Friday, January 19
Los Angeles, CA
1:30 PM
UCLA
5
vs
2
Texas
Tian Fangran (right) and Bianca Fernandez
Photo by: Hritika Chaturvedi
No. 16 Women's Tennis Beats No. 6 Texas in Season Opener
January 19, 2024 | Women's Tennis
LOS ANGELES โ The No. 16 UCLA women's tennis team earned a 5-2 win against No. 6 Texas in its dual-match season opener Friday at Los Angeles Tennis Center.
Sophomores Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer and Tian Fangran posted two-win days for the Bruins (1-0), who collected the doubles point and saw their lead grow to 3-0 when the Longhorns were unable to field a full singles lineup. Taisiya Pachkaleva and Malaika Rapolu picked up wins for Texas (0-1) after the result was clinched.
The combination of Lutkemeyer and Ahmani Guichard continued its success from tournament play, winning its seventh match in nine tries and fifth in a row. The latest was a 6-3 decision over Charlotte Chavatipon and Vivian Ovrootsky on Court 3 that provided their team an edge. Texas closed the gap on Court 1, where Pachkaleva and Sabina Zeynalova topped Hance and Elise Wagle by a 6-2 margin. That put all eyes on the Court 2 matchup, which was bound for a tiebreaker. Tian and Bianca Fernandez controlled it from the start, dropping just two points versus Rapolu and Tanya Sasnouskaya to get UCLA on the board first.
Just four singles contests were played after the Longhorns were left shorthanded, leaving the Bruins just one point away from the overall victory. Lutkemeyer did the honors, putting on a 6-2, 6-1 display opposite Ovrootsky on Court 4 to match Guichard's team-high singles win total of eight.
Fernandez was forced to retire on Court 3, putting Texas on the board following a first-set tiebreaker that went the way of Pachkaleva. Defending NCAA singles champion Tian prevailed in her initial match of 2023-24, outlasting Zeynalova 7-6(6), 6-4 on the top court. Then, in the day's final tilt, No. 45 Rapolu held off Hance in a 6-4, 7-6(8) showing on Court 2.
With rain in the forecast, Saturday's match against UC Santa Barbara has been postponed. The Bruins are next set to take the courts in Ames, Iowa on Saturday, Jan. 27 for ITA Kickoff Weekend. UCLA meets Oklahoma State in the opening round.
Tennis Match Results
Texas vs UCLA
01/19/2024 at Los Angeles, CA
(Los Angeles Tennis Center)
#16 UCLA 5, #6 Texas 2
Singles competition
1. Tian Fangran (UCLA) def. Sabina Zeynalova (TEX) 7-6 (8-6), 6-4
2. #45 Malaika Rapolu (TEX) def. Kimmi Hance (UCLA) 6-4, 7-6 (10-8)
3. Taisiya Pachkaleva (TEX) def. Bianca Fernandez (UCLA) 7-6 (7-5), retired
4. A. Lutkemeyer (UCLA) def. Vivian Ovrootsky (TEX) 6-2, 6-1
5. Elise Wagle (UCLA) def. No player (TEX), by forfeit
6. #99 Ahmani Guichard (UCLA) def. No player (TEX), by forfeit
Doubles competition
1. Taisiya Pachkaleva/Sabina Zeynalova (TEX) def. Kimmi Hance/Elise Wagle (UCLA) 6-2
2. Bianca Fernandez/Tian Fangran (UCLA) def. Malaika Rapolu/Tanya Sasnouskaya (TEX) 7-6 (7-2)
3. Ahmani Guichard/A. Lutkemeyer (UCLA) def. Charlotte Chavatipon/Vivian Ovrootsky (TEX) 6-3
Match Notes:
Texas 0-1; National ranking #6
UCLA 1-0; National ranking #16
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (4,3,1,2)
Sophomores Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer and Tian Fangran posted two-win days for the Bruins (1-0), who collected the doubles point and saw their lead grow to 3-0 when the Longhorns were unable to field a full singles lineup. Taisiya Pachkaleva and Malaika Rapolu picked up wins for Texas (0-1) after the result was clinched.
