Salkovic and Redecsi Make DePaul History
10/26/2009 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S TENNIS
EVANSTON, Ill. - The DePaul women's doubles pair of Anna Redecsi and Selma Salkovic made Blue Demon history on Monday when they claimed the ITA Midwest Regional Doubles Championship at Northwestern's Combe Indoor Tennis Center.
Facing their rivals from Notre Dame, and the topped-seeded team in the tournament, Kristy Frilling and Kali Krisik entered the Regional Championship as the No. 15 doubles pair in the country.
"We don't think about the rankings, we just wanted to win," Redecsi said following the match. The DePaul pair ranks No. 31 and was the No. 2 seeded doubles pair at the Regional.
The Blue Demon tandem rode their confidence and momentum from their two wins on Sunday into the early portions of Monday's championship match. Playing through unbelievable rallies and tough serves, DePaul broke Frillings serve early and jumped out to a 5-2 advantage, before the Irish were able to tie the match at six.
"This Notre Dame pair is one of the best in the country," DePaul head coach Mark Ardizzone said after the match. "To come out and beat them (Frilling and Krisik) is an amazing accomplishment. Anna and Selma have been working so hard for this achievement and they really deserve it."
With the match knotted at six, Salkovic and Redecsi dug deep and broke Notre Dame's serve and took a 7-6 advantage before they served out the match for the historic victory.
"Personally this means a lot," Salkovic said while holding her championship plaque. "We have worked so hard for this accomplishment. This is one more step for our program."
Redecsi and Salkovic did take the program one step further than it has gone in the past. In 2008, current Blue Demon assistant Dunja Antunovic and current senior Kirsten Gambrell advanced to the championship match, but were unsuccessful and took home second place honors behind the Irish team of Kelcy Tefft and Frilling.
This season and this match had a different outcome and places Redecsi and Salkovic among the nation's elite at the ITA National Intercollegiate Championships Nov. 5-8 at Yale University.
The DePaul pair will be among 16 doubles teams with 12 advancing from their respective regional championships.
Redecsi will try to make some DePaul singles history this afternoon as she competes in quarterfinals of the singles draw against Northwestern's Samantha Murray. Murray entered the tournament ranked No. 40.