In a thrilling display of talent and skill, the University of Georgia made waves at the ITA Southeast Regional Championships held at the Ken Byers Tennis Complex on Friday, October 18, 2024.
Sofia Rojas and Hayden Mulberry showcased their dominance on the court as they secured a victory over Kennesaw State’s Terezia Barianakova and Laura Nadaska with a score of 8-6 in the doubles match. Rojas then went on to face off against North Florida’s Anslee Long in singles, emerging victorious with a solid performance of 6-2, 6-3.
The intensity continued as Guillermina Grant took on North Florida’s Aryana Bartlett in a hard-fought battle. Grant claimed the first set with a score of 7-6(1) and managed to secure the second set 7-5, avoiding a second tie-break situation. Hayden Mulberry, fresh off a qualifying round win, faced off against Tech’s Kylie Bilchev, emerging triumphant with a score of 7-5, 6-2. Aysegul Mert also impressed in the round of 64, defeating FSU’s Eva Shaw with a score of 6-2, 6-4.
In the consolation round of 16 qualifying, Sarah Branicki made a strong return to action against Florida Atlantic’s Maya Shanok, advancing due to Shanok’s withdrawal from the match.
However, amidst all the triumphs, Dasha Vidmanova suffered a setback as her four-match winning streak came to an end with a 6-3, 6-0 loss to WTA No. 99 Anna Blinkova at the ITF tournament in Macon.
The Bulldogs are gearing up for another exciting day of competition as they prepare to return to the court for the ITA Southeast Regional Championships on Saturday, October 19, with matches kicking off at 9 a.m. ET. Be sure to tune in and catch all the action as the University of Georgia tennis stars continue to dazzle and inspire on the court.
