No. 9 Virginia Opens the Season With Two Victories

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. –  The No. 9 Virginia women’s tennis team (2-0) opened the season with a pair of victories on Friday (Jan. 20) at the Boar’s Head Sports Club, topping Richmond (0-3) 7-0 and James Madison (0-1) by a 6-1 final.

Julia Adams picked up two wins on the top singles court. Natasha Subhash had a dominant 6-0, 6-0 victory in her match at No. 2 singles against James Madison’s Daria Afanasyeva.

In the season-opener against Richmond, UVA won 6-1 on doubles courts one and three to secure the point. Meggie Navarro and Nicole Kiefer were both in the singles lineup, picking up victories on courts five and six.

In the second match of the day, the Cavaliers won all three doubles courts to start the match and had five straight-set victories in singles.

NOTING THE CAVALIERS

• The Cavaliers were ranked No. 7 in the first ITA team rankings of the spring but slipped to No. 9 in this week’s poll
• The Cavaliers have six players ranked in singles led by Julia Adams at No. 34 and Elaine Chervinsky at No. 50. Annabelle Xu, Hibah Shaikh, Natasha Subhash and Mélodie Collard are also ranked

FROM HEAD COACH SARA O’LEARY

“Richmond and JMU competed and played really well today. It was a great test for us and excellent preparation for kickoff weekend. It was the first UVA dual matches for Julia, Annabelle, Meggie and Mélodie and I’m really proud of the way they handled the moment. We learned a lot today and I’m excited to get back to work and prepare for next weekend!”

ON THE HORIZON

• Virginia hosts ITA Kickoff Weekend matches next week with Washington State, Ole Miss and Princeton coming to the Boar’s Head to play for an invitation to the ITA National Team Championships
• Virginia opens Kickoff Weekend by hosting Washington State on Friday, Jan. 27 at 3 p.m.
• The ITA Kickoff Weekend championship will take place on Saturday, Jan. 28 at 3:30 p.m. The consolation final will follow at 6:30 p.m.

#9 Virginia 7, Richmond 0
Singles competition

1. #34 Julia Adams (VA) def. Leonor Oliveira (RIC-W) 6-4, 6-3
2. Sara Ziodato (VA) def. Carly Cohen (RIC-W) 6-2, 6-1
3. #62 Annabelle Xu (VA) def. Andrea Campodonico (RIC-W) 6-1, 6-4
4. #77 Hibah Shaikh (VA) def. Elizabeth Novak (RIC-W) 6-4, 6-1
5. Meggie Navarro (VA) def. Marta Buendia (RIC-W) 6-2, 1-6, 6-2
6. Nicole Kiefer (VA) def. Lara Bakhaya (RIC-W) 6-3, 6-4

Doubles competition

1. Melodie Collard/Julia Adams (VA) def. Leonor Oliveira/Carly Cohen (RIC-W) 6-1
2. Natasha Subhash/Annabelle Xu (VA) vs. Andrea Campodonico/Marta Buendia (RIC-W) 4-1, unfinished
3. Elaine Chervinsky/Sara Ziodato (VA) def. Lara Bakhaya/Elizabeth Novak (RIC-W) 6-1

Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (2,1,3,4,6,5)
T-2:25

#9 Virginia 6, James Madison 1
Singles competition

1. #34 Julia Adams (VA) def. Kylie Moulin (JMU) 7-5, 6-4
2. #90 Natasha Subhash (VA) def. Daria Afanasyeva (JMU) 6-0, 6-0
3. Ines Oliveira (JMU) def. #50 Elaine Chervinsky (VA) 3-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-5)
4. Sara Ziodato (VA) def. Daniela Voloh (JMU) 6-4, 6-4
5. #62 Annabelle Xu (VA) def. Daria Munteanu (JMU) 6-2, 6-0
6. #77 Hibah Shaikh (VA) def. Reka Matko (JMU) 6-2, 6-3

Doubles competition

1. Julia Adams/Melodie Collard (VA) def. Kylie Moulin/Ines Oliveira (JMU) 6-3
2. Natasha Subhash/Annabelle Xu (VA) def. Daniela Voloh/Daria Munteanu (JMU) 6-4
3. Elaine Chervinsky/Sara Ziodato (VA) def. Daria Afanasyeva/Reka Matko (JMU) 7-6 (7-2)

Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (2,5,6,1,3,4)
T-2:29 A-88

SINGLES
32 Carolina Gomez Alonso (ARK) def. Julia Adams (VA) 6-7 (3), 6-1, 7-5
C Chloe Beck (Duke) def. Julia Adams (VA) 6-2, 6-2
32 Elaine Chervinsky (VA) def. Kimmi Hance (UCLA) 6-4, 6-3
16 Elaine Chervinsky (VA) def. Madison Sieg (USC), WO
QF Carol Lee (GT) def. Elaine Chervinsky (VA) 6-2, 6-2

DOUBLES
32 Chervinsky/Subhash (VA) def. Maquet/Quiterio (UNCC) 6-4, 6-1
16 Chervinsky/Subhash (VA) def. Koskel/Weil (MINN) 6-4, 6-1
QF Chervinsky/Subhash (VA) def. Brumfield/Cadar (MD) 6-4, 6-4
SF Crawley/Tanguilig (UNC) def. Chervinsky/Subhash (VA) 6-1, 6-2