Tennis Earns Three Wins on Day One of ITA Regionals

NEW YORK — The Rutgers women’s tennis team claimed three wins on day one of ITA Regionals hosted by Columbia University on Friday.
 
Inclement weather played a factor throughout the day, forcing all competitions to take place indoors. With the schedule change, doubles play was postponed for the day, and two rounds of singles play were started, but not fully completed.
 
The singles rounds of 128 and 64 were completed for players in the top half of the bracket. The bottom half of the bracket was postponed until tomorrow.
 
For Rutgers, both players set to compete in the round of 128, Minchae Kim and Arina Valitova, were able to compete on day one.
 
In the Round of 64, Kim, Yana Gurevich, and Tara Chilton competed in matches, while Mai Nguyen and Amira Badawi will play their Round of 64 competitions tomorrow.
 
Singles
 
Kim opened play for RU with a singles win in the round of 128. The junior battled to a 6-3, 4-6, 1-0 (10-8) win over FDU’s Anastasia Lim.
 
Kim’s win placed her in the round of 64, where she matched up with Lucia Garrigues Melendez of LIU, claiming a 6-2, 6-3 in her second competition of the day. She will face Maya Urata of Penn in the round of 32.
 
After earning a bye in the round of 128, Chilton faced off against Diana Zuba of St. Francis. The senior secured herself a spot in the round of 32 with a 6-3, 6-4 over the opposition. She will take on Temple’s Samantha Nanere next.
 
Gurevich also earned a spot in the round of 32, winning her round of 64 match against NJIT’s Shivani Ingle,  6-2, 6-4. The graduate transfer will face Gayathri Krishnan of St. John’s in her next match.
 
Results
 
Round of 128, Singles
Minchae Kim (Rutgers) def. Anastasia Lim (FDU) 6-3, 4-6, 1-0 (10-8)
Sasha Motlagh (Penn) def. Arina Valitova (Rutgers) 6-4, 6-2
 
Round of 64, Singles
Minchae Kim (Rutgers) def. Lucia Garrigues Melendez (LIU) 6-2, 6-3
Tara Chilton (Rutgers) def. Diana Zuba (St. Francis) 6-3, 6-4
Yana Gurevich (Rutgers) def. Shivani Ingle (NJIT) 6-2, 6-4
 
Next Up
 
The Scarlet Knights return to action tomorrow at the Milstein Family Tennis Center. Competition will consist of the doubles round of 64, doubles round of 32, doubles round of 16 and the remaining singles round of 64 matches.