Tigers capture titles at ITA Southern Regionals

Tigers capture titles at ITA Southern RegionalsTigers capture titles at ITA Southern Regionals
David Gray/Auburn Tigers

AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn freshman Merna Refaat won the ITA Singles Southern Regional Championship while the Tiger duo of DJ Bennett and Ava Hrastar captured the region’s doubles title on Tuesday. Refaat and Auburn sophomore Angella Okutoyi reached the singles finals, which earned each of them a bid to the NCAA Singles Championship. Bennett and Hrastar’s tournament victory also ensures a spot in the NCAA Doubles Championship.

For the first time, all four of the singles semifinalists in the event were Auburn players as Refaat, Bennett, Hrastar and Okutoyi all reached the final four. The same Tigers made up the two doubles teams that reached the doubles championship finals. 

“Great tournament for the Tigers, to have the four semifinalists in singles and two finalists in doubles is a remarkable effort and history-making for the program,” Auburn head coach Jordan Szabo said after the event. “We are excited to have four girls going to the inaugural fall NCAA individual championships.

“Pete [Francis] and Valeriya [Zeleva] did a great job coaching the girls while Jordan Nilson and Hanna Arntsen did a great job getting the girls fit and keeping them healthy. Also, we really appreciate Donna Jerome, Riley Hubbard and Misti Higgs for organizing and running a great event.”

Refaat began her path to the singles crown with a three-set comeback victory over Zoie Epps in the opening round of the singles main draw. The Auburn freshman then dominated Tulane’s Natalia Fantini 6-0, 6-0 before defeating Emma Kette of Ole Miss in straight sets to reach the quarterfinals. Refaat, ranked No. 13 among newcomers in the ITA preseason poll, took down Anita Sahdiieva 6-2, 6-2. A retirement in the semifinal match advanced Refaat to the finals, where she defeated teammate Angella Okutoyi 6-2, 6-3 to capture the singles title.

Bennett and Hrastar, the 18th ranked doubles team in the nation, started the doubles side of the event off with a convincing 8-0 victory over Mississippi State’s Emma Cohen and Gianna Oboniye on Friday. The Auburn pair moved on to defeat Rio Maeda and Delien Kleinhans of South Alabama 8-3 as well as Sara Nayar and Klara Milicevic of Alabama by the same score.

In Monday’s semifinal match, Bennett and Hrastar split the first two sets against Anaelle Leclercq-Ficher and Ludmila Kareisova of Ole Miss to force a 10-point tiebreaker to decide which team would reach the finals. Ole Miss’ pair took an early 7-3 lead in the tiebreaker. Bennett and Hrastar then won the next four consecutive points and ultimately won the tiebreaker 10-8.

The Auburn duo faced their teammates in the final, Okutoyi and Refaat. After posting three wins to reach the doubles semifinals, Okutoyi and Refaat similarly had to come back in a tiebreaker to reach the finals. After splitting the first two sets, No. 10 Anita Sahdiieva and Kenna Erickson of LSU built a 7-4 lead in the tiebreaker before the Tiger duo battled back to tie it at 10 and later win 12-10.

Okutoyi’s path to clinching a spot at the NCAA Doubles Championship included straight set wins over Tulane’s Micah Pierce, Samford’s Emma Ansorge, Nayar, and Summer Chandler of Tulane. The Auburn sophomore defeated her teammate, Hrastar, in three sets to reach the final and secure a spot in Waco.

Freshman Alice Battesti reached the round of 16 in the singles main draw after recording two straight set wins, while she and Ava Esposito earned a spot in the doubles main draw quarterfinals. Freshman Julie Bedard picked up a spot in the singles main draw with two wins in the qualifying rounds.

Up next, Auburn will have players travel to the northern portion of the state for the Roberta Alison Fall Classic on Nov. 1-2 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

 

Thursday Results:

Julie Bedard (AUB) def. Tingyi (ULM) Li 6-2, 6-2

Maria Tsironi (LAT) def. Natalie Outcalt (AUB) 7-6 (2), 6-4

Julie Bedard (AUB) def. Valeriia Avdeeva (TROY) 6-4, 6-2

Natalie Outcalt (AUB) def. Senem Ocal (UNA)6-0, 7-5

 

Friday Results:

#18 DJ Bennett/Ava Hrastar (AUB)def. Emma Cohen/Gianna Oboniye (MSST) 8-0

#32 Angella Okutoyi/Merna Refaat (AUB) def. Maria Guirguis/Valeriia Avdeeva (TROY) 8-6

Ava Esposito/Alice Battesti (AUB) def. Jenaila Prulla/Kamea Medora (ULL) 8-4

Julie Beard/Natalie Outcalt (AUB) def. Angelique Berrat/Ana Martinez Vaquero (ULL) 8-2

