Perez-Somarriba Drops Three-Set Thriller to Cap Fall Slate
By Alex Schwartz
HurricaneSports.com
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NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. – Estela Perez-Somarriba of the University of Miami women’s tennis team came up just short of a spot in the Oracle ITA National Fall Championships title match.
In a top-10 showdown, second-ranked Perez-Somarriba fell to seventh-ranked Sara Daavettila in a three-set match at the Newport Beach Tennis Club.
“Estela played a hard-fought match today and came up a bit short,” Miami head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews said. “I’m super proud of her effort and we’ll continue to work on details in her game that will enable her to improve in different situations moving forward.”
Fifth-seeded Perez-Somarriba took the opener, 6-3, in what proved to be the widest margin in any of the three sets.
Eighth-seeded Daavettila took the final two games of the second set to take it, 7-5, and force a split. After falling into a 3-4 hole for the second straight set, Daavettila took a deuce point to pull even at four.
The Tar Heel senior then won each of the next two games, including clinching the match on another deuce point, to advance to the final.
The setback against Daavettila snapped Perez-Somarriba’s 10-match winning streak against top-10 foes. It was her first such loss since Oct. 5, 2017 against top-ranked Ena Shibahara of UCLA. The Madrid native is now 11-3 in her career against top-10 opponents, with all three defeats in three sets.
Perez-Somarriba, the reigning NCAA singles champion, concludes her fall slate with a stellar 14-2 record.
To keep up with the University of Miami women’s tennis team on social media, follow @CanesWTennis on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
SATURDAY RESULT
Singles Main Draw – Semifinals
No. 7 [8] Sara Daavettila (NC) def. No. 2 [5] Estela Perez-Somarriba (UM), 3-6, 7-5, 6-4
