When it comes to facing some of the top competition in college tennis, the Gators haven’t wavered from stepping up to the challenge.
Senior Elliott Orkin, who had automatically qualified into the singles main draw due to his high preseason ranking at No. 22, won his first match Thursday. Going up against UNC Tarheel Ronnie Schneider, Orkin won 6-3, 7-6 (8). Meanwhile, Alfredo Perez, up against Vanderbilt’s Daniel Valent, won 6-3, 7-5.
And doubles duo Maxx Lipman and Orkin were given another chance to compete in the ITA All-American Championships. Although they were knocked out in the qualifying draw, they were brought back into the main draw due to the withdrawal of another doubles pair. They faced Shawn Hadavi and Richard Pham from Columbia University, but lost 6-2, 6-2.
Women’s main draw action also kicked off Thursday, with two rounds of doubles and one round of singles.
Junior Brooke Austin and senior Kourtney Keegan had a bye in their first round, and went up against Syracuse pair Valeria Salazar and Gabriela Knutson. The Florida duo pulled out a close win, 8-6. They are set to play USC’s Zoe Katz and Gabby Smith.
Josie Kuhlman and Belinda Woolcock, on the other hand, lost 8-7 (5) in the first round against Auburn’s Allie Michaud and Taylor Russo.
In singles play, Woolcock, Keegan and Anna Danilina competed.
Woolcock, defeated Syracuse’s Anna Shkudun 6-1, 6-1. She will face South Carolina’s Ingrid Gamarra Martins on Thursday.
Unseeded Keegan, up against number two seed Luisa Stefani from Pepperdine University, pulled off the upset, winning 6-3, 6-3.
Danilina was also slated up against a Pepperdine Wave, junior Mayar Sherif Ahmed. However, she couldn’t pull off the win and lost by a final score of 6-4, 6-2.
The main draw for both men and women will continue throughout the rest of this week.
Contact Cassie Amundson at camundson@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter @camundson_.
Elliott Orkin returns a serve during Florida's 6-1 win over Troy on Jan. 17, 2016, at the Ring Tennis Complex.
