ATHENS, Ga. – No. 81 Catherine Aulia of the Tennessee women’s tennis team claimed the first-ever ITA Sectionals singles championship on Sunday afternoon at Dan Magill Tennis Complex. The junior topped Georgia’s No. 75 Guillermina Grant with a 6-2, 6-3 victory, extending her winning streak to six matches.
“Wow! What a tournament for Cat,” head coach Alison Ojeda exclaimed. “She is one of the hardest workers and she is so passionate about what she does on a day-to-day basis. Cat is incredibly deserving of all of her success. I am excited that she and Elza Tomase will both have a chance to compete in the NCAA singles portion of the tournament and have an opportunity to hang a banner in the facility.”
The Rosebery, Australia, native raced past Grant in an exceptional straight-set affair. Aulia accounted for 55 of the 89 total points (62 percent) played throughout the championship match. From the service line, she successfully made 37 out of 45 serves, achieving an 82 percent serving accuracy. Aulia was also stellar during break points, winning six out of the eight points (75 percent).
“Super happy for Cat,” associate head coach Matias Marin added. “It is very hard to win a tournament at this level. She played at a great level the whole tournament and didn’t drop a set. Very excited about the opportunity to compete at the NCAA (Championship) against the top players in the country.”
Aulia is the first-ever winner of this new tournament, which was implemented due to the NCAA Individual Championships moving from the spring to the fall. Aulia will join teammate No. 62 Elza Tomase in the singles draw, while the No. 23 ranked-pair will also play together at the 2024 NCAA Doubles Championship. The NCAA Individual Championships will take place from Nov. 19-23 in Waco, Texas.
Aulia has had an outstanding fall season, totaling a 14-3 record in singles. Alongside Tomase, they’ve put together a strong 9-3 mark in doubles
“Going to the NCAA Tournament means so much to me,” Aulia said. “It was a big goal of mine this season and I’ve been very close to making it the last two tournaments, so I’m glad I could get it done this week. Winning this tournament is just a bonus and it really let me gain a lot of confidence going into the NCAA tournament next weekend.”
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