Friday, November 10
Las Vegas, Nev.
Long Beach State University
at
Jolene Watanabe Classic
Photo by: John Fajardo
Beach Tennis Opens The UNLV Watanabe Classic Strong
11/10/2023 2:48:00 PM | Women's Tennis
Long Beach State won 3-of-4 doubles matches and 5-of-8 singles contests to start the tournament
LAS VEGAS – The Long Beach State Women's Tennis team opened the UNLV Watanabe Classic with a strong showing as the Beach picked up three doubles victories and five singles wins.
"It was a solid first day for the team," said Long Beach State Head Women's Tennis Coach Jenny Hilt-Costello. "I'm looking forward to our matchups tomorrow."
The Beach started the day with doubles action and came out ready to play as they swept the No. 1 Doubles Draw. Peppi Ramstedt and Rhona Cook took down Magda Tuells and Vittoria Baccino of UTSA in an exciting 6-2 contest.
Also competing in the No. 1 Doubles Draw were the Beach tandem of Justine Dondonay and Paulina Franco Martinessi. The pair battled it out with NAU's Daryna Shoshyna and Ana Karen Guadiana Campos, and came away with a 6-3 victory.
In the No. 2 Doubles Draw, Doga Akyurek and Hana Becirovic Novak faced Olivia Bustos and Laura Coulome as both squads had a bye. The Beach pair played hard and earned a 6-2 victory.
The three winning Beach pairs will now play in the Doubles Semifinals on Saturday, Nov. 11.
In singles action, the Beach won both No. 2 Singles Draws, as well as both No. 4 Singles Draws. Additionally, Hana Becirovic Novak picked up a victory for LBSU in the No. 3 Singles Draws.
Becirovic Novak faced Kylie Kezos of Utah Tech and took a gritty first set, 6-3. Once Becirovic Novak found her groove, there was no stopping her as she cruised to a set two win by a score of 6-0.
Akyurek went head-to-head with UTSA's Magda Tuells in the No. 2 Singles Draw and claimed the close first set, 7-6 (4). She went on to win the match and advance to the semifinals by way of retirement.
Also competing in the No. 2 Singles Draw was Ramstedt who had to face Anna Sterk of Utah Tech. Ramstedt and Sterk played a tough back-and-forth first set that saw Ramstedt come out on top, 7-6 (2). The second set went to Ramstedt, 6-2, as she found her rhythm and came out strong.
The Beach rolled through the No. 4 Singles Draw as Mathilde Tranberg got things going. She faced Raquel Roshak of Utah Tech and made quick work of her taking Roshak down 6-2, 6-0 to advance to the semifinals on Saturday.
Paulina Franco Martinessi also earned a victory, but hers was a little more difficult. She faced NAU's Ava Neyestani and battled her to a 6-2, 6-3 win to go on to the Semifinals.
Long Beach State looks to continue its solid style of play into the Semifinals on Saturday. The Doubles Semifinals will begin at 10 a.m., while the Singles Semifinals will start at 11 a.m.
DOUBLES
#1 DOUBLES DRAW
Ramstedt/Cook (LBSU) def. Tuells/Baccino (UTSA), 6-2
Dondonay/Franco Martinessi (LBSU) def. Shoshyna/ Guadiana Campos (NAU), 6-3
#2 DOUBLES DRAW
Mircheva/Fang (UNLV) def. Medik/Tranberg (LBSU), 7-5
Akyurek/Becirovic Novak (LBSU) def. Bustos/Coulome (Utah Tech), 6-2
SINGLES
#1 SINGLES DRAW
Ekua Youri (UTSA) def. Justine Dondonay (LBSU), 6-4, 6-2
Zita Kovacs (UNLV) def. Rhona Cook (LBSU), 6-2, 6-2
#2 SINGLES DRAW
Doga Akyurek (LBSU) def. Magda Tuells (UTSA), 7-6 (4), ret.
Peppi Ramstedt (LBSU) def. Anna Sterk (Utah Tech), 7-6 (2), 6-2
#3 SINGLES DRAW
Hana Becirovic Novak (LBSU) def. Kylie Kezos (Utah Tech), 6-3, 6-0
Dolavee Tumthong (NAU) def. Sarah Medik (LBSU), 6-3, 6-3
#4 SINGLES DRAW
Paulina Franco Martinessi (LBSU) def. Ava Neyestani (NAU), 6-2, 6-3
Mathilde Tranberg def. Raquel Roshak (Utah Tech), 6-2, 6-0
"It was a solid first day for the team," said Long Beach State Head Women's Tennis Coach Jenny Hilt-Costello. "I'm looking forward to our matchups tomorrow."
