State tennis still played despite weather

Updated: October 20, 2011 8:54PM

The weather was the big winner on Thursday at the girls state tennis tournament hosted by Prospect.

After nearly a five-hour delay, play began at 12 different sites in the Northwest suburbs. After some matches were completed, play was suspended before they were finished. The tournament will resume Friday morning at 8 AM. However, because of the weather, the back draw was cancelled.

“We wanted to get the first round done so we would not have to cancel the back draw,” Illinois High School Association’s Susan Knoblauch said. “But the weather did not cooperate completely.”

Wheaton Warrenville South’s Keisha Clousing had to wait nearly five hours to play her opening round match. But when she did get to play, she wasted little time in knocking off Tinley Park’s Haley Wilcox 6-0, 6-0 in a match that lasted 27 minutes.

“It was very cold out there,” said Clousing, who is the top-seeded singles player. “I was hoping we could go inside. But we didn’t, so I got it done fast.”

Emily Baretta and Gabby Nixon of New Trier also had an easy time in their opening round match. The No. 4 seeded doubles team rolled past Mattoon’s Shelby Kidwell and Claire Gardner 6-0, 6-0.

“We were up at 6:30 and then had to wait,” said Baretta, who is making her third appearance at state. “But I am used to this by now. It always is rainy and cold this weekend.”

“It was fun out there,” said Nixon, who is a sophomore and competing for the first time at state. “It is similiar to other events I have been in. Emily made it much easier for me.”

Other singles winners of note were Morgan Park Academy’s Jerricka Boone, Lyons’ Alex Chatt and Deerfield’s Alexis Casati.

The top doubles teams of Marika Cusick and Caroline Lorenzini of Hinsdale Central and Stevenson’s Alexxis Kiven and Kendall Kirsch also won easily.

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