Paloma Hennicaux and Thassane Abrahim each posted wins in singles action while Zuzanna Szczepanska and Elena Dibattista picked up a victory in doubles to highlight the efforts for the UTEP tennis team on day two of the Islander Invite Saturday.
“Unfortunately, Vero’s (Lebisova) and Tuca’s (Abrahim) streak came to an end today,” UTEP head coach Ivan Fernandez said. “They will play for third place tomorrow. Zu (Szczepanska) and Ele (Dibattista) won their doubles match today. In singles Tuca won and Palo (Hennicaux) got her first career collegiate win. We know this will be the first of many. All of the other singles matches we lost in three sets. We played much better today, and I hope we can improve again tomorrow and win some of those three-set matches.”
Abrahim and Lebisova’s bid for a spot in the finals of their draw didn’t come to fruition after the duo was upended, 8-4, by Naomi McKenzie and Valeriia Cherfus (Texas A&M- CC). It marked their first loss of the season. Dibattista and Szczepanska advanced in the back draw following an exciting 8-7 triumph against Stanislava Bobrovnikova and Eva Beyebach (UTSA). Eve Daniels and Carlotta Mencaglia fought hard before falling by a count of 8-6 to Anais Brion and Victoire Delattre (Texas A&M- CC).
Mencaglia’s bid to punch her ticket to the championship match came up short in a three-set battle with McKenzie (Texas A&M- CC). It went back-and-forth before she fell, 6-4, 3-6, 2-6. Abrahim emerged victorious in straight sets after cruising past Elena Rubio (Lamar), 7-5, 6-1. She will also vie for a backdraw title on Sunday. Hennicaux will do so as well after she rallied past Megan Do (Lamar), 2-6, 6-1, 6-1, in an impressive showing for her first collegiate triumph. Lebisova got into the win column when her foe Femke Tijon A Joe (Lamar) had to retire due to an injury. She will play for a backdraw crown on Sunday.
Daniels came up short against Jayci Wong (Lamar) in three sets, 7-5, 4-6, 5-7. Szczepanska was upended in another three-set affair by Adeliya Mukhutdinova (UTSA), 7-5, 1-6, 6-3. Dibattista also came up short in three sets, succumbing to Bobrovnikova (UTSA), 6-1, 2-6, 6-3.
The Orange and Blue will wrap up action at the Islander Invite on Sunday.
Full tournament bracket/results:
For more information, Click Here | For our complete coverage, Click Here
