Florida Women’s Tennis to Face Two Texas Opponents

Following its rough seven-day stretch of three losses to conference opponents (two of which were 4-0 sweeps), the Florida Gators women’s tennis team (3-5) will return to its home court to face No. 9 Texas (8-4) and No. 3 Texas A&M (12-1) on Friday at 5 p.m. and Sunday at noon.

Recent Performance

Florida has been on the road for five straight matches, traveling back and forth across the southern United States and even taking a trip to Michigan in early February. Finally, back at home, the Gators will look to turn around their recent skid in which they fell to No. 4 Auburn, South Carolina, and No. 2 Georgia. However, the competition isn’t getting any easier.

Texas kicked off conference play with a 2-1 record, winning two games over tough opponents in Oklahoma and Arkansas, but dropping a highly contested shootout with Texas A&M. The Longhorns only losses have come against top ten teams (save No. 17 USC in the season opener) as they continue to prove that they are a contender.

The Longhorns have played their last three matches at home in Austin and will travel to Florida for the first time since 2007. Florida leads the all-time series 9-2 but suffered a loss to Texas last time they played, in 2018.

Texas A&M is particularly hot, winning its last four games that included three against conference opponents. Only falling to No. 1 Georgia thus far (thwarting A&M’s 8-0 start), Texas A&M is an SEC team that nobody wants to face. The Aggies will also visit No. 6 Auburn on Friday as a final test before heading into Gainesville over the weekend.

ITA Rankings

Despite dropping out of the ITA rankings last week, Florida is back on the list at No. 61. Gailis and Dudeney remain at No. 6 in doubles. Gailis has also cracked the singles rankings, slated at No. 50.

Texas comes in at No. 9 in the nation and has five ranked singles players (four of which are first years) in freshmen No. 30 Carmen Herea, No. 69 Eszter Meri, No. 70 Ashton Bowers, No. 78 Ariana Anazagasty-Pursoo and No. 38 senior Sabina Zeynalova. Additionally, Texas has two top 50 doubles pairs that include No. 29 Bowers-Anazagasty-Pursoo and No. 41 Bowers-Zeynalova.

Texas A&M is ranked at No. 3 in the nation following its 12-1 start and also has five players nationally ranked in singles. No. 3 Mary Stoiana, No. 57 Lucciana Perez, No. 15 Nicole Khirin, No. 51 Mia Kupres, and No. 62 Daria Smetannikov round out a strong singles game for the Aggies. No. 31 Stoiana-Perez, No. 68 Kupres-Smetannikov and No. 72 Stoiana-Kupres represent Texas A&M in the doubles rankings.

Up Next

Following its home stint against the Longhorns and Aggies, Florida will travel to face the Mississippi State Bulldogs and No. 18 Alabama Crimson Tide on March 14 and 16, respectively.