ATHENS, Ga. – The Florida women’s tennis team capped an outstanding run at the USTA/ITA Southeast Regional Championships by winning the singles and doubles competitions that were both all-Florida affairs.
Freshman Olivia Janowicz topped fellow classmate and roommate Alex Cercone, 6-3, 7-5, to capture her first collegiate singles title. The doubles team of sophomore Allie Will and freshman Sofie Oyen downed junior Joanna Mather and sophomore Caroline Hitimana, 8-4, for the championship.
“It was tough, because (Alex) is also my roommate and we do everything together,” Janowicz said. “We have a lot of respect for each other, but I tried as hard as I could to separate the match from our friendship.”
The collegiate doubles title was the first of the respective careers for Will and Oyen, as the Florida pair improved to 7-1 as a team. Will, who withdrew in the quarterfinal round of the singles event, was last year’s ITA Southeast Regional singles champion.
“The beginning was really difficult because we were so nervous,” Oyen said. “We were down 4-1 and started playing better once we were less nervous. We just tried to slow it down and hit the ball and then it was 8-4.”
The winners earned the region’s qualifying spots in the USTA/ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships Nov. 4-7 at the USTA-Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.
Those Gators not receiving a wild card into the Indoor Championships will compete at home, Nov. 5-7, when the team plays host to South Florida, Florida State and FIU in the Gator Fall Classic.
USTA/ITA WOMEN’S SOUTHEAST REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Singles championship
Olivia Janowicz (UF) def. Alex Cercone (UF), 6-3, 7-5.
Doubles championship
(18) Sofie Oyen/Allie Will (UF) def. Joanna Mather/Caroline Hitimana (UF), 8-4.