Bielik Drops Third Round Match At U.S. Open
8/30/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Aug. 30, 2002
FLUSHING, N.Y. - Former Wake Forest women's tennis player Bea Bielik lost in the third round of the U.S. Open Friday afternoon to the world's sixth-ranked player, Justine Henin from Belgium, 7-5, 6-1 in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Bielik, a 21-year-old from Valley Stream, N.Y., ends an impressive run at the U.S. Open since deciding last Friday to skip her senior year at Wake Forest and turn professional. She earned a wild card to play in the U.S. Open after winning the NCAA Singles Championship.
Bielik won her first round match on Monday 6-4, 6-4 over #148 Renata Voracova from the Czech Republic, acing 10 serves. In Wednesday's second round match, Bielik took out #27 Tamarine Tanasugarn from Tailand 6-4, 6-2, racking up eight aces and averaging 106 mph on her first serve. Bielik tallied four more aces against Henin, averaged 106 mpg on her first serve again, but only got 27 of her 49 first serves in.
On her way to the NCAA title this past May, Bielik set an NCAA Championship record for fewest games lost (21). In November she won the Omni Hotels National Indoor title (which is the second of three national events during the season). A three-time All-American, Bielik finished the 2001-2002 season ranked No. 1 in the Omni Hotels national singles rankings with a 35-2 singles record - giving her 100 career singles victories. The winner of the Honda Award, given annually to the top collegiate women's tennis player, Bielik was also the recipient of the Mary Garber Award, given annually to the ACC Female Athlete of the Year. She was named the ACC Women's Tennis Player of the Year and received the Marge Crisp Award, given annually to the Wake Forest Female Athlete of the Year.
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