More Seeds Fall at Houston Pro Tennis Classic

HOUSTON (May 26, 2004)--Two seeded players were upset in the first round of the $10,000 Houston Tennis Pro Classic, presented by Encore Bank, at the Downtown Club at the Met.

Varvara Lepchenko, Miami, surprised No. 4 Melanie Marois, Canada, 6-3, 6-2, and Cindy Watson, Australia, blistered No. 8 Meghaa Vakharia, India, 6-1, 6-1.

Hometown players Laura Ritchey-Thomas and Sanaz Marand, Katy, lost their first-round matches. Wild card Ritchey-Thomas bowed to defending champion and No. 1 seed Angela Haynes, Compton, Calif., 6-1, 6-3, and qualifier Marand was ousted by the No. 5 seed Bruna Colosio, Brazil, 6-4, 6-0.

Three Houstonians are alive in the doubles draw. Houstonian Lauren Lui and partner Jessica Leitch, Dallas, won their first-round doubles match over Jodi Kenoyer, Lighthouse, Fla., and Watson 6-3, 7-5. Rice University player Blair Di Sesa and Rice assistant coach Julie Thu meet the No. 2 seeds Natallia Dziamidzenka, Belarus, and Vakharia at 5 p.m. Thursday.

Finals of the tournament, a USTA Pro Circuit event and the only professional women's tennis event in Houston, will be on Sunday at 10 a.m. Admission is free.

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