“We have some players on our team who want to improve their collegiate rankings and some who want to keep their hard-earned ITF points up,” head coach Alison Ojeda said on the event. “One of the many great things about the University of Tennessee is that our athletic director supports both.”
“Ele and Daria have been working very hard and have been performing at a high level in practice everyday,” Ojeda continued. “I can sense that they are both ready to compete
Kuczer enters her final season of collegiate eligibility with a 63-31 career record in singles after going 20-12 a season ago. The native of Poland was a force on the doubles court, ascending as high as No. 5 in the ITA Doubles Rankings a season ago and enters the year with a career mark of 63-46.
Molinaro, a junior, brokeout a season ago to the tune of 25-12 in singles play. She went 15-5 in dual action, highlighted by an 11-match win streak that began in the final fall tournament and extended through mid-March.
Together, the pair ranks No. 47 in the Division I Women’s ITA Collegiate Tennis National Preseason Rankings. The tournament will provide a unique opportunity for both players as all matches will be played on clay courts. The only event last year played on clay was the 2021 ITA All-American Championship which Kuczer played doubles in with Esther Adeshina.
The tournament will also feature familiar faces to the program as student coach and former Lady Vol Tenika McGiffin will be in the main draw after advancing through qualifying Monday afternoon. She is joined by Johanna Silva who also won a pair of matches to earn a spot in the main draw.
Competition Schedule
Singles
Eleonora Molinaro vs. Tricia Mar, 9 a.m.
Daria Kuczer vs. Maria Aran Teixido Garcia, 10 a.m.
Doubles
Daria Kuczer/Eleonora Molinaro vs. Luiza Fullana/Marina Skegro, 2 p.m.
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