Elbaba Wins National Indoor Singles Championship

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Nov. 9, 2014

FLUSHING, N.Y. – Virginia junior Julia Elbaba (Oyster Bay, N.Y.) won the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate women’s singles championship on Sunday (Nov. 9) at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

No. 5 Elbaba defeated No. 43 Maegan Manasse of Cal 6-2, 7-5 to claim her first major collegiate singles championship. Elbaba went 5-0 during the tournament and joined teammate Danielle Collins (St. Petersburg, Fla.) as major championship winners for Virginia. Collins claimed the 2014 NCAA singles title. Elbaba’s best finish in a major collegiate championship was runner-up at the Riviera/ITA All-American during her freshman season in 2012.

“I got to the finals of All-Americans in my first year, so I really did want to win this one,” Elbaba said. “That was the only kind of pressure I felt. I didn’t want to go home as a second place runner-up again. I just used that pressure to my advantage and told myself to stick with the plan, and that’s what we did.”

Elbaba posted wins over No. 16 Zsofi Susanyi of Cal (6-2, 6-4), No. 20 Lorraine Guillermo of Pepperdine (7-5, 6-3), No. 1 Jamie Loeb of North Carolina (7-6, 4-6, 6-2) and Brooke Austin (6-2, 6-4) of Florida and Manasse during her run to the title. Elbaba improved to 12-2 in the fall.

“I got a lot of confidence from this tournament,” Elbaba added. “I’m feeling really happy and I’m excited I can bring this to the program.”

Junior Maci Epstein (Winter Park, Fla.) and sophomore Marie Faure (Toulouse, France) concluded play at the UNC Kitty Harrison Invitational. Epstein placed fourth in singles after her 6-1, 6-0 win over East Carolina’s Michelle Castro. Faure added a 7-6(1), 6-0 win over East Carolina’s Maria Storozheva.

Virginia concludes its fall season and opens the 2015 season with a match against in-state rival VCU on Jan. 18.