Women's Tennis Begins 2006-07 Season At Gator Fall Classic

DURHAM, N.C. - The Duke women's tennis team begins its fall slate this weekend, as the Blue Devils travel to Gainesville, Fla., for the Gator Fall Classic. The three-day event features Duke, Miami (Fla.), South Florida and host, Florida, and runs from Friday, Sept. 15 through Sunday, Sept. 17.

Instead of the traditional draw for individual events, the format for this year's Gator Fall Classic will be a “hidden dual match” with no draw assembled. Each coach will submit a “lineup” each morning and student-athletes from one school will face all athletes from another school in either singles or doubles over the course of the weekend. Like in all tournaments played during the fall, results will only count toward individual records.

On the first day of action, Duke faces South Florida in doubles and will then face Florida in singles. Head coach Jamie Ashworth will bring his entire roster to Florida as 10 players are set to compete this weekend. The Blue Devils return a veteran squad as five seniors return, along with one junior, while two sophomores and two freshmen complete the 2006-07 roster.

Three Duke players received preseason national recognition on Sept. 8, as senior Daniela Bercek, junior Clelia Deltour and sophomore Melissa Mang were listed in the top-100 in the FILA preseason singles rankings. Two Duke doubles teams were ranked in the top-50, as well.

Bercek, a three-time ITA All-America in singles and two-time ITA All-America in doubles, finished last season ranked seventh and now starts her final campaign ranked sixth. The senior transferred from UCLA last season and went 25-8 in singles play in her first season for the Blue Devils. Bercek combines with freshman Elizabeth Plotkin to form the 25th-ranked doubles team in the country, according to the preseason rankings.

Mang will start her sophomore campaign ranked 55th in the nation. Mang was an All-ACC selection in 2006 after a stellar freshman campaign saw her become the sixth player in program history and first since 2001 to receive ACC Freshman of the Year accolades. Mang, who reached the round of 16 in August's ITA Summer Championships, and sophomore Jessi Robinson combine to form the 46th-ranked doubles team in the nation.

Deltour returns as the only junior on this year's squad ranked 76th in the country. A native of France, she went 8-3 in fall matches last year and finished the 2006-07 campaign with an overall record of 17-6, including a dual-match mark of 9-3.

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