Auburn, Ala. - The No. 3 Auburn women’s tennis team wrapped up a stellar weekend at home, shutting out Kentucky 4-0 at the Yarbrough Tennis Center. The Tigers secured an early doubles point and followed it up with three decisive singles victories, marking their seventh straight win in SEC play.
Auburn head coach Jordan Szabo praised the team’s performance, highlighting the challenge of securing victories in the competitive SEC. "Every win in the SEC is tough to get," Szabo noted.
"We mixed up the lineup in singles, and the players showed resilience. It was a solid 4-0 win, and I felt confident everyone was on track to win their matches."
Ekaterina Khairutdinova and Ashton Bowers set the pace in doubles, bouncing back from a loss on Friday to dominate with a 6-0 win. Their record now stands at an impressive 18-1 for the season and 6-1 in conference play. Meanwhile, DJ Bennett and Ava Esposito overcame an initial setback to clinch the doubles point, continuing Auburn's perfect streak in doubles this season, now 24-0.
Transitioning into singles, the Tigers maintained their momentum. DJ Bennett, on the top singles court, showcased her skills against No.
116 Zoe Hammond. After a commanding 6-2 first set, Bennett overcame a brief second-set deficit to secure a 6-3 victory, improving her singles record to 12-8 overall and 11-4 in dual matches.
Khairutdinova also shone brightly, overpowering No. 112 Julia Zhu with a 6-1, 6-4 win. After a strong start, Khairutdinova navigated a second-set challenge to extend Auburn's lead to 3-0.
Freshman Eva Ionescu displayed remarkable poise at the No. 6 position. After a tightly contested first set, she clinched it 7-5 and continued to battle through the second set, ultimately sealing the match 7-5, 6-4. This victory clinched the overall win for Auburn, even as other matches were still underway.
With this triumph, Auburn's record improved to 23-1, remaining undefeated in SEC play at 7-0. Their dominance at home continues, boasting a 15-0 record at the Yarbrough Tennis Center. As the only team without a conference loss, Auburn leads the SEC standings, with Texas and Texas A&M trailing at 6-1.
Looking ahead, Auburn prepares for a road trip to face South Carolina on Thursday and a highly anticipated clash against No. 1 Georgia on Saturday.
Final Score: #3 Auburn 4, Kentucky 0
Singles Results:
- #33 DJ Bennett (AUB) def. #116 Zoe Hammond (UK) 6-2, 6-3
- #50 E. Khairutdinova (AUB) def.
#112 Julia Zhu (UK) 6-1, 6-4
- Merna Refaat (AUB) vs.
Reese Sager (UK) 2-6, 6-2, 5-4, unfinished
- Stefani Webb (AUB) vs.
Elena Molla (UK) 6-3, 5-5, unfinished
- Ava Esposito (AUB) vs.
Asuncion Jadue (UK) 6-4, 6-6 (7-6), unfinished
- Eva Ionescu (AUB) def.
Donna Le Roux (UK) 7-5, 6-4
Doubles Results: