By Whitey Reid

Published: May 3, 2008

When told that she would be playing Alexis Gordon today in the final of the Boyd Tinsley USTA Women’s Pro Tennis Championships, Olga Puchkova sounded confused.
“Who?” Puchkova said.
You could hardly blame Puchkova.
Coming into the tournament, Gordon was the 637th-ranked player in the world. The former Florida standout had to win a qualifying match just to make it into the main draw.
Now Gordon is one win away from her first professional title.
On Saturday afternoon at the Boar’s Head Sports Club, Gordon cruised to an impressive 6-4, 6-2 upset of third-seeded and 130th-ranked Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium.
“It feels amazing to be in the finals,” Gordon said. “I kind of don’t know how I got here because I didn’t really play my best tennis.”
Wickmayer would likely find that hard to believe. Gordon, utilizing an excellent return, was overpowering throughout. Time and time again, the lefthander hit winners off of Wickmayer’s first and second serve.
“I was just doing that well today because her serve had a tendency to hit the ground and bounce right into my wheelhouse,” Gordon explained. “She wasn’t really serving to my backhand, so when it came to my forehand I kind of just whaled on it.”
That would also be a good way to describe Puchkova’s performance on Saturday. The Russian’s powerful baseline game was too much for Bethanie Mattek. The second-seeded and 124th-ranked Puchkova won 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 in a three-hour match.
“I like playing long matches because they get you tough mentally and physically,” Puchkova said. “I’m not really tired.”
Gordon, a 25-year-old who only turned pro in January, is playing in just her eighth event.
After competing for three years on the college level at Florida, Gordon took over a year off after she gave birth to a daughter, Imani, who is now 3.
“It was a lot of change - a huge growing up experience for me,” said Gordon, who is a single mom. “My family and friends were very supportive. It made me who I am today.”
Before now, Gordon’s best finish was in her very first event - when she made a run to the quarterfinals of a tournament in Tampa Bay. Gordon, who grew up in Connecticut and now resides in Gainesville, Fla., said the couple hundred or so folks on hand at the Boar’s Head Sports Club on Saturday was the biggest crowd she had played in front of in her brief career.
What stands out about Gordon is her power. However, she considers herself an all-around type of player.
“I’m trying to add more serve and volley to my game, but I like to change things up,” she said. “I don’t like to be a robot.
“With me, if one part of my game breaks down, I can always go to something else. You have to have a plan A, B, C and D.”
That approach will likely come in handy today when she takes on Puchkova, a player she has never faced.
“I don’t know very much about her,” Gordon said. “I don’t really know too much about any of the girls who are inside the top 200.
“I saw her play [against Mattek] and she looks like a solid player, so I know I’m going to have a tough, long match on my hands. She looks very consistent, like a backboard.”
Gordon doesn’t expect the recent stretch of warm weather in Charlottesville to play a factor.
“Being from Gainesville,” said Gordon smiling, “this is like a reprieve.”