The Florida women’s tennis team has never had a losing record entering SEC play. Until now.
No. 43 Florida (3-4) begins SEC play on Friday at 5 p.m. when it hosts Ole Miss at the Ring Tennis Complex. The Gators look to jump start the season in conference play, led by sophomores Ida Jarlskog and McCartney Kessler.
"We had to do a lot of growing, obviously,” coach Roland Thornqvist said in a release following a heartbreaking 4-3 loss to UCF on Sunday. “What we talked about after the match briefly was that we have a brand-new season now.”
Florida’s SEC season will feature a healthy Victoria Emma, who has slowly been working her way back in the lineup after missing the beginning of the season with a wrist injury, and a more experienced squad. Anastasia Kharitonova and Marlee Zein excelled in their first spring season at Florida. As a doubles duo, the freshmen sported a 2-2 record while Kharitonova notched four singles win along with Zein’s two.
Historically, the Gators have dominated Ole Miss and SEC play in general. Florida holds a 46-3 all-time series record over the Rebels, including an unbeaten 20-match win streak at home in Gainesville. Florida has also never lost more than four games in conference play in program history. The only time a Gator team lost more than three games in SEC play was 2009 where it finished 16-10 on the year, Thornqvist’s worst record as a coach at Florida. The Gators have finished SEC play undefeated 24 times in program history, with eight of those occurring in the 2000s.
If Florida hopes to turn its season around and not be remembered in the history books for the wrong reason, its SEC schedule is where that opportunity lies.
Jarlskog wins SEC Player of the Week
Jarlskog was named SEC Player of the Week after winning all three of her matches this past week against Florida State, Oklahoma and UCF. The Georgia Tech transfer has transitioned nicely in Gainesville, overtaking court one and posting a team-high five singles victories this season.
Jarlskog, currently ranked No. 12 per the ITA, defeated No. 29 Valeriya Zeleva and No. 103 Ana Oparenovic this week, including a match-clincher over Oparenovic and the Sooners. Jarlskog also posted a 1-1 record this past week on the doubles court with partner Tsveta Dimitrova, guiding the Gators to their first doubles point since its season opener.
Follow Victor Prieto on Twitter @victorprieto_11 and contact him at vprieto@alligator.org.
Coach Roland Thornqvist's women's tennis team SEC play on Friday at 5 p.m. when it hosts Ole Miss at the Ring Tennis Complex.
