U.S. Open Featured Stanford Tennis Stars

PALO ALTO, CA — Three Stanford University alumni showed grit in their performances during the U.S. Open Tennis Championships in New York that ended Sept. 8.

Kristie Ahn, who was in the San Francisco Bay Area this summer playing in the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic, made it to the fourth round of the grand slam. This was the first time the 27-year-old has played in the main draw in 11 years.

She beat Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia 7-5, 6-2 in the first round. This was no easy opponent, as Kuznetsova has won two grand slam singles titles. Ahn went on to beat Anna Kalinskaya, also of Russia, 6-2, 6-3. In the third round it was Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia who was sent home, losing to Ahn 6-3, 7-5. Ahn met her demise at the hands of Elise Mertens of Belgium, losing 6-1, 6-1.

Ahn’s run at the U.S. Open propelled her to be ranked in the top 100 for the first time, according to the Women's Tennis Association.

Stanford alum Nicole Gibbs had to win three qualifying rounds to even make it to the main draw of the prestigious grand slam. This wasn’t all she had to overcome. She recently underwent treatment for cancer and is now cancer free, according to the USTA. Gibbs had a tough draw, coming up against No. 4 seed Simona Halep in the first round. The Romanian was pushed to three sets by Gibbs, prevailing 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.

Bradley Klahn, the other Stanford star in the Open, made it to the second round. He started his run by beating Tiago Monteiro of Brazil 6-3, 6-2, 6-3. He lost 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 to No. 7 seed Kei Nishikori.