The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Women’s Tennis claims both spots in singles final, one in doubles final at ITA Texas Regionals
10.15.2023 | Women's Tennis
Charlotte Chavatipon and Malaika Rapolu represent the 13th-straight year Howard Joffe has had a singles finalist or winner, while the duo of Tanya Sasnouskaya and Sabina Zeynalova made the doubles title match.
Waco, Texas – Texas Women's Tennis claimed both spots in the singles final and one in the doubles final at the ITA Texas Regionals main draws in Waco on Sunday. It marks the 13th consecutive year head coach Howard Joffe has had a singles finalist or winner in the tournament with nine straight at Texas and the previous four at Texas A&M.
In singles, it will be a battle of Longhorn seniors with 3 seed No. 74 Charlotte Chavatipon facing 4 seed No. 99 Malaika Rapolu. In doubles, the 2 seed of graduate Tanya Sasnouskaya and junior Sabina Zeynalova will square off against the 1 seed No. 15 Metka Komac and Avelina Sayfetdinova of Texas Tech.
UT also made the final of the doubles consolation draw with a win by the 3 seed of Rapolu and sophomore Vivian Ovrootsky, however they later conceded that next match against 4 seed Federica Trevisan and Chie Kezuka of Rice in a walkover due to an injury to Ovrootsky.
In the singles matches on Sunday, both Longhorns won twice to reach the final with Chavatipon downing Jermine Sherif of Texas Tech, 1-6, 6-1, 6-2, in the quarterfinals, and 2 seed No. 59 Isabella Harvison of Baylor, 6-3, 6-3, in the semifinals. Rapolu defeated 6 seed No. 112 Sayfetdinova of Texas Tech, 6-0, 6-2, in the quarters, and Destinee Martins of TCU, 6-4, 6-4, in the semis. Texas was within a tiebreaker of having three semifinalists, but Ovrootsky came up just short against Harvison in that second set in a 2-6, 7-6 (2), 6-2 decision for Harvison.
In the doubles main draw semifinals, Sasnouskaya and Zeynalova topped 15 seed Cristina Tiglea and Mariya Polishchuk of Texas Tech, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, while in the consolation draw semis, Rapolu and Ovrootsky downed Maretha Burger and Martha Makantasi of Tarleton, 8-3.
2023 ITA Texas Regionals
Tournament Central
Singles Main Draw Quarterfinals – Sunday, October 15
3 seed #74 Charlotte Chavatipon (UT) def. Jermine Sherif (TT), 1-6, 6-1, 6-2
4 seed #99 Malaika Rapolu (UT) def. 6 seed #112 Avelina Sayfetdinova (TT), 6-0, 6-2
2 seed #59 Isabella Harvison (BU) def. 10 seed Vivian Ovrootsky (UT), 2-6, 7-6 (2), 6-2
Singles Main Draw Semifinals – Sunday, October 15
3 seed #74 Charlotte Chavatipon (UT) def. 2 seed #59 Isabella Harvison (BU), 6-3, 6-3
4 seed #99 Malaika Rapolu (UT) def. Destinee Martins (TCU), 6-4, 6-4
Doubles Main Draw Semifinals – Sunday, October 15
2 seed Tanya Sasnouskaya/Sabina Zeynalova (UT) def. 15 seed Cristina Tiglea/Mariya Polishchuk (TT), 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
Doubles Consolation Draw Semifinals – Sunday, October 15
3 seed Malaika Rapolu/Vivian Ovrootsky (UT) def. Maretha Burger/Martha Makantasi (TARL), 8-3
Singles Main Draw Final – Monday, October 16
3 seed #74 Charlotte Chavatipon (UT) vs. 4 seed #99 Malaika Rapolu (UT), TBD
Doubles Main Draw Final – Monday, October 16
2 seed Tanya Sasnouskaya/Sabina Zeynalova (UT) vs. 1 seed #15 Metka Komac/Avelina Sayfetdinova (TT), TBD
Doubles Consolation Draw Final – Monday, October 16
4 seed Federica Trevisan/Chie Kezuka (Rice) def. 3 seed Malaika Rapolu/Vivian Ovrootsky (UT), walkover
Players Mentioned
