Keeping Up with the Kops-Joneses
June 3, 2008 - World TeamTennis (WTT)
Boston Lobsters News Release
Even though the Boston Lobsters season doesn't begin for another month, the team is excited that one of its newest players is playing the best tennis of her life.
Raquel Kops-Jones, the team's fourth-round draft choice, has advanced to the third round of the French Open women's doubles draw with her teammate, Nathalie Grandin of South Africa.
It didn't look like Kops-Jones and Grandin would be poised to make a run in the major after their first set - they lost the opening frame to Iveta Benesova and Janette Husarova, 1-6. They recovered to win the next two, 7-5, 7-5.
In their second-round match on Sunday, they beat the Czech Republic's Lucie Hradecka and Renata Voracova, 6-3, 6-0. Next up is the fourth-seeded team of Yung-Jan Chan and Chia-Jung Chuang of Taiwan.
Kops-Jones is currently ranked 85th in the world in doubles - a career-high ranking.
"We were impressed with her doubles play, and that's why we drafted her," said Lobster's coach Tim Mayotte. "She's an aggressive player, and that works well in team tennis. I'm looking forward to working with her this season."
Christina Fusano, who played with the Lobsters in 2007, was Kops-Jones' doubles partner at the University of California in 2003 when they won the NCAA women's doubles title. She has played several times with her former teammate in recent months on the ITF tour, and said it's clear that Kops-Jones is playing great tennis.
"Lobster fans are going to love Raquel," Fusano said. "She's an exciting player, and right now, she has so much confidence in her game. It's great to see what she's doing in Paris."
World TeamTennis Stories from June 3, 2008
- Keeping Up with the Kops-Joneses - Boston Lobsters
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