AUBURN, Ala. - The No. 13 Auburn women’s tennis team is set to kick off their conference play with a challenging matchup on the road against Florida this Saturday.
The match is scheduled for noon CT at the Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex in Gainesville, Florida.
Auburn's head coach, Jordan Szabo, expressed confidence in his team's adaptability, highlighting their strength in outdoor conditions. "It’s going to be quite warm in Gainesville, and we’ll be ready for that," Szabo noted. He acknowledged Florida's storied history, with seven national titles under their belt, emphasizing the need for Auburn to be fully prepared.
Opening the conference season with a strong opponent like Florida sets the tone for what promises to be a competitive year in the SEC. Szabo pointed out the depth of talent across the conference, with each team posing a significant challenge. "Every match is going to be really big this year," he remarked, underscoring the importance of bringing their trademark intensity.
The Tigers come into this match riding high after a dominant nonconference finish, sweeping a doubleheader against Grand Canyon and Middle Tennessee. With a 15-1 overall record, their only setback was against top-ranked Georgia during the ITA National Team Indoor Championship semifinals.
Sophomore standout Merna Refaat made a triumphant return last Sunday, securing wins in both doubles and singles. Refaat boasts a flawless 7-0 singles record in dual matches this season. Teammates Ava Esposito and Ashton Bowers also maintain perfect singles records, standing at 10-0 and 9-0, respectively.
In doubles play, Refaat and Angella Okutoyi have been formidable at the No. 2 position, holding a 7-1 record. Meanwhile, the duo of Bowers and Ekaterina Khairutdinova remains unbeaten at 12-0, primarily at the No. 3 spot.
Florida enters this SEC opener with a 4-1 record, undefeated at home. Their sole defeat came at the hands of NC State during ITA Kickoff Weekend-a team Auburn bested 4-1 in the ITA Indoors quarterfinals. Historically, the Tigers trail the Gators 46-4 in their all-time series, but they claimed a 5-2 victory in their last encounter in Auburn.
With key players ranked in singles-Ashton Bowers (26), Ava Esposito (27), DJ Bennett (37), and Angella Okutoyi (95)-Auburn is poised to make a strong statement as they embark on their SEC journey. The stage is set for an exciting showdown in Gainesville.