LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – Host UNLV went a combined 10-0 in singles and doubles at Friday's first round of the Jolene Watanabe Classic at the Fertitta Tennis Complex on campus.
Long Beach State, UTSA, NAU and Utah Tech have all sent representatives to take on the Rebel contingent this weekend and UNLV turned in a perfect start to things.
In the top flight,
Salsa Aher and
Zita Kovacs both won in straight sets.
Cindy Hu won her match in the second flight;
Coco Zhao and
Nikol Mircheva cruised in Flight Three and
Aura Fang and
Smilia Matovic also swept in the fourth flight.
In doubles play, Aher and Kovacs used a tiebreaker to advance in Flight One while Hu and Zhao joined them in moving on. Mircheva and Fang won their first-round outing in the second flight to complete the Rebel sweep.
Doubles quarterfinals will start at 10 am on Saturday, followed by singles play. The final rounds are set for Sunday. Admission is always free of charge.
The annual fall invitational was renamed last year to honor former UNLV great Jolene Watanabe, who put the UNLV women's tennis program on the map three decades ago and passed away in 2019 after a battle with cancer at the age of 50.
SINGLES FLIGHT ONE
Ekua Youri (UTSA) def. Justine Dondonay (LBSU) 6-4, 6-2
Salsa Aher (UNLV) def. Ana Gutierrez (UTT) 6-2, 6-3
Patrycja Niewiadomska (NAU) def. Vittoria Baccino (UTSA) 6-1, 6-3
Zita Kovacs (UNLV) def. Rhona Cook (LBSU) 6-2, 6-2
SINGLES FLIGHT TWO
Daryna Shoshyna (NAU) def. Mariana Berdecio (UTT) 6-1, 6-3
Doga Akyurek (LBSU) def. Magda Tuells (UTSA) 7-6, retired
Cindy Hu (UNLV) def. Ana Guadiana (NAU) 6-4, 6-3
Peppi Ramstedt (LBSU) def. Anna Sterk (UTT) 7-6, 6-2
SINGLES FLIGHT THREE
Coco Zhao (UNLV) def. Eva Beyebach (UTSA) 6-3, 6-3
Hana Novak (LBSU) def. Kylie Kezos (UTT) 6-3, 6-0
Nikol Mircheva (UNLV) def. Olivia Bustos (UTT) 6-1, 7-5
Dolavee Tumthong (NAU) def. Sarah Medik (LBSU) 6-3, 6-3
SINGLES FLIGHT FOUR
Paulina Franco (LBSU) def. Ava Neyestani (NAU) 6-2, 6-3
Aura Fang (UNLV) def. Laura Coulome (UTT) 6-2, 6-4
Smilia Matovic (UNLV) BYE
Mathilde Tranberg (LBSU) def. Raquel Roshak (UTT) 6-2, 6-0
DOUBLES FLIGHT ONE
Aher/Kovacs (UNLV) def. Tumthong/Neyestani (NAU) 7-6
Ramstedt/Cook (LBSU) def. Youri/Baccino (UTSA) 6-3
Hu/Zhao (UNLV) def. Berdecio/Sterk (UTT) 6-1
Dondonay/Franco (LBSU) def. Shoshyna/Guadiana (NAU) 6-3
DOUBLES FLIGHT TWO
Bustos/Coulome (UTT) BYE
Micheva/Fang (UNLV) def. Medik/Tranberg (LBSU) 7-5
Tuells/Beyeback (UTSA) def. Gutierrez/Kezos (UTT) 7-5
Akyurek/Novak (LBSU) BYE
