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By TERRY JONES
© St. Petersburg Times, published May 6, 2001
LUTZ -- Stacia Fonseca, a 15-year-old Lutz resident, was a bronze medalist in the Gator Bowl National Tennis Tournament April 28-30 in Jacksonville.
Competing in the 16-and-under age bracket, Fonseca went 4-1 to place third in a field of 32.
She won her first round 6-1, 6-1, won 6-2, 6-3 in round two and 6-4, 6-4 in a tough quarterfinal match. She was beaten 3-6, 6-4, 4-6 in the semifinals by Paula Zabala of Miami.
In the playoff for third and fourth place, she beat a South Carolina player, 6-2, 6-2.
In the final United States Tennis Association rankings for 14-year-olds, published this month, Fonseca placed fourth in the nation. She started in the middle 100s two years ago.