CARY, N.C. – Auburn's Ashton Bowers and Ava Esposito, both entering the main draw directly without qualifying, competed this week at the ITA All-American Championships at Cary Tennis Park, playing singles and doubles from Wednesday through Friday.
"Some up and down results and definitely not the standard we expect," said head coach Jordan Szabo. "Good information to try and get better going into the rest of the fall."
In singles, Bowers opened with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Allegra Korpanec Davies in the first round before falling to N.C. State's Mia Slama 2-6, 6-3, 1-6 in the second round Thursday. She rebounded in consolation play Friday with a 6-3, 7-5 win over Brooke Black before losing to North Carolina's Tatum Evans 2-6, 5-7 to close out the tournament.
Esposito dropped her first-round match to Texas' Rose Marie Nijkamp 4-6, 3-6, then fell in the consolation round to N.C. State's Victoria Osuigwe 0-6, 5-7.
In doubles, Bowers and Esposito lost their first-round match 3-6, 4-6 to Oklahoma’s Ounmang/Epps before winning their consolation-bracket match over San Diego’s Read/Krebs Hyllested 6-2, 4-6, 10-7 on Thursday. The pair's run ended Friday with a 5-7, 6-7 (5-7) loss to North Carolina's Manning/Rabman.
Auburn will next compete at the ITF W15 Nashville, beginning Sept. 28 at the Brownlee O. Currey Jr. Tennis Center.
Wednesday Results:
Ashton Bowers (AUB) def. Allegra Korpanec Davies 6-4, 6-3
Rose Marie Nijkamp (TEX) def. Ava Esposito 4-6, 3-6
Ounmang/Epps (UO) def. Bowers/Esposito (AUB) 3-6, 4-6
Thursday Results:
Mia Slama (NCSU) def. Ashton Bowers (AUB) 2-6, 6-3, 1-6
Victoria Osuigwe (NCSU) def. Ava Esposito (AUB) 0-6, 5-7
Bowers/Esposito (AUB) def. Read/Krebs Hyllested (USD) 6-2, 4-6, 10-7
Friday Results:
Ashton Bowers (AUB) def. Brooke Black 6-3, 7-5
Tatum Evans (UNC) def. Ashton Bowers (AUB) 2-6, 5-7
Manning/Rabman (UNC) def. Bowers/Esposito (AUB) 5-7, 6-7 (5-7)