Norse shine at Thomas E. Price Cincinnati Metropolitan Tennis Championship

CINCINNATI – Northern Kentucky men’s tennis player Mate Virag captured a doubles crown at the Thomas E. Price Cincinnati Metropolitan Tennis Championship over the weekend while the women’s duo of Danielle Donahue and Sierra Nellessen advanced to the final round of the women’s bracket.

The adult tournament was open to all USTA members in the Greater Cincinnati Area and is played at the Lindner Tennis Center to determine the city champions.
Virag, who just completed a successful junior season culminating in first-team All-Horizon League honors and an HL Tournament semifinal appearance, paired up with former Norse Tyler Fraser to defeat a top-seeded duo from Xavier, 2-6, 6-0, 6-3, in comeback fashion on Saturday.

“Mate and Tyler did a great job staying positive after losing the first set. They defeated a very tough team that had won this tournament four times,” said head NKU tennis coach, Brian Nester.

Donahue earned her second-straight trip to the women’s doubles final, but fell to sisters Sandy and Kelli Niehaus of West Chester, 6-2, 6-3, with partner Nellessen.

“It was wonderful that Danielle and Sierra defeated two good teams to make the final. They lost to a national-level team in the championship match,” added Nester. “I am pleased when the student athletes make the effort to play the summer tournaments.”

Northern Kentucky also looks to make a tournament run on the singles courts. Court Clark and Adrian Isache both earned first-round victories on Sunday and look to advance to the final round on Saturday, July 16 at the Lindner Tennis Center.