Nichols Claims Cotton Bowl Classic Singles Title
1/4/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Jan. 4, 2012
FORT WORTH - TCU sophomore Millie Nichols rolled through the adult open draw of the Cotton Bowl Classic en route to the singles title last weekend in Dallas.
In a final tune up before the spring season, Nichols, the event's No. 1 seed, lost only one set on her way to the crown while winning five matches in the 64-player draw.
The Austin, Texas, native earned a first-round bye before claiming 6-1, 6-1 victories in her first two matches over Rachel Stevens and Anna Dickerson, respectively.
In the quarterfinals, Nichols knocked off fifth-seeded Elaina Cummer, 6-2,7-5 before rolling into the finals with a 7-6, 6-3 triumph at the hands of Amy Allin.
Nichols dropped her lone set of the tournament in the finals, dropping the second set in a tiebreaker after winning the first set 6-0 over Valentina Starkova. Nichols bounced back for a 6-3 tournament-clinching win in the final set.
The singles win was the third for Nichols while competing individually since joining the Horned Frogs. She also won ITA Summer Circuit Events in Plano and College Station last summer after transferring from Tennessee.
Nichols joined junior Olivia Smith in the fall season to win the USTA/ITA Texas Regional Championships doubles draw. The Frog duo enters the spring season ranked No. 31 in the Campbell's/ITA College Tennis Rankings.
TCU opens the spring season Jan. 21 when Syracuse visits the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center.
Cotton Bowl Classic - Adult Open Singles
Round of 32 - #1 Millie Nichols def. Rachel Stevens, 6-1, 6-1
Round of 16 - #1 Millie Nichols def. Anna Dickerson, 6-1, 6-1
Quarterfinals - #1 Millie Nichols def. #5 Elaina Cummer, 6-2, 7-5
Semifinals - #1 Millie Nichols def. Amy Allin, 7-6, 6-3
Finals - #1 Millie Nichols def. Valentina Starkova, 6-0, 7-6, 6-3
Players Mentioned
