Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, August 2, 1993 TAG: 9308020380
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
"I just tried to be patient, let her make the errors," Vento said.
Miller obliged frequently, and Vento cruised to a 6-0, 5-7, 6-0 victory in the sixth Roanoke tournament at Hunting Hills Country Club. She became the first "lucky loser" - the highest-ranked loser of the four qualifying finals who is then placed in the main draw - to win a USTA satellite event in Roanoke. Vento, a 19-year-old, won $1,600 and 16-year-old Miller won $1,000. As amateurs, however, neither received more than expense money.
In doubles, third seeded Ai Sugiyama and Yoshiko Sasano beat fourth-seeded Mareze Joubert and Vanessa Webb 6-4, 6-2.
Miller's second-set comeback enlivened the match briefly, but the only other tension came on the first match point for Vento. A Miller forehand appeared to land well beyond the baseline, but the linesman made no call. Vento, believing it had landed out, reflexively returned the ball and began jogging forward. Miller, already on her way to the net to congratulate Vento, tapped the ball back across the net.
Then both players stopped, realizing no call had been made, and the point was awarded to Miller because Vento had let the ball go. Miller lasted eight more points, the last of which ended with a long forehand.
"I went out and I wasn't really into the match," said Miller, a Michigan native. "It was the end of the week; I was tired out from the match last night [a 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 victory over South Africa's Mareze Joubert]."
Vento was ill and tired early in the week, but she was strong at the end. She ran down many of Miller's sideline-hugging ground strokes - in one first-set stretch, she won 14 consecutive points - served well and never was rattled. Miller, conversely, drew a point penalty (and a $50 fine) when, after missing a shot in the third set, she blasted the ball into the trees behind Court 1. It was her second such "ball-abuse" offense; the first drew a warning.
Vento had only a little trouble when Miller repeatedly interrupted ground stroke rallies with topspin lobs to the baseline.
"In the first set, I was just putting it in play. She missed everything," Vento said. "Then, she was lobbing and lobbing. I wanted to come to the net a little bit more, but I wasn't real confident. I still need to work on that."
Vento's only other sign of weakness came in the second set, when she netted drop shots to lose the 11th and 12th games and the set, 7-5. Vento rebounded quickly. She held serve to open the third set, getting two backhand winners to go up 1-0. Then she broke Miller's serve in a love game.
Vento went up 4-0 and started the fifth game up 15-0 because of Miller's point penalty. A backhand winner gave her game point. Miller gave her the game when, after two topspin lobs, Miller straightened out the rally but hit long.
"She was doing it, I think, to get me out of rhythm," Vento said of the lobs. "I just tried to attack it a little bit more, even if I didn't go to the net."
This was Vento's second singles championship of the USTA summer satellite circuit.
"I feel good, even though I was down the first two days," Vento said. "I felt good . . . physically, and I was confident."
by CNB