Perez-Somarriba Ascends to No. 1 in ITA Singles Rankings
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – For the third time in her decorated collegiate career, Estela Perez-Somarriba of the University of Miami women’s tennis team is the top-ranked singles player in the country, as announced Wednesday afternoon by the ITA.
The fifth-year senior moved up three positions after a pair of top-10 victories at the ACC Championship and now holds the No. 1 ranking for the first time since February 2020. This is the 30th consecutive time she has been in the top 10, including the 25th time in the top five and 21st time in the top three during that stretch.
A native of Madrid, Perez-Somarriba is 19-2 on the season, including 10-2 versus ranked foes with six top-10 victories. Her ranking average is 70.89, good for a 4.64-point lead over second-ranked Sara Daavettila of North Carolina.
Miami also has another player in the top 10 this week, as freshman Isabella Pfennig jumped four spots to No. 10 in the country. It is the highest ranking of her young career and makes the Hurricanes one of two teams, alongside Virginia, with multiple top-10 players.
The Gauting, Germany, native sports a 16-4 record in her first collegiate season, including a 12-4 mark at the No. 2 position. She is 7-4 against ranked foes with five top-50 triumphs.
In doubles, second-year freshman Diana Khodan and Maya Tahan ascended 10 spots to a career-best No. 14 position. The duo defeated two top-10 pairs during the ACC Championship and owns a 10-7 record together.
Additionally, Perez-Somarriba and Pfennig held steady at No. 25 in the ITA doubles rankings after logging one top-20 decision at the conference tournament.
On the team list, Miami moved up four places in the computerized rankings and now sits at No. 20, its best mark of the season on that list. In the ITA Coaches Poll, the Hurricanes fell one spot and now come in at No. 21, despite defeating then-No. 6/7 Florida State and reaching the ACC Championship semifinals.
Up next for the Hurricanes is the NCAA Team Championship, which begins the weekend of May 7-9, with selections announced May 3 at 6 p.m.
To keep up with the University of Miami women’s tennis team on social media, follow @CanesWTennis on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
