April 25, 2005

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The University of Memphis women's tennis team added one more signee for the 2005-06 season as Flavia Russo, originally from Brazil, signed with the Lady Tigers for the upcoming season.

"Flavia brings some good, solid experience that she has gained at Bollettieri's in Florida," Head Coach Charlotte Peterson said. "She has a great outlook and is excited about coming and helping the team get up to its former competitive level."

Russo is the daughter of Marco and Maria Fernanda Russo and came to the U.S. four years ago from her native Sao Paulo, Brazil. She spent two years at Saddlebrook in Tampa before spending the last two seasons at the Pendleton School/Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

At Pendleton, Russo has played in the Eddie Herr and Orange Bowl tournaments, and has also played in ITF tournaments in Costa Rica, Guadaloupe, Barbadoes, El Salvador and Trinidad and Tobago.

"Since the beginning, I had a very good impression of the school and the major that I wanted to study (at Memphis) is well-known too," Russo said. "Also, tennis is very important to me and the coach made me feel confident, as well as the team."

Russo is planning on majoring in International Relations at Memphis.

On the court, Russo has advanced to the quarterfinals of the Brazilian Super National, and has won the Copa NHR de Tenis and the Credicard Campos do Jordao and the Labor Day Championships. She has also competed in the Bollettieri Championships and the Angela Maria Lopera.

Russo joins fellow Bradenton product Ekin Zafir of Turkey on the Lady Tigers' 2005-06 signee list. This will be the first signee from both Brazil and Turkey for Peterson.

The Lady Tigers capped their 2004-05 season at the Conference USA Championships last weekend tied for 11th place in the standings. Memphis was 5-14 at the end of the season and graduates one, as senior Marlene Dirnstorfer, the Lady Tigers' No. 1 singles and doubles player will cap her three-year Memphis career at graduation on May 7th.