New Location, Same Stakes at ITA All-American Championships
By Alex Schwartz
HurricaneSports.com
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The tournament may have moved, but its status has certainly not diminished.
After 34 consecutive years at the Riviera Tennis Club in Palisades, Calif., the ITA Women’s All-American Championships has a new home in 2019. The event has moved to the LaFortune Tennis Center and Michael D. Case Tennis Center in Tulsa, Okla., the same location the men’s tournament has long been held.
No matter the venue, this is undoubtedly one of the premier events in collegiate tennis, with a field featuring most of the nation’s top players, all of whom are competing for one of the sport’s four primary crowns.
“The All-American tournament is a prestigious one to be a part of,” University of Miami associate head women’s tennis coach Laura Vallerdu said. “We’re looking forward to continuing building and learning from situations as individuals and as a team. Every tournament is a new opportunity for that.”
As a player, Vallerdu was a two-time All-American quarterfinalist (2007 and 2008), one of two such individuals in program history, and part of the lone doubles pair to reach the semifinals (2008). Thus, there is clearly no doubt the former four-time All-ACC honoree knows what it takes to rack up victories in this event.
It is Vallverdu, a member of the UM Sports Hall of Fame’s 2020 induction class, who will be at the University of Tulsa this coming week as four Hurricanes make their way out to the Sooner State for competition.
Senior Yuna Ito and sophomore Lucia Marzal begin play Saturday in the pre-qualifying singles draw, marking the first time either will compete in this prominent event.
“Lucia and Yuna should look to be smart with this opportunity,” Vallverdu said. “[They need to] welcome it with open arms and a warrior’s mentality. If they do that, they will be moving in the right direction with their process.”
Daevenia Achong, ranked No. 80 nationally, will begin play Monday in the qualifying singles draw. The sophomore has already reached the title match in one tournament this fall, advancing to the finale at the Milwaukee Tennis Classic on opening weekend.
Along with her singles competition, Achong will also join senior Estela Perez-Somarriba in the qualifying doubles draw, which also opens Monday. The pair is ranked No. 33 nationally and just barely missed the cut for the main draw, sitting as the third alternate.
Perez-Somarriba, ranked second in the country, does not start singles main draw play until Wednesday. The Madrid native and reigning national champion won the All-American back draw last year after dropping her opening match, one of just five defeats in an NCAA-leading 43-win campaign.
“I think Daevenia and Estela get [the prestige of this event] and are ready for the battle. They are also excited to play doubles together in the qualifying tournament and are ready to implement what we are speaking about back on the practice courts,” Vallverdu said. “These two represent Miami well every day, so I am really looking forward to being here with them and helping them play some tough and smart tennis.”
Draws and schedules for the ITA Women’s All-American Championships are still to be determined. For more information on the tournament, including the full list of selections, click HERE.
To keep up with the University of Miami women’s tennis team on social media, follow @CanesWTennis on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
