Florida Gators
USTA/ITA National Indoor Championships - Day 2 of 4
Updated: Joanna Mather Highlights Busy Day of Women's Tennis Action on Friday
Friday, November 4, 2011 | Women's Tennis
Members of the University of Florida women's tennis team enjoyed success on a very busy Friday, when the Gators competed in two different events, highlighted by the play of senior Joanna Mather (Duluth, Ga.) who advanced to the semifinals of the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships held at the USTA-Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
Alex Cercone (Seminole, Fla.), Caroline Hitimana (Waterloo, Belgium), Olivia Janowicz (Palm Bay, Fla.) and Sofie Oyen (Leopoldsburg, Belgium) combined for a perfect 6-0 record in singles and doubles action on the first day of play at the USF Fall Tennis Classic in Tampa.
Mather posted a grueling 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory against Georgia's third-seeded and ninth-ranked Chelsey Gullickson and advanced to the quarterfinals where she cruised past North Carolina's Lauren McHale, 6-3, 6-1 later on Friday.
“Joanna is moving so well and making great decisions,” UF coach Roland Thornqvist said. “Above all, she's just mentally strong. She takes the same approach to every point. It's something she's mastered this fall. She's playing great tennis, physically as well as mentally.”
The round of 16 victory was Mather's first career singles win versus a top-10 ranked opponent and the quarterfinal showing was her personal best in a collegiate grand slam event as she brushed past that en route to the semifinals.
Eight of the nine games in the deciding third set of the round of 16 were breaks, but it was Mather who halted the trend by holding serve in the eighth game and earned the match's 15th break to seal the upset victory. Mather improved to 11-3 this season, including 82-28 in her singles career, with her 80th win a three-plus-hour victory in the opening round on Thursday.
Lauren Embree (Marco Island, Fla.) wasn't as fortunate in her three-set round of 16 match in Flushing, N.Y., as she dropped a 3-6, 6-1, 6-3 decision to SMU's 10th-ranked Marta Lesniak. The talented Gator junior caps her fall season with a 7-3 record, having reached the round of 16 of both collegiate grand slam tournaments played to date.
In Tampa, Cercone led the Gator quartet in impressive straight-set singles showings, as she defeated Florida's State's Francesca Segarelli, 6-4, 6-2. Oyen downed Carolina De Los Santos, 6-1, 6-2 and Janowicz stopped Leyla Erkan 6-2, 6-2. Hitimana took down USF's Alessandra Bonte 6-2, 6-1 in the non-draw competition that features athletes from FSU, UCF and host USF.
On the doubles court, Hitimana and Janowicz paired for an 8-5 win against UCF's team of Genevieve Lorbergs and Alexis Rodriguez, while Cercone and Oyen downed Taylor Dubins and Yacaman, 8-3
Action at the USF Fall Tennis Classic continues Saturday morning.
JOANNA MAHTER POST MATCH QUOTES (provided by ITA):
(On defeating McHale 6-3, 6-1)
"It feels good to finally get a straight-set win, rather than a three-set win."
(On rallying from a set down in the first and second rounds)
"It's been crazy. I've had to run a lot more than I planned on, but I feel like I'm playing really well. And it's exciting because it's my senior year and my first time here. I'm really glad to have made it through all these matches."
(On saving match points in the first round)
"I don't know if it was two or three, but on one she just barely missed. I'm lucky to still be here."
(On going from No. 4 on her team to the final four of a national tournament)
"I feel like finally everything is coming together. Last year my serve was struggling a little bit, but it feels good now. I think maybe that's the difference between last year and this year. Still, as a team, we have such a strong lineup. Allie's not playing this tournament and Lauren had a tough one today -- the girl she played played really well. But we've got such a strong lineup, that we could play anywhere."
(On her win over Chelsey Gullickson)
"She got me running out there. After the first set, it was really close. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to pull it out, but I knew I had to keep fighting. She gave me some unforced errors, which was very nice. I've had two very long matches on Court 4."
USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships
USTA-Billie Jean King National Tennis Center
Flushing, N.Y.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Singles, Second Round (round of 16)
Marta Lesniak (10), SMU d. Lauren Embree (5), UF 3-6, 6-1, 6-3
Joanna Mather (26), UF d. Chelsey Gullickson (9), Georgia 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
Singles, Quarterfinals
Joanna Mather (26), UF d. Lauren McHale, UNC 6-3, 6-1
USF Fall Tennis Classic
Tampa, Fla.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Singles (no draw)
Alex Cercone (34), UF d. Francesca Segarelli, Florida State, 6-4, 6-2
Caroline Hitimana (85), UF d. Alessandra Bonte, USF, 6-2, 6-1
Olivia Janowicz (37), UF d. Carolina De Los Santos, Florida State, 6-2, 6-2
Sofie Oyen (73), UF d. Leyla Erkan, Florida State, 6-1, 6-2
Doubles (no draw)
Hitmana/Janowicz (29), UF d. Genevieve Lorbergs/Alexis Rodriguez, UCF, 8-5
Cercone/Oyen, UF d. Taylor Dubins and Yacaman, UCF 8-3
