles title in the second-most dominant performance in tournament history. She also led the Bulldogs to the NCAA team title.
Lettiere, 22, will be in action today as the main-draw matches of the $10,000 USTA Women's Circuit of Norfolk get underway at Old Dominion University. She opens against Madoka Kuki in a match that should begin at about 2 p.m.
Shiflet, who reached the semifinals here two years ago, is the top seed and will play Nao Akahori in today's feature match at 5 p.m.
Despite her big upset last week, Lettiere is unseeded. In fact, since she has so little tour experience - and virtually no tour points - Lettiere needed a wildcard entry from tournament director Darryl Cummings just to get in the tournament.
But if she can maintain her recent form, this figures to be one of the last times Lettiere needs anyone's help to get into a field.
Ironically, few would have predicted much post-collegiate success for Lettiere two years ago, when, admittedly burned out on tennis, she got out of shape and wound up tearing an anterior cruciate ligament in her knee.
But the injury got her refocused. As a junior, she was a doubles All-American. As a senior, she was All-Everything. The August issue of Tennis magazine features Lettiere as its college player of the year.
Even though she made such a big splash last week, Lettiere said she's taking nothing for granted in Norfolk this week.
``There are just so many good players out there,'' said Lettiere, who had to win three matches to qualify for the hardcourt championships last week. ``Some of the girls here are stronger than the ones there.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
``I'm playing with a lot more confidence,'' says Angela Lettiere,
the NCAA singles champion.
by CNB