Florida Gulf Coast University women’s tennis advanced June Bjork in singles and two doubles teams to the second round of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Southeast Regional Championships on Oct. 9 at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center in Coral Gables. The University of Miami is hosting the event. Bjork reached the singles second round with a three-set victory over North Florida’s May Fadida.
Bjork defeated Fadida 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 for her fourth singles win of the year. The match was halted at least once because of rain before Bjork completed the comeback. Fadida previously lost to Florida Gulf Coast University’s Sabrina Jaramillo in straight sets at the Bedford Cup.
Anjali Kotecha and Cecilie Maeland also advanced after defeating USF’s Sienna Leeson and Margherita Marcon 8-4 in doubles. The victory was Kotecha’s second doubles win of the season and her first of the year with Maeland. Kotecha earned the win on her 21st birthday after spending much of the day waiting through four rain delays.
Nora Svensson and Bjork advanced to the doubles second round with a bye. That gave Florida Gulf Coast University two doubles teams in Saturday’s Round of 32. The doubles teams will return to action at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center on Oct. 10.
Other Florida Gulf Coast University results
Svensson lost to Miami’s Raquel Gonzalez 7-6 (7-4), 6-3, in singles. Gonzalez is ranked fourth in the region. Maria Vargas fell to Florida’s Nikola Daubnerova 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, while Ashley Matz lost to Miami’s Michaela Laki 6-4, 6-0.
In doubles, Sabrina Jaramillo and Africa Burillo Berezak lost to Miami’s Berrak Kocak and Jaquelyn Ogunwale 8-3. Matz and Vargas also lost 8-3, falling to Florida Atlantic’s Alexia Patru and Malika Amirgalieva. The results left Florida Gulf Coast University with two doubles teams advancing and three players scheduled for consolation competition.
Saturday schedule
Maeland and Kotecha will face Miami’s ninth-seeded Raquel Gonzalez and Dominika Podhajecha at 7:45 a.m. in the second round of doubles. Svensson and Bjork will meet Florida Atlantic’s Vanessa Vlahova and Ioana Teodora Sava at 9 a.m. in their doubles match.
Bjork will face Miami’s Anna Perelman at noon in singles. Svensson will meet FIU’s Viktorie Hazmukova in consolation play at 1:30 p.m., while Vargas faces Florida State’s Laura Putz at the same time. Matz will play Florida Atlantic’s Panna Bartha at 3 p.m.
FSB Take
Florida Gulf Coast University women’s tennis produced its clearest success in doubles, with Kotecha and Maeland earning an 8-4 victory and Svensson and Bjork advancing by bye. Bjork also secured a singles second-round appearance after overcoming Fadida in three sets. The Oct. 10 schedule includes second-round matches for both doubles teams and Bjork, along with three consolation matches.
Source: Original report