Competing in three Illinois high school state tournaments does not quite compare to Courtney Dolehide’s experience Thursday.
The Hinsdale Central senior, teaming with partner Kristie Ahn of New Jersey, dropped a 6-3, 6-2 decision to Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Nadia Petrova in the first round of the main draw at the U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows, Queens, N.Y.
Mattek-Sands and Petrova are seeded eighth in the women's doubles bracket; Dolehide and Ahn were unseeded.
Dolehide and Ahn qualified for the prestigious event after finishing second at the USTA Girls 18 National Hardcourt Championships in Berkeley, Calif.
Dolehide made the decision to skip the high school tennis season (and a shot to play for Hinsdale Central's fourth consecutive state title) to play on a bigger stage — one of tennis’ four Grand Slam events.
After playing in the women's doubles draw this week, she will remain in New York and play in the junior singles draw.
Her appearance at the U.S. Open continues a terrific summer. Last week Dolehide, currently ranked No. 513 in the world singles rankings, topped Austria's Patricia Mayr, ranked No. 82 in the world, 6-4, 6-2 in an International Tennis Federation tourney in New York.
A year ago Dolehide won her first four matches at the IHSA state tournament and went 5-2 overall after retiring in the consolation semifinals.
As a sophomore in 2007, she and Nida Hamilton won the doubles title at the IHSA state tourney, going 7-0 and losing only 13 games in seven matches. Dolehide and Hamilton also won the doubles title in 2006.
