University of Minnesota Athletics
Top Belarusian Junior Player Signs with Minnesota
11/25/2009 12:00:00 AM | Tennis
One of the top junior women's tennis players in Belarus who competed in last year's U.S. Open junior tournament has signed a National Letter of Intent to attend the University of Minnesota.
Nataliya Pintusova, a Minsk, Belarus native, is ranked third among under-18 players in Belarus and 53rd in the International Tennis Federation World Junior rankings. She played in the main draw of the U.S. Open junior singles and doubles tournaments this past summer. She lost her opening singles match to the 15th seed 6-2, 6-1 and battled the second-seeded doubles team to a 6-3, 6-2 setback in the opening round.
Pintusova achieved a career-high World Junior ranking of No. 35 last November and was a finalist in the Florence International Tournament this past April.
"We are all very excited that Nataliya has chosen to attend Minnesota," Gophers' coach Tyler Thomson said. "Her junior tennis resume is extremely impressive and I know she's eager to contribute to our 2010-11 team. Nataliya is a very upbeat person and a very hard worker, and she will make an immediate and positive impact on our program."
Pintusova joins a Gopher squad that finished 12-12 overall and was ranked 69th nationally in the spring of 2009.