The combination of Lutkemeyer and Ahmani Guichard continued its success from tournament play, winning its seventh match in nine tries and fifth in a row. The latest was a 6-3 decision over Charlotte Chavatipon and Vivian Ovrootsky on Court 3 that provided their team an edge. Texas closed the gap on Court 1, where Pachkaleva and Sabina Zeynalova topped Hance and Elise Wagle by a 6-2 margin. That put all eyes on the Court 2 matchup, which was bound for a tiebreaker. Tian and Bianca Fernandez controlled it from the start, dropping just two points versus Rapolu and Tanya Sasnouskaya to get UCLA on the board first.
Just four singles contests were played after the Longhorns were left shorthanded, leaving the Bruins just one point away from the overall victory. Lutkemeyer did the honors, putting on a 6-2, 6-1 display opposite Ovrootsky on Court 4 to match Guichard's team-high singles win total of eight.
Fernandez was forced to retire on Court 3, putting Texas on the board following a first-set tiebreaker that went the way of Pachkaleva. Defending NCAA singles champion Tian prevailed in her initial match of 2023-24, outlasting Zeynalova 7-6(6), 6-4 on the top court. Then, in the day's final tilt, No. 45 Rapolu held off Hance in a 6-4, 7-6(8) showing on Court 2.
With rain in the forecast, Saturday's match against UC Santa Barbara has been postponed. The Bruins are next set to take the courts in Ames, Iowa on Saturday, Jan. 27 for ITA Kickoff Weekend. UCLA meets Oklahoma State in the opening round.
Tennis Match Results
Texas vs UCLA
01/19/2024 at Los Angeles, CA
(Los Angeles Tennis Center)
#16 UCLA 5, #6 Texas 2
Singles competition
1. Tian Fangran (UCLA) def. Sabina Zeynalova (TEX) 7-6 (8-6), 6-4
2. #45 Malaika Rapolu (TEX) def. Kimmi Hance (UCLA) 6-4, 7-6 (10-8)
3. Taisiya Pachkaleva (TEX) def. Bianca Fernandez (UCLA) 7-6 (7-5), retired
4. A. Lutkemeyer (UCLA) def. Vivian Ovrootsky (TEX) 6-2, 6-1
5. Elise Wagle (UCLA) def. No player (TEX), by forfeit
6. #99 Ahmani Guichard (UCLA) def. No player (TEX), by forfeit
Doubles competition
1. Taisiya Pachkaleva/Sabina Zeynalova (TEX) def. Kimmi Hance/Elise Wagle (UCLA) 6-2
2. Bianca Fernandez/Tian Fangran (UCLA) def. Malaika Rapolu/Tanya Sasnouskaya (TEX) 7-6 (7-2)
3. Ahmani Guichard/A. Lutkemeyer (UCLA) def. Charlotte Chavatipon/Vivian Ovrootsky (TEX) 6-3
Match Notes:
Texas 0-1; National ranking #6
UCLA 1-0; National ranking #16
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (4,3,1,2)
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
1
Charlotte Chavatipon/ Vivian Ovrootsky [TEX]
3
6
Order of Finish:
3,1,2
#1 Singles Match
12
Sabina Zeynalova / 0 [TEX]
64
76
#2 Singles Match
12
Malaika Rapolu / 0 (45/-) [TEX]
67
46
#3 Singles Match
12
Taisiya Pachkaleva / 0 [TEX]
7WR
60
#4 Singles Match
12
Vivian Ovrootsky / 0 [TEX]
21
66
#5 Singles Match
1
No player / 0 [TEX]
0
WF
#6 Singles Match
1
No player / 0 [TEX]
0
WF
Order of Finish:
4,3,1,2
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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