BY Led Black
Uptown folks have someone local to root for as the US Open gets underway today. That’s right, 20-year old Irina Falconi learned to play tennis on the public courts in Inwood Hill Park at the tender age of 4. As a matter of fact, we actually lived in the same building on 153 Seaman Ave. I remember seeing her and her father, who was a former pro soccer player in his native Ecuador, training everyday. It seems all that hard work has paid off as Irina was named the Campbell/Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s Player of the Year and was the top seed in May’s N.C.A.A. championships. Having just turned pro, Ms. Falconi beat Canada’s Stephanie Dubois on Saturday, “to earn a slot in the main draw of the U.S. Open—only the 10th time in the tournament’s history that a wild card advanced past the qualifiers.” Today she will take on No. 19 seed Flavia Pennetta of Italy. Go Irina!!!
For more info: straightsets.blogs.nytimes.com/
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