Four Canes Claim Titles on Final Day of Bedford Cup
By Alex Schwartz
HurricaneSports.com
Sunday Results | Tournament Recap Video | Full Tournament Results | Fall Stats | Saturday Recap | Friday Recap
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami women’s tennis team closed the Bedford Cup with a perfect day, winning each match in straight sets and earning three championships Sunday at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center.
Freshman Lucia Marzal Martinez took home the No. 1 Singles flight main draw trophy, while senior Ana Madcur won the flight’s consolation draw. Additionally, junior Yuna Ito and sophomore Ulyana Shirokova claimed the Doubles No. 2 main draw crown.
Second-seeded Marzal Martinez won the most prestigious trophy of the weekend, defeating the lone ranked player in the tournament, No. 87 Rebeka Stolmar, in straight sets. The Valencia, Spain, native tallied an impressive 6-2, 6-3 triumph over the top seed in just her second-career match against a ranked foe.
“I’m really happy Lucia had such a successful weekend,” Miami head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews said. “This is really going to boost her confidence moving forward. She had a very good week-and-a-half of practice and it showed this weekend.”
Along with Marzal Martinez winning the main draw in the top flight, Madcur emerged victorious from the back draw. The San Juan, Argentina, native rolled to a 6-2, 6-1 decision over Florida Atlantic’s Kristen Thoms in the semifinals and then anticlimactically defeated FGCU’s Julia Ascua by walkover in the final.
Miami’s other title came in dominant fashion, as the top-seeded duo of Ito and Shirokova posted an unblemished 6-0 victory against UCF’s second-seeded pair of Sara Culbertson, a former Miami player, and Valentina Martin in the finale.
In the other match of the day, a Singles No. 2 flight consolation draw playoff, Ito recorded 6-2, 7-5 win over USF’s Selin Yaylali.
Miami went 4-0 on the day, adding a win via walkover, to conclude the weekend at 19-7, including 15-6 in singles matches.
Overall, the Hurricanes’ five singles players and two doubles teams combined to win three of a possible five titles on the weekend. All but one of Miami’s competitors finished the tournament with a championship.
Fourth-seeded Basak Akbas of FIU won the Singles No. 2 flight main draw, while USF’s Janvhi Clark took home the consolation draw title. In the Singles No. 3 flight, FGCU’s top-seeded Bridget Forster earned the main draw crown and UCF’s Martin was the consolation draw victor.
FIU’s second-seeded pair of Komola Umarova and Maryna Veksler received the Doubles No. 1 main draw trophies, while USF’s duo of Clark and Amelie Boy won the consolation draw. The Doubles No. 2 consolation draw title went to Stetson’s Megan Horwitz and Alexe Viaud. Additionally, FGCU took home the team sportsmanship trophy.
The Hurricanes will return to the court Oct. 18-22 in Atlanta for the ITA Southeast Regional Championships.
To keep up with the University of Miami women’s tennis team on social media, follow @CanesWTennis on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
SUNDAY RESULTS
Doubles No. 2 Flight – Main Draw Final
[1] Yuna Ito/Ulyana Shirokova (UM) def. Sara Culbertson/Valentina Martin (UCF), 6-0
Singles No. 1 Flight – Main Draw Final
[2] Lucia Marzal Martinez (UM) def. No. 87 [1] Rebeka Stolmar (UCF), 6-2, 6-3
Singles No. 1 Flight – Consolation Draw Semifinals
Ana Madcur (UM) def. No. Kristen Thoms (FAU), 6-2, 6-1
Singles No. 1 Flight – Consolation Draw Final
Ana Madcur (UM) def. Julia Ascua (FGCU), walkover
Singles No. 2 Flight – Consolation Draw Playoff
Yuna Ito (UM) def. Selin Yaylali (USF), 6-2, 7-5
