STANFORD, Calif. – The first week of the fall is in the books for the Stanford women’s tennis program, which sent four student-athletes to the ITA All-American Championships in Cary, North Carolina, and another two to the USTA SoCal Intercollegiate Championships in San Diego.
In Cary, Monika Ekstrand won her main draw opener over No. 46 Biana Molnar of Notre Dame 6-7, 6-1, 6-1, before falling in the second round to Georgia’s No. 54 Emma Dong 7-6 (2), 7-5. She bounced back to stay alive with a consolation victory over Ohio State’s No. 115 Audrey Spencer 6-2, 6-2, but ended her tournament later that afternoon with a 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (4) loss to No. 38 Anastasiia Gureva of Georgia.
Tianmei Wang joined Ekstrand in the main draw after working her way through qualifying with wins over No. 76 Olivia Benton of Boston College 7-5, 6-4 and Ava Krug of Duke 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. Wang dropped her main draw opener to No. 12 Amelie Van Impe of SMU 6-3, 6-2 and fell in her consolation match against No. 32 Vivian Yang of Virginia 6-1, 7-6 (4).
Also in the main draw was Alyssa Ahn, who came up short in results against No. 80 Linea Bajraliu of Georgia 7-5, 7-5 and No. 42 Kyoka Kubo of Kansas 6-3, 6-4.
Ahn and Wang lost their lone qualifying doubles match to the No. 66 pair from Maryland of Kovacevic and Orlinska 2-6, 6-2, 10-8. Freshman Katerina Shabashkevich also featured in the qualifying draw with Wang, but dropped both of her matches to No. 79 Nina Vargova of Duke 6-2, 6-0 and Amina Salibayeva of Alabama 6-2, 6-2.
Freshman Kaia Giribalan and senior Sein Myoung were at the USTA SoCal Intercollegiate Championships down in San Diego and made a run to the semifinals in doubles with wins over pairs from Boise State, San Diego State and BYU.
Giribalan went 3-1 in singles and Myoung 2-2 on the weekend, both winning their opening main draw matches before falling in the Round of 32.
Stanford returns to the courts later this week at the Battle in the Bay Classic, which begins Thursday at the California Tennis Club in San Francisco.
SINGLES RESULTS
No. 19 Monika Ekstrand (2-2) @ ITA All-American Championships
Main Draw R64 vs. #46 Bianca Molnar (Notre Dame) – W, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1
Main Draw R32 vs. #54 Emma Dong (Georgia) – L, 7-6 (2), 7-5
Consolation vs. #115 Audrey Spencer (Ohio State) – W, 6-2, 6-2
Consolation vs. #38 Anastasiia Gureva (Georgia) – L, 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (4)
No. 29 Alyssa Ahn (0-2) @ ITA All-American Championships
Main Draw R64 vs. #80 Linea Bajraliu (Georgia) – L, 7-5, 7-5
Consolation vs. #42 Kyoka Kubo (Kansas) – L, 6-3, 6-4
No. 119 Tianmei Wang (2-2) @ ITA All-American Championships
Qualifying vs. #76 Olivia Benton (Boston College) – W, 7-5, 6-4
Qualifying vs. Ava Krug (Duke) – W, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
Main Draw R64 vs. #12 Amelie Van Impe (SMU) – L, 6-3, 6-2
Consolation vs. #32 Vivian Yang (Virginia) – L, 6-1, 7-6 (4)
No. 123 Katerina Shabashkevich (0-2) @ ITA All-American Championships
Qualifying vs. #79 Nina Vargova (Duke) – L, 6-2, 6-0
Qualifying vs. Amina Salibayeva (Alabama) – L, 6-2, 6-2
Kaia Giribalan @ USTA SoCal Intercollegiate Championships
Main Draw R64 vs. Ana Camila Celis Avila (San Jose State) – W, 6-2, 6-0
Main Draw R32 vs. Lila Grace Bachour (San Diego) – L, 6-3, 6-2
Consolation vs. Vesa Gjinaj (San Diego State) – W, 6-4. 6-4
Consolation vs. Karin Altori (Arizona State) – W, 7-5, 3-6, 10-6
Sein Myoung @ USTA SoCal Intercollegiate Championships
Main Draw R64 vs. Sofiia Sokolvak (UNLV) – W, 6-1, 6-2
Main Draw R32 vs. Chelsea Bluestein (BYU) – L, 6-2, 6-3
Consolation vs. Lily Stohl (Utah) – W, 6-2, 6-1
Consolation vs. Maria Shmakova (San Diego) – L, 6-2, 6-2
DOUBLES RESULTS
No. 81 Alyssa Ahn/Tianmei Wang @ ITA All-American Championships
Qualifying vs. #66 E. Kovacevic/O. Orlinska (Maryland) – L, 2-6, 6-2, 10-8
Kaia Giribalan/Sein Myoung @ USTA SoCal Intercollegiate Championships
Main Draw R32 vs. S. Beldiman/C. Grignac (Boise State) – W, 7-5
Main Draw R16 vs. J. Clemens/V. Gjinaj (San Diego State) – W, 6-4
Main Draw QF vs. S. Tan/C. Korhonen (BYU) – W, 7-5
Main Draw SF vs. I. Leon/A. Moll (San Diego) – L, 7-5