AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn women's tennis will enter the spring season with two ranked singles players and two ranked doubles teams as the post-fall season rankings were released today by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.
"We always tell our team hard work doesn't guarantee results, but sound preparation is the only way to improve," Auburn head coach Caroline Lilley said. "The development process is not a steady climb on a staircase, and the path to the summit is never the same as the day before. We will remain process-focused, as always, but seeing some of the fruit of the labor is incredibly encouraging and something to celebrate. As we move into our offseason preparing for the spring, today is something that will motivate us to remain bought in while enjoying the monotonous grind of chopping wood and carrying water."
The doubles team of senior Taylor Russo and freshman Selin Ovunc garnered the highest ranking of the group, checking in at No. 9 in the nation following a successful late-fall run. The Tiger tandem captured the doubles title at the ITA Southern Regional and won a pair of matches last week at the ITA Fall National Championships, finishing the fall with a 7-2 record in two events.
Russo also made her way into the singles rankings, coming in at No. 79. She went 7-2 in singles during the fall, earning one win over a ranked opponent and advancing to the semifinals at the ITA Regionals.
Sophomore Yu Chen entered the rankings for the first time in her collegiate career, coming in at No. 123 in singles following a stellar fall. She went 13-2 overall during the fall season, winning flight titles at both the H-E-B Invitational and the Rice Invitational.
In addition, the doubles team of senior Georgie Axon and junior Madeline Meredith made their debut in the rankings at No. 59. The duo played together in two fall events, posting a 5-2 record at the ITA Southern Regional and the Dick Vitale Clay Court Classic.
The spring season gets underway Jan. 10-12 as the Tigers travel to the Spring Invitational in Orlando, Fla. Auburn opens its home dual season Saturday, Jan. 18, with a doubleheader against Central Arkansas and UAB at the Yarbrough Tennis Center.
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