GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Conference play commences this weekend for the University of Florida women's tennis team as it begins its SEC season with matchups at No. 47 Alabama and No. 48 Auburn.
The Gators kick off the weekend road swing with a matchup at Alabama on Friday at 6 p.m. ET and conclude play with a Sunday afternoon matchup at Auburn set for 1 p.m. ET.
| Date |
Friday, Feb. 28 |
| Time |
6 p.m. ET |
| Matchup |
Florida (3-2) vs. No. 47 Alabama (11-2) |
| Location |
Alabama Tennis Stadium | Tuscaloosa, Ala. |
| Stream |
Here |
| Live Stats |
Here |
| Match Notes |
Florida |
| Date |
Sunday, March 1 |
| Time |
1 p.m. ET |
| Matchup |
Florida (3-2) vs. No. 48 Auburn (7-3) |
| Location |
Yarbrough Tennis Center | Auburn, Ala. |
| Stream |
Here |
| Live Stats |
Here |
| Match Notes |
Florida |
Florida takes its show on the road after recording back-to-back wins at home over North Florida and Georgia State. Florida (3-2) won the doubles point in both matches and with the clinch/play out format in effect, posted 6-1 and 7-0 victories, respectively.
After squaring off with top 10 teams in two of its first three matches to open the dual match campaign, Florida has bounced back with consecutive victories. In the wins, UF not only claimed the doubles points but dropped just one match with its new pairings.
The Gators sustained back-to-back 4-0 setbacks against No. 8 NC State and No. 10 Michigan, but in their last two matches have won 11 of their 12 singles bouts.
Through five matches, Florida features three players with three victories as sophomore
Marlee Zein leads the way at 3-0. 2019 All-American
Ida Jarlskog is off to a 3-1 start while UF's lone senior
Tsveta Dimitrova sits at 3-2.
Florida's highest-ranked singles player No. 49
McCartney Kessler is 2-2 while No. 113
Victoria Emma has posted back-to-back wins from the No. 2 spot and possesses the same record.
The Orange and Blue have one ranked doubles side in No. 51 Zein and freshman
Layne Sleeth.
UF, slated to finish second in the SEC preseason poll, has won at least seven SEC matches in all 18 seasons head coach
Roland Thornqvist has been at the helm. Florida is 219-41 in the SEC under Thornqvist's watch.
No. 47 Alabama, picked to finish 10
th in the league's preseason poll, is off to an 11-2 start on the season. Alba Cortina Pou leads the team with 11 singles wins while the Tide's primary No. 1 Moka Ito boasts a 6-4 record. UA features one ranked doubles pairing in Ito and Isabella Harvison. Alabama has already played seven home matches and is 6-1 in those contests.
Florida will get a crack at playing in Tuscaloosa ahead of the conference tournament in April as Alabama is set to host the season-culminating event.
Auburn, just one spot below Alabama in the ITA rankings at No. 48, was voted to finish one slot below Alabama in the SEC standings at No. 11 in the SEC preseason poll. The Tigers, like the Gators have played a pair of nationally-ranked squads already, as they fell at No. 2 North Carolina, 4-0 and at No. 19 Wake Forest, 4-1. Auburn opens SEC play with a matchup vs. No. 30 South Carolina Friday. The Tigers (7-3) are paced in wins by senior Georgie Axon who from the No. 3 and No. 4 slots has opened 7-0. Taylor Russo, who has played at the top spot in all seven matches, is 4-3 and holds a No. 78 ITA ranking. Russo and teammate Selin Ovunc are off to a 6-2 start in doubles and are currently ranked No. 9.
Florida holds a 42-2 edge in the all-time series with Alabama and is 43-0 against Auburn.
Following this weekend's action on the road, Florida returns home to host its first SEC weekend March 6-8. The Gators will welcome LSU Friday before battling Texas A&M Sunday.
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