Junior McCartney Kessler was one of three Gators ranked in the ITA preseason rankings.
Women’s Tennis Wraps Up Day One in the Bahamas
Friday, January 10, 2020 | Women's Tennis
Gators took on No. 7 Texas in doubles and No. 4 UCLA in singles.
NASSAU, the Bahamas – Opening its 2020 slate against some of the nation's best talent, the University of Florida women's tennis team completed its first day of competition at the first-ever Pink Flamingo Cup hosted by the Baha Mar Resort.
In the preseason event, Florida sparred with a pair of nationally-ranked squads as it battled No. 7 Texas in doubles and No. 4 UCLA in singles.
Florida's lone senior, Tsveta Dimitrova, added a victory in the one-of-a-kind national showcase.
No. 24 Florida began the day on the doubles court with three matches against the Longhorns.
No. 96 Victoria Emma, No. 37 McCartney Kessler, Tsveta Dimitrova, Ida Jarlskog, Sydney Berlin and Marlee Zein all made their spring debuts.
Singles play took place in two 3-court segments as Kessler, Jarlskog and Dimitrova competed in the first wave and Emma, Zein and Berlin the next.
Florida's top two singles players, Kessler and Emma, fought but each fell in two set matches to top 15 opponents. Jarlskog dropped a tight one, 6-4, 6-4 to No. 99 Annette Goulak.
The sophomore Zein went toe-to-toe with UCLA's Abi Altick, but came up short in a third-set tiebreak.
Dimitrova dispatched nationally-ranked Sasha Vargramov from the five line while Sydney Berlin was defeated by Taylor Johnson to round out UF's singles results.
Florida resumes play at the Pink Flamingo Cup Saturday morning as it squares off with No. 24 Miami in doubles and No. 7 Texas in singles.
UP NEXT
Saturday, Jan. 11
9 a.m. – doubles vs. No. 24 Miami
10 a.m. – singles vs. No. 7 Texas
Quotes from the Court
Head Coach Roland Thornqvist
Overall thoughts on the day of competition…
"I like our approach to this tournament. Our players want to use this as a platform to get ready for the season's dual matches. There certainly were plenty to dissect. We had three singles matches with 4-1 leads we let slip away and against a team like UCLA, who may be the favorite to win the National Championship along with Texas, you will be punished. It's important that we become stronger both in body language as well as emotionally in situations where leads begin to slip. Tomorrow is another opportunity for us to get better while playing at this world class resort, Baha Mar."
Florida vs. Texas
Doubles competition
1. Anna Turati/Bianca Turati (TEX) def. Victoria Emma/McCartney Kessler (FLA) 6-3
2. Fernanda Labrana/Marta Perez Mur (TEX) def. Tsveta Dimitrova/Ida Jarlskog (FLA) 6-3
3. Adrienn Nagy/Lexi Ryngler (TEX) def. Sydney Berlin/Marlee Zein (FLA) 6-1
Florida vs. UCLA
Singles competition
1. #14 Elysia Bolton (UCLA) def. #37 McCartney Kessler (FLA) 6-2, 6-4
2. #9 Jada Hart (UCLA) def. #96 Victoria Emma (FLA) 7-5, 6-3
3. #99 Annette Goulak (UCLA) def. Ida Jarlskog (FLA) 6-4, 6-4
4. Abi Altick (UCLA) def. Marlee Zein (FLA) 7-5, 3-6, 1-0 (10-2)
5. Tsveta Dimitrova (FLA) def. #108 Sasha Vagramov (UCLA) 6-3, 6-3
6. Taylor Johnson (UCLA) def. Sydney Berlin (FLA) 7-6 (7-4), 6-2
Schedule
Saturday, Jan. 11
Doubles
9 AM
vs. Miami
Singles
10 AM
vs. Texas
Schedule
Sunday, Jan. 12
Doubles
9 AM
vs. UCLA
Singles
10 AM
vs. Miami
FOLLOW THE GATORS
SOCIAL: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: #GoGators
In the preseason event, Florida sparred with a pair of nationally-ranked squads as it battled No. 7 Texas in doubles and No. 4 UCLA in singles.
Florida's lone senior, Tsveta Dimitrova, added a victory in the one-of-a-kind national showcase.
No. 24 Florida began the day on the doubles court with three matches against the Longhorns.
No. 96 Victoria Emma, No. 37 McCartney Kessler, Tsveta Dimitrova, Ida Jarlskog, Sydney Berlin and Marlee Zein all made their spring debuts.
Singles play took place in two 3-court segments as Kessler, Jarlskog and Dimitrova competed in the first wave and Emma, Zein and Berlin the next.
Florida's top two singles players, Kessler and Emma, fought but each fell in two set matches to top 15 opponents. Jarlskog dropped a tight one, 6-4, 6-4 to No. 99 Annette Goulak.
The sophomore Zein went toe-to-toe with UCLA's Abi Altick, but came up short in a third-set tiebreak.
Dimitrova dispatched nationally-ranked Sasha Vargramov from the five line while Sydney Berlin was defeated by Taylor Johnson to round out UF's singles results.
Florida resumes play at the Pink Flamingo Cup Saturday morning as it squares off with No. 24 Miami in doubles and No. 7 Texas in singles.
UP NEXT
Saturday, Jan. 11
9 a.m. – doubles vs. No. 24 Miami
10 a.m. – singles vs. No. 7 Texas
Quotes from the Court
Head Coach Roland Thornqvist
Overall thoughts on the day of competition…
"I like our approach to this tournament. Our players want to use this as a platform to get ready for the season's dual matches. There certainly were plenty to dissect. We had three singles matches with 4-1 leads we let slip away and against a team like UCLA, who may be the favorite to win the National Championship along with Texas, you will be punished. It's important that we become stronger both in body language as well as emotionally in situations where leads begin to slip. Tomorrow is another opportunity for us to get better while playing at this world class resort, Baha Mar."
Florida vs. Texas
Doubles competition
1. Anna Turati/Bianca Turati (TEX) def. Victoria Emma/McCartney Kessler (FLA) 6-3
2. Fernanda Labrana/Marta Perez Mur (TEX) def. Tsveta Dimitrova/Ida Jarlskog (FLA) 6-3
3. Adrienn Nagy/Lexi Ryngler (TEX) def. Sydney Berlin/Marlee Zein (FLA) 6-1
Florida vs. UCLA
Singles competition
1. #14 Elysia Bolton (UCLA) def. #37 McCartney Kessler (FLA) 6-2, 6-4
2. #9 Jada Hart (UCLA) def. #96 Victoria Emma (FLA) 7-5, 6-3
3. #99 Annette Goulak (UCLA) def. Ida Jarlskog (FLA) 6-4, 6-4
4. Abi Altick (UCLA) def. Marlee Zein (FLA) 7-5, 3-6, 1-0 (10-2)
5. Tsveta Dimitrova (FLA) def. #108 Sasha Vagramov (UCLA) 6-3, 6-3
6. Taylor Johnson (UCLA) def. Sydney Berlin (FLA) 7-6 (7-4), 6-2
Schedule
Saturday, Jan. 11
Doubles
9 AM
vs. Miami
Singles
10 AM
vs. Texas
Schedule
Sunday, Jan. 12
Doubles
9 AM
vs. UCLA
Singles
10 AM
vs. Miami
FOLLOW THE GATORS
SOCIAL: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: #GoGators
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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