After a dominant win over No. 2 Stanford to win the national championship on Tuesday, the Gators women’s tennis team has already seen its fair share of upsets in the individual singles and doubles tournaments. Only two Gators out of the five selected to play in singles remain after two rounds, as only one doubles team remains after the first round.
It was another day of success for Florida sophomore Alfredo Perez at the NCAA Individual Championships, but it was a day of close calls for him in both the singles and doubles competitions.
In his first press conference of the season, coach Roland Thornqvist said he thought this year’s Gators women’s tennis team was the best team he’s had in his 16 years at Florida. On Tuesday night, they lived up to that proclamation by giving the program its seventh national championship.
Alfredo Perez will advance to the second round of the NCAA Singles Championship for a second straight year.
For the seventh time in program history, the Gators women’s team is a national champion. With a 4-1 win over the Stanford Cardinal on Tuesday, Florida punctuated what was already a tremendous season.
Standing and smiling in the middle of the court, Brooke Austin was swarmed by eight screaming Gators. After a jumping huddle with the team and assistant coaches, high fives came from every direction as “It’s great to be a Florida Gator” echoed through Georgia’s indoor tennis facility.
Entering the season ranked No. 11, the Florida men’s tennis team had high expectations for 2017.
As Kourtney Keegan slammed the ball onto the court, a small crowd of Gators fans roared in Athens, Georgia. The point won by Keegan and partner Brooke Austin gave them a 6-2 doubles win. It was one of the many things that came easy for Florida on Sunday, as it went on to defeat Oklahoma State 4-1 in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament.
After its first match in Athens, Georgia, the Gators women’s tennis team already knows the level of competition that lies ahead. On Friday night, Florida blanked Texas A&M 4-0 to advance to the Elite 8.
Alfredo Perez sat on the bench and stared straight at the ground with frustration. This body language is not typical of a player leading his opponent by one set and heading into a second set tiebreak.
The UF men’s tennis team has made it to the Sweet 16 for a second straight year.
Before the Gators women’s tennis team stepped out on the court Sunday, Ingrid Neel was thinking ahead. The lone freshman playing in her first NCAA tournament was so eager to advance to the Sweet 16 in Athens, Georgia, she wasn’t even thinking about tennis.
Tied at 40 all in the game and leading 5-0 in the match, Ingrid Neel stepped up to serve. With laser focus, the freshman struck the ball and delivered an ace, winning her doubles match 6-0 alongside partner Anna Danilina.
Hosting the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament, the UF men’s tennis team defeated both of its opponents in convincing fashion.
Peggy Porter’s name hasn’t been called often. In fact, the Dallas, Texas, native’s only match this spring came in the season-opener against Depaul on Jan. 28. However, when she was put on court six during Saturday’s opening round of the NCAA Tournament, it looked like she hadn’t missed a beat. Porter’s 6-2, 6-3 win over Massachusetts’s Brittany Collens clinched the match for the Gators, giving them a 4-0 victory to begin tournament play.
Florida coach Bryan Shelton had a fantastic career at Georgia Tech.
Entering the NCAA tournament as the No. 1 seed in the field, senior Belinda Woolcock only has one word to describe what she and the Florida women’s tennis team feels like.
When I found out I was going to be covering track and field for the Alligator, two things happened immediately.
It looked all too familiar for the Gators women’s tennis team. Having lost the doubles point, Florida struggled to fight back in singles, ended a winning streak and recorded an unexpected loss.
The regular season ended on a high note for the UF men’s tennis team, which shut out the Auburn Tigers 7-0 on Sunday.
Solutions by The State News
