CARY, N.C. – Auburn junior DJ Bennett claimed a spot in the NCAA Singles Championship after reaching the quarterfinals of the main draw at the ITA All-American Championships in Cary, North Carolina, this week. Bennett won four consecutive matches in the main draw, including a straight set win over No. 9 Nicole Khirin of Texas A&M.
“This was the toughest tournament of the fall and it was great to get these matches in. Lots to work on and help us grow.,” Auburn head coach Jordan Szabo said on Friday. “Unbelievably happy for DJ [Bennett] that she got a bid this early in the fall for the inaugural fall NCAAs. Only 10 girls in the country will have a bid after this week. DJ is one of the best players in the country and I think she’s starting to believe it.”
The Auburn junior started her run with a straight set victory over Georgia Tech’s No. 51 Kylie Bilchev on Wednesday. Bennett then met Khirin in the round of 32 on Thursday, coming away with a dominant 6-2, 6-3 win that marked the highest ranked victory in her career.
On Friday morning, Bennett came back from an opening set loss to defeat 89th ranked Kailey Evans of San Diego 3-6, 6-2, 7-5 to secure her spot in the NCAA Singles Championship, which will be held Nov. 19-24 in Waco, Texas. The Belleview, Florida native will be making her second consecutive appearance in the individual national championship.
Later in the day on Friday, Bennett was defeated by No. 43 Theadora Rabman of North Carolina in three sets to end her run at the ITA All-Americans singles title.
Graduate student Ava Hrastar also qualified for the main draw of the event but dropped both doubles matches. Hrastar and Bennett also made the doubles main draw at the tournament, where they lost two tight doubles matches that were decided in tiebreakers and won one in the consolation round by walkover.
The next collegiate event on the schedule for the Tigers is the Wahoowa Invitational, which will be played Oct. 4-6 in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Wednesday Results:
#32 DJ Bennett (AUB) def. #51 Kylie Bilchev (GT) 6-2, 6-4
#8 Savannah Broadus (PEPP) def. #57 Ava Hrastar (AUB) 6-2, 6-3
#27 Sarah Hamner/Kaitlyn Carnicella (SCAR) def. #18 DJ Bennett/Ava Hrastar 6-3, 1-6 [10-5]
Thursday Results:
#32 DJ Bennett (AUB) def. #9 Nicole Khirin (TAMU) 6-2, 6-3
#41 Emma Jackson def. #57 Ava Hrastar (AUB) 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-3
#18 DJ Bennett/Ava Hrastar (AUB) def. #1 Anastasiya Komar/Ange Oby Kajura WO
Friday Results:
#32DJ Bennett (AUB) def. #89 Kailey Evans (SD) 3-6, 6-2, 7-5
#43 Theadora Rabman (UNC) def. #32 DJ Bennett (AUB) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
#22 Chloe Noel/Julia Garcia Ruiz (OU) def. #18 DJ Bennett/Ava Hrastar (AUB) 6-2, 6-8 (6) [10-7]