Cohen Takes Home the 2007 NCAA Women's Singles National Title
May 28, 2007
Athens, G.A. – It was a sweet victory for University of Miami junior Audra Cohen, as she won the 2007 NCAA Singles Championship this evening at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex at the University of Georgia campus. It marks the first time in Miami Women’s Tennis history that a player has ever won the national title.
“No one wanted this more than [Audra]”, commented head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews. “I’m so glad that she was able to meet the goals that she set for herself this season.
Cohen wraps-up her successful season with 42-2 overall singles record with a 27-2 mark against ranked opponents.
Top-seed Cohen took on fourth-seed Lindsey Nelson of Southern California. The first set saw both players battle it out, tying the game at three-all until Nelson stretched her lead to 5-3. Cohen rallied back to tie the game at 5-5, then nailed in two more games to claim the first set 7-5. Cohen was on fire in the next set, as she went up 5-0 until Nelson posted two games of her own. With the match-point at 5-2, Cohen went up 40-love, and nailed in the final game to capture the match victory.
“To come out here in an intense moment with the national title on the line, going up against a highly competitive opponent, and to win the way she did, is an example of an impressive tennis player”, Yaroshuk-Tews stated.
Cohen and Nelson faced-off at the 2006 Singles Championships, as Nelson defeated Cohen 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 in the Round of 16.
Cohen’s road to the NCAA National Title saw impressive wins over five nationally-ranked opponents, taking down former Miami teammate No. 32 Monika Dancevic of Georgia, 6-0, 4-6, 6-2 in the first round, followed by a 6-2, 7-6 (3) defeat over 23rd-ranked Diana Srebrovic of Florida in the round of 32. Cohen’s 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 victory in the Sweet 16 saw a match-up against 14th-ranked Celia Durkin that was a sweet win in itself, marking the second time since 2004 and seventh time ever for a Hurricane to reach the quarterfinal round. Cohen knocked down a straight-set 6-0, 6-2 defeat over Stanford’s No. 41-ranked Lindsay Burdette. In the Semifinal round, Cohen was the third player in Miami women’s tennis history to the semifinals as she knocked down 18th-ranked Zuzana Zemenova 6-2, 6-2.
As the nation’s top-ranked player since the conclusion of the 2006 season, Cohen captured her second consecutive automatic bid as the No. 1-seeded player to the NCAA Singles Championship, marking the third consecutive season that a No. 1-seed hails from the University of Miami. Prior to Cohen making the top seed last year, former Hurricane standout Megan Bradley was seeded first heading into the 2005 NCAA Singles Championships.
“I’m so proud of Audra and her and achievement. She means a lot to this program.”
