The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Oracle ITA National Fall Championships
Turati upsets nation’s top-ranked player at ITA National Fall Championships
11.02.2017 | Women's Tennis
UT sophomore Bianca Turati knocks out top-ranked Ena Shibahara, the tournament’s fourth seed, Thursday at Indian Wells.
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. – Texas sophomore Bianca Turati posted her most impressive win to date and eliminated the nation's top-ranked player from the women's singles draw Thursday at the inaugural ITA National Fall Championships.
The 24th-ranked Turati took on UCLA's Ena Shibahara, the tournament's fourth-seeded player and preseason singles No. 1, in Thursday's second round of women's singles. The first set progressed to a tiebreaker, where Turati prevailed, 7-4. The All-Big 12 standout picked up an early service break on Shibahara in set two and raced out to a 6-2 second-set win to close out the match.
Unblemished at 8-0 in singles this fall, Turati delivers Texas its first win over a top-ranked singles or doubles opponent since 2008 (Fresno State, doubles). It marked Turati's fifth win over an ITA-ranked opponent in the last three weeks. She moves on to Friday's round of 16 against 12th-seeded Michaela Gordon of Stanford.
UT sophomore Petra Granic advanced in the consolation singles draw and knocked off Kentucky's Justina Mikulskyte, 5-7, 6-2, 6-1. Granic will meet Georgia's Marta Gonzalez on Friday. UT senior Dani Wagland and freshman Marta Perez-Mur were eliminated from the consolation doubles draw by Duke's Ellyse Hamlin and Kaitlyn McCarthy, 6-0, 6-4.
POST-MATCH COMMENTS
Texas assistant coach Taylor Fogleman
Today was another great day of high quality tennis from the Longhorns. Petra Granic shrugged off a tough first set and played two crazy good sets of tennis for a well-earned win against a fantastic player from Kentucky. There are not many times you get to play the No. 1 player in the country, and Bianca Turati embraced the opportunity. She played some very high-level tennis throughout for a marquee win. I know Dani and Marta were a little disappointed with the outcome of their match today, but they have grown so much throughout the entire fall. We know great things are ahead for them. A lot of great opportunities are to be had tomorrow!
ITA National Fall Championships
Singles Round of 32 (Second Round)
No. 24 Bianca Turati (Texas) def. No. 1/#4 seed Ena Shibahara (UCLA), 7-6 (4), 6-2
Consolation Singles Round of 32
No. 39 Petra Granic (Texas) def. Justina Mikulskyte (Kentucky), 5-7, 6-2, 6-1
Consolation Doubles Round of 16
Ellyse Hamlin/Kaitlyn McCarthy (Duke) def. Dani Wagland/Marta Perez-Mur (Texas), 6-0, 6-4
Players Mentioned