The Beach started the day with doubles action and came out ready to play as they swept the No. 1 Doubles Draw. Peppi Ramstedt and Rhona Cook took down Magda Tuells and Vittoria Baccino of UTSA in an exciting 6-2 contest.
Also competing in the No. 1 Doubles Draw were the Beach tandem of Justine Dondonay and Paulina Franco Martinessi. The pair battled it out with NAU's Daryna Shoshyna and Ana Karen Guadiana Campos, and came away with a 6-3 victory.
In the No. 2 Doubles Draw, Doga Akyurek and Hana Becirovic Novak faced Olivia Bustos and Laura Coulome as both squads had a bye. The Beach pair played hard and earned a 6-2 victory.
The three winning Beach pairs will now play in the Doubles Semifinals on Saturday, Nov. 11.
In singles action, the Beach won both No. 2 Singles Draws, as well as both No. 4 Singles Draws. Additionally, Hana Becirovic Novak picked up a victory for LBSU in the No. 3 Singles Draws.
Becirovic Novak faced Kylie Kezos of Utah Tech and took a gritty first set, 6-3. Once Becirovic Novak found her groove, there was no stopping her as she cruised to a set two win by a score of 6-0.
Akyurek went head-to-head with UTSA's Magda Tuells in the No. 2 Singles Draw and claimed the close first set, 7-6 (4). She went on to win the match and advance to the semifinals by way of retirement.
Also competing in the No. 2 Singles Draw was Ramstedt who had to face Anna Sterk of Utah Tech. Ramstedt and Sterk played a tough back-and-forth first set that saw Ramstedt come out on top, 7-6 (2). The second set went to Ramstedt, 6-2, as she found her rhythm and came out strong.
The Beach rolled through the No. 4 Singles Draw as Mathilde Tranberg got things going. She faced Raquel Roshak of Utah Tech and made quick work of her taking Roshak down 6-2, 6-0 to advance to the semifinals on Saturday.
Paulina Franco Martinessi also earned a victory, but hers was a little more difficult. She faced NAU's Ava Neyestani and battled her to a 6-2, 6-3 win to go on to the Semifinals.
Long Beach State looks to continue its solid style of play into the Semifinals on Saturday. The Doubles Semifinals will begin at 10 a.m., while the Singles Semifinals will start at 11 a.m.
DOUBLES
#1 DOUBLES DRAW
Ramstedt/Cook (LBSU) def. Tuells/Baccino (UTSA), 6-2
Dondonay/Franco Martinessi (LBSU) def. Shoshyna/ Guadiana Campos (NAU), 6-3
#2 DOUBLES DRAW
Mircheva/Fang (UNLV) def. Medik/Tranberg (LBSU), 7-5
Akyurek/Becirovic Novak (LBSU) def. Bustos/Coulome (Utah Tech), 6-2
SINGLES
#1 SINGLES DRAW
Ekua Youri (UTSA) def. Justine Dondonay (LBSU), 6-4, 6-2
Zita Kovacs (UNLV) def. Rhona Cook (LBSU), 6-2, 6-2
#2 SINGLES DRAW
Doga Akyurek (LBSU) def. Magda Tuells (UTSA), 7-6 (4), ret.
Peppi Ramstedt (LBSU) def. Anna Sterk (Utah Tech), 7-6 (2), 6-2
#3 SINGLES DRAW
Hana Becirovic Novak (LBSU) def. Kylie Kezos (Utah Tech), 6-3, 6-0
Dolavee Tumthong (NAU) def. Sarah Medik (LBSU), 6-3, 6-3
#4 SINGLES DRAW
Paulina Franco Martinessi (LBSU) def. Ava Neyestani (NAU), 6-2, 6-3
Mathilde Tranberg def. Raquel Roshak (Utah Tech), 6-2, 6-0
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
Long Beach State Tennis Match Point Win Over Brown
Wednesday, March 27
Tennis 2017 Season Preview
Thursday, January 26
60 Seconds at The Beach: Women's Tennis Ebba Unden
Monday, July 18
