In a thrilling start to their SEC campaign, the No. 13 Auburn women’s tennis team showcased their prowess with a commanding 5-2 victory over Florida at the Alfred A.
Ring Tennis Complex. This victory marks only the fifth time in program history that Auburn has bested the seven-time national champions, making it a significant triumph for the Tigers.
Auburn head coach Jordan Szabo expressed his satisfaction with the win, highlighting the challenge of playing against a storied program like Florida. "Winning 5-2 on the road in our first outdoor match in a while is really impressive," Szabo noted. He emphasized the importance of having all six players perform at their best, acknowledging that while they haven’t fully achieved that yet, this win is a promising start to their SEC schedule.
A standout moment came from DJ Bennett, who clinched both the doubles point and the overall match. Growing up just 30 minutes from Gainesville, Bennett had a personal stake in this match, especially since Florida didn’t recruit her. With a strong local fan base cheering her on, her victory held extra significance.
In doubles action, the duo of Ekaterina Khairutdinova and Ashton Bowers set the tone with a 6-3 win at the No. 3 position, continuing their unbeaten streak. Bennett and Ava Esposito then secured the doubles point with a decisive 6-3 victory over Florida’s 23rd-ranked pair, Xinyi Nong and Nikola Daubnerova.
In singles play, Esposito delivered a strong performance at the No. 6 position. After trailing early, she stormed back to win the first set 6-3 and delivered a flawless second set, winning 6-0, to extend Auburn’s lead.
Florida fought back with wins at the No. 4 and No. 3 singles positions, leveling the score at 2-2. However, Bowers responded with resilience, overcoming an early deficit to secure a 6-4, 6-4 victory at No. 5 singles, marking her 20th singles win of the season.
The spotlight then turned to Bennett on the top singles court. She dominated early against No. 54 Valery Gynina, capturing the first set 6-3 and maintaining her momentum to clinch the match 6-3, 6-3, sealing the team victory for Auburn.
With the win already in hand, Khairutdinova added another point for Auburn at the No. 2 singles position, making the final score 5-2 in favor of the Tigers.
This victory boosts Auburn’s record to an impressive 16-1 overall and 1-0 in conference play. They remain unbeaten on the road this season, setting a strong foundation as they head to Norman, Oklahoma, for a clash with No. 7 Oklahoma at the Headington Family Tennis Center.
Final Score: #13 Auburn 5, Florida 2
Singles Results:
- #37 DJ Bennett (AUB) def. #54 Valery Gynina (FLA) 6-3, 6-3
- E. Khairutdinova (AUB) def.
India Houghton (FLA) 7-6 (7-3), 7-5
- #23 Gabia Paskauskas (FLA) def.
#95 Angella Okutoyi (AUB) 6-0, 6-4
- Brooke Black (FLA) def.
Merna Refaat (AUB) 6-4, 6-2
- #26 Ashton Bowers (AUB) def.
#80 Lucie Pawlak (FLA) 6-4, 6-4
- #27 Ava Esposito (AUB) def.
#97 Xinyi Nong (FLA) 6-3, 6-0