CLEMSON, S.C.– Two Clemson Tigers, Ria Bhakta and Amelie Smejkalova, have been to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) preseason rankings this Tuesday. The complete ranking list can be found HERE.
The ITA ranks Bhakta as the No. 58 best player in the nation. From Delray Beach, Fla., Bhakta started her collegiate career at Michigan State University, where she had more wins than any other team member, with 30 wins in the season before transferring to Clemson this past June. Since her transfer, she has jumped from No. 95 to No. 58 in the national rankings.
Smejkalova impressed Clemson recruits last year with her many accomplishments in the sport, including her ranking as the 30th-best junior player in the world. This made her the highest-ranked recruit Clemson has had since 2012. The freshman from the Czech Republic has been named #20 in the ITA’s newcomer rankings.
The 2024-2025 season will mark the second season under Coach Boomer Saia and his first recruiting class season. In June, the Tennis Recruiting Network ranked the Clemson Women’s Fall 2024 class as No. 7 in the nation. This class is the highest-ranked class since 2012 (No. 7).
With Saia at the helm and the potential Ria Bhakta, Amelie Smejkalova, and the rest of this season’s team bring to the program, the 2024-2025 season looks very promising for the Tigers.
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