The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Women's Tennis announces signings of Anna and Bianca Turati
08.10.2016 | Women's Tennis
Twin sisters Anna and Bianca Turati of Italy will join the Longhorns women’s tennis program this season.
AUSTIN, Texas – University of Texas head women's tennis coach Howard Joffe announced Wednesday the signings of twin sisters Anna and Bianca Turati of Barzano, Italy to athletics scholarship agreements (ASA). The Turati sisters will join the Longhorns this month in advance of the 2016-17 season.
"First and foremost I want to offer up a huge 'grazie' to Giuseppe and Silvia Turati for trusting the University of Texas and our staff to take the absolute best care of the twins," Joffe said. "I express the same Anna and Bianca for trusting me to guide their respective academic and tennis careers."
Over the last two years, Bianca Turati has competed in the junior equivalent of all four Grand Slam tennis championships – the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. Ranked as high as No. 24 in the ITF world junior rankings last year, she boasts three singles and doubles titles as an amateur on the pro circuit plus six singles titles in the junior ranks.
Bianca Turati won the women's singles draws at the WTA Challenger event in Duino Aurisina, Italy in 2014 and captured the singles and doubles titles at the Santa Margherita di Pula challenger in 2015.
On the junior circuit, Bianca Turati won consecutive singles titles in her homeland at the Salsomaggiore Terme event in 2014 and 2015. She added singles crowns at the Mediterranee Avenier (Morocco), the Cap d'Ail (France) and the Argentina Cup in addition to a tournament title in Tunisia.
Much like her twin sister, Anna Turati has enjoyed success on the junior and professional circuits leading up to her enrollment at Texas. Anna Turati counts a singles semifinals appearance at the WTA Challenger in Santa Margherita Di Pula, Italy and reached the singles quarterfinals at Challenger events in Ortisei, Italy and Bol, Croatia, where she also advanced to the doubles quarterfinals.
In the junior ranks, Anna Turati claimed singles titles in Tunisia and at the Asset Banca San Marino Junior Open. She advanced to the singles finals at an ITF junior event in Odense, Denmark and was a doubles finalist at ITF junior tournaments in Pancevo, Serbia and Salk Open, Bromma, Sweden.
"Both ladies are stellar athletes and highly skilled tennis players," Joffe continued. "They are equally blessed with high intellect and common sense. Likely, the only group more excited than our coaching staff is our team. It was clear from their visit this past spring that Anna and Bianca are ladies with both the highest class and character. I know we will do everything we can to make them enjoy, be productive and have the most awesome experience here in Austin".
