NCAA Women’s Tennis Championships : Fendick Faces Off With Stafford Again in Final

When defending National Collegiate Athletic Assn. singles champion Patty Fendick of Stanford takes the court against Florida’s Shaun Stafford in tonight’s final, she’ll also be wearing a souvenir of their meeting last Saturday.

“Do you want to see it?” Fendick asked a group of reporters. Fendick then jumped up and displayed the multi-colored bruise on her upper left thigh. It had been fashioned by Stafford, full-time tennis player and part-time artist.

As of Wednesday, the colors were purple and green, subject to change.

Fendick shook her head and sat down.

“Match number 50, Shaun Stafford. I’ll remember that the rest of my life.”

Welcome to in-your-face tennis.

Fendick defeated Southern Methodist’s Jennifer Santrock, 6-1, 6-3, and Stafford beat Stanford’s Lisa Green, 6-4, 6-0, in Wednesday’s semifinals of the women’s NCAA championships at UCLA’s L.A. Tennis Center.

However, the bruise, and how it got there, was the more pressing issue. Stafford’s and Fendick’s first meeting came when Florida and Stanford played in the semifinals of team competition Saturday.

Although Stafford lost, 6-3, 6-3, she made her mark. In the match, Fendick hit a short volley, and Stafford lined up and smashed the ball right at Fendick.

There was no apology from Stafford then. And there wasn’t one on Wednesday, either.

“She kind of gave me room to hit the ball past her, and I chose not to,” Stafford said. “I meant to do it. I’m emotional and I’m mean. It was there and I went for it.”

Stafford was smiling as she recalled the incident. She made it clear that the intent was to let Fendick know she wasn’t intimidated.

“Yep, exactly,” Stafford said.

Florida Coach Andy Brandi and Fendick didn’t share Stafford’s amusement.

“During the match, he (Brandi) told me, ‘I don’t want you to play head games with her.’ I told him I wasn’t.”

Said Fendick: “It took everything I could to hold onto that ball. I almost jumped the net.

“We’re both emotional, but I keep in a little more.”

Against Green, Stafford was less emotional than usual. Then again, she really didn’t need to get that psyched as Green came out somewhat flat and got worse as the match went on. Santrock, too, started slowly before she played a stronger second set against Fendick.

Fendick, who lost just one set in last year’s tournament, was asked if her experience would make a difference against Stafford, a freshman.

“I would normally say that were true except for the fact that it’s incredibly impressive for a freshman to even be here in the final,” Fendick said. “They (Florida) play a lot more matches than we do. So for her to be here is impressive. . . . I’d never even heard of her before, but she’s got the kind of game I like to play against.”

Notes Stanford’s Patty Fendick had an ice bag on her right eye after she and Stephanie Savides won their quarterfinal doubles match. No, she didn’t have another exchange with Florida’s Shaun Stafford. It happened when a ball deflected off Savides’ racket and hit Fendick in the eye. . . . The singles final is at 6 p.m. today, followed by the doubles final. Northwestern’s Diane Donnelly and Katrina Adams will play Savides and Fendick. . . . Fendick’s victory over SMU’s Jennifer Santrock was her 39th of the season. She has lost just three sets, one to USC’s Caroline Kuhlman in January, to USC’s Maeve Quinlan in April and to Miami’s Lise Gregory on Tuesday.