2017 Long Island Women’s Preview

November 28, 2017
Long Island, NY

Coming into Chicago Charities undefeated this season, with wins at Patterson and the Steel City Open, Liz Cruz and Gabriela Niculescu looked unstoppable. The second best team this season, Cynthia Dardis and Amy Shay, reached the finals at both Patterson and the Steel City Open, but couldn’t get past Cruz/Niculescu. Undeterred, Dardis/Shay were able to diffuse the power game of Cruz/Niculescu in Chicago and earn the Chicago Charities title.

Now that Dardis/Shay have halted the Cruz/Niculescu juggernaut, at least temporarily, can a third team break the stranglehold that of these top two teams? Martina Ondrejkova and Ana Zubori, winners of The Lake Invitational, and Kerri Delmonico and Myrthe Molenveld, Connecticut Classic champions and The Lake Invitational finalists, are two teams in excellent form going into Long Island. In addition, Florentina Hanisch and Annica van Starrenburg were only two points away from beating Dardis/Shay in Chicago, and although they are still looking to find the form that won them the 2017 APTA National Championship, they can catch fire at any time and challenge for the title.

Thanks to the depth in the women’s draw, there are quite a few other teams who could make a run in Long Island. Mirian Cruz and Marcella Rodezno have posted consistent results this season, reaching the semis at Patterson and the quarters in both Pittsburgh and Chicago. Alison Morgan and Wendy Shpiz reached the semifinals at the Lake Forest Open in their only tournament together this year, and can pose problems for teams ranked ahead of them.

Two-time APTA National Champion Viktoria Stoklosova and Jade Curtis, Cooey Lyon and Charlotte Sikora, Maria Manley and Pam Ruoff, Lisa Rudloff and Mariya Slupska, Bobo Delaney and Tonia Mangan, Denise Murphy and Lynne Schneebeck, and Sue Tarzian and Kelly Brown-Cobbs are all tough teams to beat. With all of the depth in the women’s draw, only one question really matters: Will Dardis/Shay or Cruz/Niculescu win, or will there be a first time Grand Prix winner in Long island? Watch Live Streaming on Friday and Saturday on the APTA Network, Facebook Live, and YouTube to find out.