Colorado Tennis Fall Campaign To Start Friday

GLENDALE, Wis. -- The Colorado Buffaloes tennis team is set to begin its fall slate this weekend for the 50th annual three-day Milwaukee Tennis Classic from Sept. 11-13 here at the Nicolet Tennis Center.

Returners Heidi Crncan, Ema Bubalo and Lera Alexin will travel alongside Louise Ternstroem, who will make her Buffs debut, with the ITA competition beginning at 9 a.m. Friday.

Ternstroem, the only newcomer on the eight-woman team, joins the Buffs from Taby, Sweden, and has been dedicated to training since arriving in Colorado three weeks ago.

"She's a super hard worker, really serious about her tennis," head coach Anthony Pham said. "It will be good for her to be around the other teammates and competing."

The tournament format is a draw of 32 for singles and 16 for doubles. Friday's schedule includes the doubles round of 16 as well as the singles rounds of 32 and 16.

Before finals competition on Sunday, doubles play partners are guaranteed three matches leading up to quarterfinals Saturday afternoon. Singles competitors are guaranteed four matches prior to the semi-finals. Winning the Milwaukee Tennis Classic provides direct entry into All-American regional rankings.

The first of a 10-tournament fall campaign allows for individual growth and team preparation before other major competitions in the upcoming weeks, such as ITA All-Americans and the Bedford Cup, before regular-season competition begins in January.

"The most important thing is making sure that you are getting better," Pham said. "Doing the things that you have to do every day in order to make you a better player, a more complete player."

Named the ITA Rocky Mountain Region Coach of the Year last season, Pham's contract was recently extended through 2029, allowing his reign as the seventh head coach in CU tennis history to continue.

Live updates will be available on cubuffs.com and @cubuffstennis on Instagram.

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