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Duke Women's Tennis Adds Two For 2002-03 Season
6/18/2002 1:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
June 18, 2002
DURHAM, N.C. - Duke women's tennis head coach Jamie Ashworth announced on Tuesday the signing of Julia Smith (Windlesham, England) and Katie Blaszak (Fairfax, Va.) to attend Duke University in the fall and play tennis.
Smith will bring excellent doubles play to the Blue Devils in 2002-03 as she has picked up numerous doubles titles growing up in England. She is a two-time doubles quarterfinalist at Junior Wimbledon, under-14, under-16 and under-18 National Doubles winner and played in the Junior Australian Open.
She has registered a Women's Tennis Association (WTA) ranking of 450 in doubles and 600 in singles. Smith has traveled to Europe, Australia, United States, South America and Asia playing in different tournaments during her career.
"Julia will definitely help our program," said Ashworth. "When we went into last year's recruiting, we wanted someone that could add depth to our singles and also come in and play high in our doubles lineup. We need to have a dominate position in doubles and she will help with this."
Blaszak will join the Blue Devils after playing last season at Vanderbilt. As a freshman, she posted a 17-9 singles mark playing at the number three position and was ranked as high as 55 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) rankings. Blaszak also notched a 7-4 doubles record.
In high school, Blaszak was ranked in the top five nationally in Girls 18s, was the 2000 KSwiss National Indoors Champion, 1999 National Indoors Champion, 1998 Girls 16s national runner-up and didn't lose a match during her high school career at Flint Hill. She won her high school's highest honor for a senior, the Flint Hill Medal.
"Katie is someone who we recruited initially out of high school," said Ashworth. "Her strength is her attitude on the court. She has a never give up and never die attitude. She will help push everyone on the team and I would expect her to be a part of our lineup as well. Katie is at a place now where hopefully her game will flourish."
Duke returns eight letterwinners off of last year's 25-5 squad, which advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16. The Blue Devils will boast one of the most talented squads in Ashworth's era with All-America's Kelly McCain, Amanda Johnson and Hillary Adams returning along with All-ACC selection Saras Arasu and senior's Katie Granson, Julie DeRoo and Prim Siripipat.
"If we keep everyone healthy, next year's team will easily be the deepest team we have had since I have been here," said Ashworth. "Our teams in the past that have been seven, eight, nine players deep have been our best teams because they push each other everyday in practice. With everyone coming back and with these two coming in, next year should be exciting."
Transactions: Duke women's tennis head coach Jamie Ashworth announced the signing of Julia Smith from England and Katie Blaszak, a transfer from Vanderbilt.
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