Former local athlete wins first Olympic medal for Brazil in tennis

Luisa Stefani, center, and Laura Pigossi, of Brazil, celebrate after defeating Veronika Kudermetova and Elena Vesnina, of the Russian Olympic Committee, in the women’s doubles bronze medal tennis match at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 31, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

by: Nathaniel Rodriguez, WFLA 8 On Your Side Staff

Posted: Jul 31, 2021 / 06:56 AM EDT

Updated: Jul 31, 2021 / 09:50 PM EDT

TOKYO (WFLA) — An alumna of Saddlebrook Preparatory School has won the bronze medal for Brazil in the women’s doubles finals.

Saddlebrook Prep made a post on Instagram congratulating Olympian and former student Luisa Stefani, who beat Russian’s Veronika Kudermetova and Elena Vesnina with her partner Laura Pigossi. This victory granted Brazil its first medal in tennis.

According to Stefani’s bio on the Women’s Tennis Association, she has been playing tennis since she was 10 and would go on to win the Grand Slam at the 2020 Australian Open and the bronze at the 2019 Pan-American Games in Lima.

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Stefani began attending Saddlebrook Prep in 2011 with her brother Arthur, who also played collegiate tennis and now works as a coach. She was a successful athlete in the school’s tennis program before going on to attend Pepperdine University.