Women’s Tennis Team Hosts Razorback Classic
Sophomore Sarah McLean competed in a singles match against Reneta Kuricova of Tulsa. The Razorbacks won all of their singles matches Friday. (Photo by Kris Johnson)
Razorback women’s tennis hosted the Razorback Classic in Fayetteville over the weekend. The team finished the competition with six singles victories and two doubles victories.
Day one started positively for the Hogs. They swept their four singles matches and picked up another win in doubles.
“The best thing today was that our overall energy was extremely high,” head coach Michael Hegarty said. “That is not a surprise, because playing at home gives us an extra spark.”
Razorback freshman Yang Pang, sophomore Sarah McLean, freshman Kimberley-Ann Surin and freshman Ana Lorena Belmar Hernandez all won their singles matches on Friday, defeating players from Tulsa, Houston and Missouri.
“The young talent is developing,” Hegarty said of his teams play on day one. “This is the perfect environment for us to play well. The indoor option at the Billingsley Tennis Center was a great thing for today.”
On day one, the Hogs split their two doubles matches. Surin and Pang, both freshmen, defeated a pair from Houston and thereby each won their first doubles match in college play.
Belmar Hernandez and McLean fell to a pair from Tulsa to close out day one.
Pang was the star of day two for the Razorbacks, defeating Tulsa’s Samantha Vickers, 6-3, 6-2. Vickers is ranked No. 45.
“It was a mixed day, but it was highlighted by Pang’s big win,” Hegarty said. “She really stepped up today. I’m very proud of her intensity and drive to get better.”
McLean went to three sets with Houston’s Elena Kordolaimi in an intense match Saturday but ended up losing 7-5, 5-7, 6-3.
Surin and Belmar Hernandez also lost their singles matches on Saturday to players from Tulsa and Missouri.
The team also ended up losing both doubles matches on the second day of play to two pairs from Tulsa.
“We have work to do in doubles,” Hegarty said. “The great thing about this tournament is that we have the opportunity to work on some things, and have a strong day tomorrow to finish the tournament.”
On the final day, the Razorbacks earned a win each in doubles and singles and pushed three singles matches to three sets.
“It was a very high quality day of tennis,” Hegarty said. “I was impressed with our level of play. We showed some inexperience which was the only thing that prevented us from having a spectacular day. Playing long, three set matches was a big plus for us.”
Belmar Hernandez defeated Missouri’s Madison Rhyner 7-6, 6-4 to score the only singles victory of the day. She finished the Razorback Classic with a 2-1 record.
Surin fell in three sets to Tulsa’s Vickers 6-4, 4-6, 6-1. Pang was defeated by Tulsa’s Michelle Farley 4-6, 6-1, 6-4. McLean also fell to a player from Tulsa, Isaura Enrique, 6-4, 1-6, 7-5.
Surin and Pang won their second doubles match of the tournament over Benito/Rivera Perez of Tulsa 8-5. McLean and Belmar Hernandez were defeated by Tulsa’s duo of Vickers/Enrique 8-1.
“We got a lot out of the tournament,” Hegarty said. “We played twenty-five matches and saw a lot of things improve throughout the weekend.”
The competition for the Razorbacks is the ITA Central Regional, which begins October 19 in Tulsa, Okla.
