McGrath Loses at Ojai, May Leave Stanford

She’s only a freshman at Stanford, but Meredith McGrath’s stay in school may be as short her closely cropped blonde hair.

McGrath is leaning toward turning professional. She has already played on the pro circuit, and has victories over Czechoslovakia’s Jana Novotna and Italy’s Raffaella Reggi while alternating Shakespeare class with serves.

But if McGrath finds the Bard hard, it won’t match the tempest she finds in the pros, according to Stanford Coach Frank Brennan.

“These kids turn pro and if you hypnotize them six months later, invariably they’ll say ‘I’m not having that great a time. It’s a job,’ ” Brennan said.

“I think all these kids should stay in school for four years,” he said. “I just think these kids rush it. They rush by a great period in their lives.”

McGrath smiled when she learned of her coach’s comments.

“What did you expect him to say?” she asked.

Meanwhile, the Pacific 10 women’s singles final at the Ojai Valley tennis tournament was an all-Stanford matchup between McGrath and sophomore Debbie Graham of Fountain Valley, who closed out a 6-4, 6-7 (7-5), 6-2 victory when McGrath double-faulted on match point.

McGrath, who turned 19 on Saturday, is No. 2 in Volvo Tennis/Collegiate rankings but plays No. 3 singles on the Stanford team behind No. 1-ranked Sandra Birch and 13th-ranked Graham.

Graham defeated Birch in Saturday’s semifinals and insisted she would not turn pro.

“I’m finishing college,” she said. “I feel like my game is 10 times better this year than last year.”

Graham said she plans to get her degree in political science or economics.

McGrath said she has not yet made up her mind.

“I wouldn’t say I’m leaning one way or the other as far as staying in school or turning pro,” she said, “but I’m turning over in my mind the advantage of each one.

“I think my game will hold up in the pros, but I definitely need a lot of work to make an impact in the pros, which I plan to do.”

McGrath said how well she plays in the upcoming NCAA tournament will have no bearing on whether she turns pro.

Brennan believes McGrath when she says she is still undecided, but seemed to think that McGrath was leaning toward the pros.

“I think she’s still up in the air and I know it’s getting down to it, but she’s been great even if we only have her for one year,” Brennan said.