CARY, N.C.- The Auburn doubles team of Selin Ovunc and DJ Bennett have advanced to the doubles main draw quarterfinal round at the ITA All-American Championship on Thursday. Ovunc and Bennett are the first Tigers to make the quarterfinals of the doubles main draw since Emily Flickinger and Pleun Bergmans reached the semifinals in 2014.
"We improved a lot from day one to day two," said Auburn head coach Caroline Lilley. "As we always talk about, at the highest level, the windows are small. Playing deliberate tennis when you earn an opportunity doesn't mean you always capitalize, but it means you're one step close to where you want to be. The process requires an unwavering commitment regardless of the outcome. As we choose to play present, we will make the forward progress we are looking for."
Ovunc and Bennett took down Stanford's Angelica Blake and Alexis Blokhina, the sixth ranked doubles team in the nation, in a tiebreaker by a 6-4, 5-7, (10-3) score. The Auburn duo has now won five consecutive doubles matches dating back to the qualifying doubles rounds that began on Monday.
After going down in the first round of the singles main draw on Wednesday, 22nd ranked Carolyn Ansari bounced back by defeating No. 110 Sophie Abrams of NC State 7-5, 7-6 (6) in the main draw consolation opening round.
Ovunc and Bennett will face Oklahoma's Dana Guzman and Alina Shcherbinina, who also recieved a bid in the main draw through qualifying rounds, at 12:30 p.m. CT. Live streaming video and results from the match will be available at wearecollegetennis.com.
Thursday Results:
#72 Abigail Rencheli (NCST) def. #20 Ariana Arseneault (AUB) 1-6, 6-4, 6-2
#22 Carolyn Ansari (AUB) def. #110 Sophie Abrams (NCST) 7-5, 7-6 (6)
Dasha Vidmanova/Aysegul Mert (UGA) def. #20 Ariana Arseneault/Carolyn Ansari (AUB) 6-3, 6-4
Selin Ovunc/DJ Bennett (AUB) def. #6 Angelica Blake/Alexis Blokhina (STAN) 6-4, 5-7, (10-3)
Ovunc, Bennett advance to doubles quarterfinals at ITA All-Americans
