The United States Team (above) defeated Great Britain for the 33rd Maureen Connolly Challenge Trophy match, 6-5. The event was held at the prestigious Dallas Country Club in Dallas, Texas from September 27-29, 2007. Elizabeth Jeffett Norman was the Event Chair.

The Maureen Connolly Challenge Trophy is an annual competition between the United States and Great Britain for Girls 16 & under. Five players play a total of eleven matches over three days. The United States leads the competition in victories 21-11.

The United States team members were sponsored by the USTA (United States Tennis Association). The members were: Kristie Ahn (Upper Saddle River, NJ), Jacqueline Cako (Brier, WA), Alexandra Cercone (Seminole, FL), Olivia Janowicz (Palm Bay, FL), and Lilly Kimbell (New Braunfels, TX). The captain of the USA Team was Kimberly Po-Messerli, former WTA Tour player.

The members of the British team were: Stephanie Cornish, Hannah James, Tara Moore, Laura Slater and Heather Watson. The co-captains of the British team were Luke Milligan and Iain Bates.

Cindy Brinker Simmons, daughter of the late Maureen Connolly Brinker, presented the beautiful silver cup to the U.S. team. Tony Trabert, former Wimbledon champion and president of the International Tennis Hall of Fame presented the medals to the players at the Awards Dinner. Stuart Smith, president of the Lawn Tennis Association of Great Britain, Nancy Jeffett, president of the Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation, and Norman Brinker, husband of the late Maureen Connolly Brinker also attended the event. J. Howard Frazer, past-president of the USTA was also in attendance, as well as Directors and Trustees of the foundation including Ross and Margot Perot, Ralph Belknap, and Ron and Clare McKinney Murphy.

During the tournament week, the Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation celebrated its 40th anniversary. Nancy Jeffett, president of the Foundation, was honored for her lifetime achievement for promoting junior tennis. Sir James Harvie-Watt, Chairman of the International Council of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, presented Mrs. Jeffett with the Golden Achievement award from the International Tennis Hall of Fame at the Awards Dinner hosted by the Norman Brinker Family. Jane Brown Grimes, USTA president and Peachy Kellmeyer, Senior Vice President Tour Operations for the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour presented Mrs. Jeffett with a Service to Tennis Award at the Patron party hosted by Ron and Clare McKinney Murphy.

Dave Perry-Miller & Associates and the World Affairs Council of Dallas/ Fort Worth co-sponsored the event.

This is one of the many events sponsored by the Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation to further junior tennis development.

FINAL SCORE: UNITED STATES 6, GREAT BRITAIN 5

Saturday, September 29th
USA 6, Great Britain 5
Heather Watson (GB) defeated Jacqueline Cako (USA), 2-6,6-4,6-3
Kristie Ahn (USA) defeated Tara Moore (GB), 6-3,3-6,6-4
Stephanie Cornish/Heather Watson (USA) defeated Kristie Ahn/Alexandra Cercone (USA), 6-3,7-5

Friday, September 28th
USA 5, Great Britain 3
Hannah James (GB) defeated Alexandra Cercone (USA), 6-4,7-5
Tara Moore (GB) defeated Jacqueline Cako (USA), 3-6,6-1,6-1
Lilly Kimbell (USA) defeated Laura Slater (GB), 6-1,6-1
Stephanie Cornish (GB) defeated Olivia Janowicz (USA), 6-4,6-3

Thursday, September 27th
USA 4, Great Britain 0
Olivia Janowicz (USA) defeated Laura Slater (GB), 7-5,6-4
Lilly Kimbell (USA) defeated Stephanie Cornish (GB), 7-5,1-6,7-6(5)
Kristie Ahn (USA) defeated Heather Watson (USA), 0-6,7-5,6-3
Olivia Janowicz/Lilly Kimbell (USA) defeated Hannah James/Laura Slater (GB), 6-4,3-6,7-6(5)

For more information on this or other Maureen Connolly Brinker Foundation events, please visit their website: http://www.mcbtennis.org

2005 MCB CHALLENGE TROPHY