Madcur Advances to Third Round of ITA Regionals
By Alex Schwartz
HurricaneSports.com
ATLANTA – The University of Miami women’s tennis team opened play Friday at the ITA Southeast Regional Championships Presented by Oracle.
The Hurricanes posted a 5-2 record, including a 3-2 mark in singles play, at the Ken Byers Tennis Complex on the campus of Georgia Tech.
“[Yuna] Ito played a solid first-round match today against FSU. She fought hard and made some changes midway through the match that had a positive effect on the outcome,” Miami head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews said. “[Ana] Madcur is playing outstanding tennis. She’s thinking for herself in big moments and keeping an open mind deep into points.”
Miami opened the day with a pair of narrow victories in the opening round of doubles play. Juniors Ito and Estela Perez-Somarriba eked past USF’s Vanja Klaric and Nicole Dzenga, 8-7 (7-4).
Meanwhile, Madcur, a senior, and freshman Lucia Marzal Martinez defeated UCF’s duo of Sara Culbertson, a former Miami player, and Valentina Martin, 8-6.
The Hurricanes won two of their three first-round singles matchups, including Ito notching a victory in her first-career contest against a ranked foe at the Division I level.
Facing No. 55 Ana Oparenovic of Florida State, the tournament’s third seed, Ito dropped the first set before rebounding for a comeback triumph, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Madcur eased past Georgia State’s Arielle Nealy, 6-2, 6-1, to open her tournament singles ledger. Additionally, Marzal Martinez, seeded No. 9-16, fell to Florida State’s Julia Mikulski, 5-7, 3-6.
Miami split its two second-round main draw matches, with Madcur posting a stellar 6-4, 6-3 victory over UCF’s Domenika Turkovic, seeded No. 9-16. Ito dropped her outing against Rafaela Gomez of North Florida, 6-3, 1-6, 1-6.
“Tomorrow is a new day and we’re looking [forward] to moving through new challenges,” Yaroshuk-Tews said.”
Saturday at 9 a.m., Madcur and Marzal Martinez face the Seminoles’ Andrea Garcia and Julia Mikulski, ranked No. 58 and seeded third. An hour later, also in another second-round affair, Ito and Perez-Somarriba take on Florida State’s Petra Hule and Ana Oparenovic, ranked No. 28 and seeded first.
In Saturday singles action, Madcur faces Georgia Tech’s Dalila Said in the main draw’s Round of 16 at noon.
Meanwhile, Marzal Martinez, seeded third in the first-round consolation draw, is set to play FGCU’s Sara Kelly at 2 p.m. The time for Ito’s matchup with the second seed in the second-round consolation draw, No. 80 Petra Hule of Florida State, is to be determined.
To keep up with the University of Miami women’s tennis team on social media, follow @CanesWTennis on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
FRIDAY RESULTS
Doubles Main Draw – Round of 32
Yuna Ito/Estela Perez-Somarriba (UM) def. Vanja Klaric/Nicole Dzenga (USF), 8-7 (7-4)
Ana Madcur/Lucia Marzal Martinez (UM) def. Sara Culbertson/Valentina Martin (UCF), 8-6
Singles Main Draw – Round of 64
Julia Mikulski (FS) def. [9-16] Lucia Marzal Martinez (UM), 7-5, 6-3
Ana Madcur (UM) def. Arielle Nealy (GAST), 6-2, 6-1
Yuna Ito (UM) def. No. 55 [3] Ana Oparenovic (FS), 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
Singles Main Draw – Round of 32
Ana Madcur (UM) def. [9-16] Domenika Turkovic (UCF), 6-4, 6-3
Rafaela Gomez (UNF) def. Yuna Ito (UM), 3-6, 6-1, 6-1
SATURDAY SCHEDULE
Doubles Main Draw – Round of 16
9 a.m.: Ana Madcur/Lucia Marzal Martinez (UM) vs. No. 58 [3] Andrea Garcia/Julia Mikulski (FS)
10 a.m.: Yuna Ito/Estela Perez-Somarriba (UM) vs. No. 28 [1] Petra Hule/Ana Oparenovic (FS)
Singles Main Draw – Round of 16
12 p.m.: Ana Madcur vs. Dalila Said (GT)
Singles First-Round Consolation Draw – Round of 32
2 p.m.: [3] Lucia Marzal Martinez (UM) vs. Sara Kelly (FGCU)
Singles Second-Round Consolation Draw – Round of 16
TBD: Yuna Ito (UM) vs. No. 80 [2] Petra Hule (FS)
