Florida Women’s Tennis Stuns No. 21 Alabama

The Florida women’s tennis team upset No. 21 Alabama 4-3 Sunday in Tuscaloosa.

Florida grabbed the doubles point and kept up the pressure in singles to improve to 6-6 overall and 3-4 in the SEC.

The Crimson Tide (9-6, 3-4) aimed to erase the bitter taste left from Friday’s 4-3 loss to Auburn and secure another win, but they faced a strong, fiery Gator squad.

Doubles

Junior Maria Andrienko-graduate Maria Martinez Vaquero outmatched freshmen Talia Neilson-Gatenby–Noémie Oliveras on court three, as Alabama jumped ahead in doubles. The pair of Maria’s jumped ahead early on and never gave the Gators a chance in their 6-3 victory.

However, UF seniors Alicia Dudeney–Bente Spee turned the tables by besting senior Petra Sedlackova-graduate Margaux Maquet on court one and leaving the doubles point to be decided on court two. The UF duo broke Alabama in the sixth game en route to a 6-4 victory in an impressive showing.

Nikola Daubnerova-junior Rachel Gailis defeated graduate Sara Nayar-junior Klara Milicevic on court two to win Florida the doubles point. Despite the Crimson Tides efforts to push back against a strong Florida pair, the Gators executed their serve-and-return game well throughout the match in fighting to a 7-5 victory.

Singles

As Alabama aimed to bounce back in singles, Nayar outmatched Oliveras in her court-six singles match. The freshman’s 6-0, 6-3 straight-set loss, 6-0, 6-3, quickly tied the match 1-1.

Hunting for her sixth singles win of the spring season, Dudeney breezed by Andrienko on court two to give Florida the lead. Her 6-0, 6-2 routing of the junior was one of her most dominant performances of the season and showcased her strong ability to break opponents.

However, Daubnerova fell to Andrienko in straight sets on court four, allowing the Crimson Tide to even the score 2-2. The freshman couldn’t gain any momentum in her straight-set loss, 6-3, 6-4.

Neilson-Gatenby couldn’t overcome Milicevic in her match on court three, falling in straight sets. The freshman narrowly lost set one 7-5, but was out of it from there, as Milicevic breezed to a 6-2 victory in set two, giving Alabama a 3-2 lead.

Spee defeated Maquet on court four in an impressive display of agility and precision. The Gators’ much-needed 6-3, 6-3 victory tied the match at 3-3 and left the contested conference match to be decided by the two ranked players on court one.

Despite dropping set one to No. 79 Sedlackova 6-3, No. 50 Gailis came surging back to win set two 6-2. With one set to decide the match, Gailis had all the momentum and dominated 6-0 to achieve a three-set win and secure Florida’s 4-3 victory over Alabama.

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Up Next

As a result of Sunday’s impressive win, Florida will return home with its head held high and an improved conference record when it hosts Morgan State University on Thursday at 4 p.m. and Missouri on Friday at 5 p.m.