Gators Tennis Set to Compete in ITA Sectionals

Florida’s men’s and women’s tennis heads to the ITA Sectionals this weekend. The men’s team will be in Athens, Georgia, while the women’s team travels to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for tournament competition. 

Following a disappointing loss in the ITA Southeast Regional Championships to Gabriele Vulpitta in the round of 64, Henry Jefferson opens up his Sectional campaign against Vanderbilt’s No. 46 Danil Panarin. Jefferson is the only player competing in singles representing the Gators on the men’s side.

Florida Women’s tennis brings five individuals to the Bayou. All five student athletes will take the court in singles play, and each competing in doubles, too, minus Lucie Pawlak. No. 55 Gabia Paskauskas starts singles play with a battle, facing No. 16 Scarlett Nicholson from Georgia Tech. After coming off a strong Southeast Regional quarterfinal run, including an upset over No. 16 Nicholson, Florida senior Xinyi Nong eyes starting another deep tournament run against Tennessee’s No. 121 Vanesa Suarez. No. 118 Valery Gynina, Nikola Daubnerova, and Lucie Pawlak round out the field of Gators competing in singles. 

On the doubles’ side, 16 women’s pairs will compete, featuring two Gators teams that hope to capture the crown. After a semifinals loss in the southeast regional, No. 45 Nong and Daubnerova open up tournament play by squaring off with Georgia’s Emily Deming and Hayden Mulberry. Florida’s second pair of Gynina and Paskauskas get the spotlight in a Sunshine State rivalry, opening the round of 16 against No. 35 Eva Shaw and Amelia Bissett of Florida State.

Florida men’s and women’s tennis will begin tournament play in the ITA Sections starting Nov. 6.

Category: Gator Sports, Gators Tennis, Tennis