Twenty-five years ago, Stanford’s Laura Granville made history.
The second-year Stanford Cardinal cemented her status as one of the best student-athletes in the history of women’s college tennis with the 2001 NCAA Singles Championship, and in doing so, winning her second consecutive individual national championship.
At the time, Granville was just the third women’s player to ever win back-to-back titles, joining Stanford’s Patty Fendick (1986-87) and Florida’s Lisa Raymond (1992-93). Since then, only Stanford’s Amber Liu (2003-04) and Nicole Gibbs (2012-13) have completed the feat, signaling the rarity and magnificence of it.
“I was really proud of myself at the end of that because I was just very gritty,” Granville recently told the ITA. “I wasn’t necessarily playing my best tennis every match and had a number of very tough matches. I was able to just get through them and find a way to win. I’m very proud of that second NCAA title.”
As a true freshman the year prior, Granville’s inexperience at the national tournament proved to work in her favor.
“There was no pressure on me. It just felt like a dream run. I was probably playing some of the best tennis I had ever played and I wasn’t thinking too much. As a tennis player, it’s very rare that you’re kind of ‘in the zone,’ but I just felt very much like that the whole tournament.”
Five of her six wins at the 2000 NCAA Championships came in straight sets. The third round proved to be her toughest test, when she met reigning champion in San Diego’s Zuzana Lesenarova — also a member of the ITA Women’s Collegiate Hall of Fame Class of 2026.
Granville breezed through the opening set, 6-0, before the experienced Lesenarova rallied to win the second, 6-4, the only set she’d lose all tournament. Granville answered back with a decisive 6-3 win in the third to clinch a spot in the quarterfinals.
“That was a battle,” Granville says, letting out a sigh. “I just remember being very nervous going into that match because I knew she had won it the year before and I knew what a good player she was. I think getting through that match really gave me so much confidence.”
Both singles finals she played in were all-Stanford matchups. On May 26, 2000, the freshman Granville beat teammate Marissa Irvin (6-0, 6-4) to clinch her first national title. Exactly one year later, Granville was on top of the college tennis world once again, beating fellow Cardinal Lauren Kalvaria (6-3, 7-6).
Granville also guided Stanford to the 2001 NCAA Team Championship title, as well, capping off one of the most decorated two-year runs in the sport’s history. In two collegiate seasons, Granville was a two-time singles champion, NCAA team champion, set an NCAA-record with 58 consecutive singles victories, earned back-to-back ITA Player of the Year honors and sported 93-3 record before turning to the professional tour after her sophomore year.
“I had the best experience at Stanford. It was really difficult for me to leave after two years. I loved the atmosphere there, I loved my teammates, and I think most of all, I just loved college tennis. Looking back, it was probably the most happy I was playing tennis. That was just the best experience for me.”
Laura Granville at the NCAA Singles Championships
2000
First Round – Granville def. Vladka Uhlirova (Texas), 6-2, 6-2
Second Round – Granville def. Marissa Catlin (Georgia), 6-2, 6-0
Third Round – Granville def. Zuzana Lesenarova (San Diego), 6-0, 4-6, 6-3
Quarterfinal – Granville def. Jewel Peterson (USC), 6-1, 6-1
Semifinal – Granville def. Aarthi Venkatesan (Georgia), 6-1, 6-0
Final – Granville def. Marissa Irvin (Stanford), 6-0, 6-4
2001
First Round – Granville def. Janet Bergman (Wake Forest), 6-3, 6-1
Second Round – Granville def. Jessica Lehnhoff (Florida), 4-6, 7-6, 6-1
Third Round – Granville def. Liesl Fichtbauer (Fresno State), 6-4, 7-5
Quarterfinal – Granville def. Adria Engel (Arizona State), 6-4, 6-2
Semifinal – Granville def. Michelle Dasso (Notre Dame), 6-2, 6-3
Final – Granville def. Lauren Calvaria (Stanford), 6-3, 7-6
To register for the ITA Women’s Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, visit here.