Maria Rizzolo/Chiara Di Genova (MSST) def. Julie Bedard/Natalie Outcalt (AUB) 8-4

#32 DJ Bennett (AUB) def. Hagar Ramadan (TROY) 6-0, 6-1

#57 Ava Hrastar (AUB)def. Priya Nelson (BAMA) 6-1, 6-2

#82 Angella Okutoyi (AUB) def. Micah Pierce (TUL) 6-1, 6-2

Merna Refaat (AUB) Zoie Epps (LAT) 2-6, 6-2, 6-1

Alice Battesti (AUB) def. Kristyna Damaskova (UAB) 6-1, 6-1

Summer Chandler (TUL) def. Ava Esposito (AUB) 6-4, 0-6, 6-4

Emma Tothova (AUB) def. Ada Karabacak (UNA) 6-3, 6-0

Anita Sahdiieva (LSU) def. Julie Bedard (AUB) 6-2, 6-1

Natalie Outcalt (AUB) def. Lucia Jorrin Fernandez (ULM) 6-3, 6-2

 

Saturday Results:

#18 DJ Bennett/Ava Hrastar (AUB)def. Rio Maeda/Delien Kleinans (USA) 8-3

#32 Angella Okutoyi/Merna Refaat (AUB) def. Klara Kajabova/Mackenzie White (UAB) 8-1

Ava Esposito/Alice Battesti (AUB) Vanessa Mellynchuk/Gresi Bajri (UAB) 8-7 (2)

#32 DJ Bennett (AUB) def. Gianna Oboniye (MSST) 6-0, 6-3

#32 DJ Bennett (AUB) def. Klara Milicevic (BAMA) 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3)

#57 Ava Hrastar (AUB)def. Maria Guirguis (TROY) 6-2, 6-4

#57 Ava Hrastar (AUB)def. Maria Tsironi (LAT) 6-1, 6-1

#82 Angella Okutoyi (AUB) def. Emma Ansorge (UNA) 6-2, 6-1

#82 Angella Okutoyi (AUB) def. Sara Nayar (BAMA) 6-4, 6-2

Merna Refaat (AUB) def. Natalia Fantini (TUL) 6-0, 6-0

Merna Refaat (AUB) def. Emma Kette (MISS) 6-4, 7-5

Alice Battesti (AUB) def. Jade Marie (USA) 6-2, 6-2

Lucie Petruzelova (MISS) def. Alice Battesti (AUB) 6-4, 6-1

Campbell Ricci (TUL) def. Emma Tothova (AUB) 5-7, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (4)

Gabrielle Leslie (TROY) def. Ava Esposito (AUB) 7-5, 6-4

Julie Bedard (AUB) def. Ana Hollweg (MCNST) 6-1, 6-0

Natalie Outcalt (AUB) def. Kamea Medora (ULL) 6-1, 6-3

 

Sunday Results:

#18 DJ Bennett/Ava Hrastar (AUB)def. Sara Nayar/Klara Milicevic (BAMA) 8-3

#32 Angella Okutoyi/Merna Refaat (AUB) def. Rachel Krzyzak/Emma Kette (MISS) 8-1

#10 Anita Sahdiieva/Kenna Erickson (LSU) def. Ava Esposito/Alice Battesti (AUB) 8-1

#32 DJ Bennett (AUB) def. Lucie Petruzelova (MISS) 6-2, 6-4

#57 Ava Hrastar (AUB)def. Campbell Ricci (TUL) 6-2, 6-3

Merna Refaat (AUB) def. Anita Sahdiieva (LSU) 6-2, 6-2

Nera Tesankic (UAB) def. Natalie Outcalt (AUB) 7-6 (7), 6-1

#82 Angella Okutoyi (AUB) def. Summer Chandler (TUL) 6-0, 2-1 (ret.)

 

Monday Results:

#18 DJ Bennett/Ava Hrastar (AUB)def. #84 Anaelle Leclercq-Ficher/Ludmila Kareisova (MISS) 6-3, 3-6 [10-8]

#32 Angella Okutoyi/Merna Refaat (AUB) def. #10 Anita Sahdiieva/Kenna Erickson (LSU) 6-2, 7-6 (7) [12-10]

#82 Angella Okutoyi (AUB) def. #57 Ava Hrastar (AUB)6-4, 3-6, 6-4

Merna Refaat (AUB) def. #32 DJ Bennett (AUB) ret.

 

Tuesday Results:

#18 DJ Bennett/Ava Hrastar (AUB) def. #32 Angella Okutoyi/Merna Refaat (AUB) 6-4, 6-2

Merna Refaat (AUB) def. #82 Angella Okutoyi 6-2, 6-3