Sanchez falls in Indian Harbour Beach doubles final

Maria Sanchez, who was born and raised in Modesto,
plays doubles in the U.S. Open last September,
Photo by Paul Bauman

   Maria Sanchez, a 26-year-old Modesto product, lost in today's doubles final in Indian Harbour Beach, Fla., on the ITF Women's Circuit.
   The unseeded team of Sanchez and Jessica Pegula of Charleston, S.C., fell to second-seeded Julia Glushko of Israel and Alexandra Panova of Russia 7-5, 6-4 in the $75,000 Revolution Technologies Pro Tennis Classic.
   Sanchez won last year's title with Taylor Townsend, the singles runner-up today to Jennifer Brady in an all-American matchup.
   Sanchez was seeking her 17th doubles title on the ITF Women's Circuit, comparable to the minor leagues in baseball, and the 22-year-old Pegula her third. They have not won a title together.
   Sanchez defeated Pegula in the 2012 FSP Gold River Women's Challenger in the Sacramento area for the first of her two ITF singles titles.
   The two players have contrasting backgrounds. Pegula's parents, Terry and Kim, are billionaires who own the NFL's Buffalo Bills and NHL's Buffalo Sabres. Sanchez's parents, Luis and Catharine, are schoolteachers.
   Sanchez graduated from USC in real estate in 2011, whereas Pegula turned pro out of high school.