TUSCALOOSA, Ala. –– Alabama’s Filip Planinsek added Intercollegiate Tennis Association Southern Regional Rookie of the Year to his list of accolades, the organization announced Monday.
Planinsek made history this season, earning the program’s first-ever SEC Freshman of the Year title. In singles, he finished the season as the second-highest ranked freshman in the country at No. 27, and was the only freshman from the Southeastern Conference to be ranked in the top 125. Planinsek posted a team-leading 22 singles wins, with 14 coming at the No. 1 spot in the Tide’s lineup. The Hoce, Slovenia, native also led the team in doubles with 22 wins and concluded the year ranked with two doubles partners, finishing at No. 54 with Patrick Kaukovalta and No. 64 with German Samofalov. Planinsek also earned Second Team All-SEC and SEC All-Freshman Team honors this season.
Planinsek is the program’s fifth athlete to be named the ITA Southern Regional Rookie of the Year. He joins Korey Lovett (2015), Mazen Osama (2016), Thibault Cancel (2017) and Jeremy Gschwendtner (2019) as regional recipients for the award.
- Advanced to the second round of the NCAA Singles Championships
- Second-highest ranked freshman in the country in singles at No. 27
- Only freshman from the SEC to be ranked in the top 125 in singles
- Finished the year ranked with two doubles partners, No. 54 with Patrick Kaukovalta and No. 64 with German Samofalov
- Was named the program’s first SEC Freshman of the Year honoree, in addition to earning Second Team All-SEC and SEC All-Freshman Team honors
- Led the team in singles and doubles wins with 22 wins in both events
- Competed at the No. 1 singles and doubles spots all season
- Won the ITA Southern Regional Doubles Draw with partner Juan Martin, and earned an automatic berth to the ITA National Fall Championships
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