From Sept. 19-27, the Gators competed at the ITA All-Americans Championships in Cary, North Carolina, marking the first tournament of the fall season for the athletes.
Florida sent seven athletes to the championships. The event is formatted with three rounds for both singles and doubles: the Prequalifying, Qualifying, and Main Draw. The Gators ended up falling short in the first round of the Singles Main Draw, but were able to collect a few victories throughout the consolation rounds, with doubles ending in the Qualifying round.
In the Singles Prequalifying Draw, freshman Capucine Jauffret found her first taste of collegiate success as she defeated Virginia's Martina Genis Salas 4-6, 7-5, 6-0 to move on to the Round of 128. Junior Nikola Daubnerova also competed in the Prequalifying Draw but was defeated by Louisville's Berta Miret 6-4, 6-3.
In the Doubles Prequalifying Draw, junior Jana Hossam and senior Scarlett Nicholson claimed victory after being down a set to beat Oklahoma's Laura Brunkel and Chloe Noel 2-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-8). Likewise, Daubnerova and sophomore Brooke Black picked up a straight-set win against South Carolina's Francie Pate and Helena Buchwald, 6-2, 6-4.
Both tandems competed in their first-ever outings as doubles pairings and moved on to the Round of 16, with Hossam and Nicholson having their first outing as Gators.
Jaufrett found herself with another win under her belt following a 6-3, 6-7 (8-10), 6-4 victory over Furman's Elle Warren. However, later that afternoon she fell to Wisconsin's Lucie Urbanova 6-1, 6-4. Due to the Lucky Loser rule, she was also able to compete against Michigan's Emily Sartz-Lunde, where she won in a three-set thriller, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.
In the doubles Round of 16, Hossam and Nicholson fell to LSU's Xi Ni and Tegan Bush, 6-4, 6-4. On the other hand, Daubnerova and Black advanced over San Diego State's Vessa Turley and Tea Lukic, 6-4, 2-6, 1-0 (10-5).
Meanwhile, in the Qualifying draw, freshman Allegra Korpanic Davies completed not only her first collegiate win but also her first victory against a ranked opponent when she defeated Wake Forest's Sankavi Gownder 6-2, 7-5. Sophomore Brooke Black also competed and topped North Carolina's Theadora Rabman 6-1, 7-6 (7-3).
Daubnerova and Black defeated Dartmouth's Michela Moore and Peyton Capuano 6-4, 6-3 in doubles, while Jauffret and Korpanec Davis lost to Wisconsin's Kaede Usui and Ellison Reynoldson 6-2, 2-6, 0-1 (6-10).
In singles, both freshmen excelled as they continued to pick up victories in the Qualifying draw. Korapnic Davies defeated Texas A&M’s Lexington Reed 5-7, 6-0, 6-3, while Jauffret upended Georgia's Nadia Lagaev 6-4, 1-6, 6-4.
Black followed in similar fashion, beating Wichita State's Xin Tong Wang in a nail-biter 3-6, 6-1, 7-5 match.
While Hossam and sophomore Gabia Paskauskas were slated for the Singles Main Draw prior to the tournament's start, three other Gators made their way into the ranks as well.
In the doubles realm, Daubnerova and Black fell to Oklahoma's Zoie Epps and Ounmuang 5-7, 3-6. As for the freshman tandem, their opponents withdrew due to injury in the Qualifying draw.
These final two matches rounded off the doubles run for the Gators.
The Main draw ended as swiftly as it began, with each of the five Gators being defeated in two-set matches. Freshman Jauffret and Korpanic Davies came up short against Duke's Irina Balus, 6-3, 6-2, and Auburn's Ashton Bowers, 6-4, 6-3, respectively. Black was defeated by Virginia's Katie Rolls, 6-4, 6-4. Both juniors dropped as well, with Paskauskas losing to Duke's Mimi Xu 6-4, 6-3 and Hossam dropping 6-2, 6-4 to Mississippi State's Gianna Oboniye.
Each of the athletes did have an opportunity to compete within the consolation bracket of the tournament. Both Black and Hossam found success here, with Hossam picking up a win over Central Florida’s Jantje Tilbuergers 6-3, 7-5.
Black found victory as well in a three-set match against Vanderbilt's Valeria Ray, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. Ray was ranked No. 14 in the nation, and the win marked Black’s highest-ranked victory in her collegiate career thus far.
As for the three other Gators within the consolation bracket, they fought back tirelessly but found themselves down at the end of three sets. Paskauskas fell to Georgia's Anastasiia Gureva 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3), Jauffret lost to Maryland's Oliwia Orlinska 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 and Korpanic Davies was defeated by Texas A&M's Kristina Paskauskas 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (8-6) in a nail-biter.
The tournament came to a close for Florida with Black falling to Auburn's Ashton Bowers 6-3, 7-5. Hossam held out after her win against N.C. State's Lavinia Tanasie 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-1) in a tiebreak match, but finally met defeat in a 6-4, 6-2 decision to Columbia's Margot Phanthala.
Hossam truly shined within the tournament and showcased her competitive edge in her first tournament as a Gator. Both freshman Jauffret and Korpanic Davies also found success in their first collegiate outing, highlighting an exciting start for the rest of the preseason.
Contact Alisa Gershman at agershman@alligator.org. Follow her on X @angershman.
Alisa Gershman is a freshman biotechnology major working as the women's tennis reporter this semester. In her spare time she enjoys playing tennis, baking, and hanging out with friends. Go Birds!
