Perez-Somarriba Ranked Second to Begin 2019-20

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Estela Perez-Somarriba, the reigning NCAA singles champion, opens the 2019-20 season holding the same spot in the Oracle/ITA rankings at which she closed the 2018-19 campaign.

Perez-Somarriba, a senior from Madrid, comes in at second nationally in the preseason rankings, as announced Tuesday afternoon, good for the best starting mark for a Hurricane since 2006-07 when Audra Cohen took the top position.

The two-time ACC Player of the Year has been ranked top-two for nine consecutive releases, dating back over six months, to March 5.

Joining Perez-Somarriba in the national singles rankings is sophomore Daevenia Achong, who places No. 80 in the country. This is the highest mark of the Geleen, Netherlands, native’s career, 43 spots above her No. 123 position to close 2018-19.

A midyear enrollee last season, Achong garnered Second Team All-ACC honors and twice earned ACC Player of the Week distinction.

Along with their singles rankings, Perez-Somarriba and Achong team together to form the No. 33 pair on the doubles list.

Achong reached the 2019 NCAA Doubles Championship with Daniella Roldan, peaking at No. 13 nationally and finishing No. 25. The No. 33 ranking ties Perez-Somarriba’s career best, which she set in 2018 with Ana Madcur and tied it last season with Achong.

The Hurricanes, who finished 19-8 (9-5 ACC) in 2019 and reached the NCAA Team Championship Round of 32 for the 18th straight season, begin fall competition Sept. 20-22, with the team split between the Miami Fall Invite at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center and the Milwaukee Tennis Classic in River Hills, Wis.

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