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LEXINGTON, Ky. — The women’s tennis team has completed their fall season, wrapping things up at competitions in both Nashville and Baton Rouge. The team now looks to build off the fall for the upcoming team season in the spring.
Senior Zoe Hammond and junior Julia Zhu were among 32 of the individuals fighting for a singles spot in the NCAA Championship at the ITA South Sectional Championships in Baton Rouge, ultimately falling just short of qualifying.
Hammond & Zhu both lost their first matches of the draw, Zhu against Auburn’s Alice Battesti (4-6, 6-2, 6-1) and Hammond against Georgia’s [5] Sofia Rojas (6-3, 6-4).
Moving to the consolation bracket, both Hammond and Zhu defeated their first opponent in the qualifying round of 16. Zhu defeated Aely Arai of Miami (Florida) with a score of 6-4, 6-2 and Hammond won a match over Vanesa Suarez of Tennessee 3-6, 6-4, 7-5.
In the consolation quarterfinals, Zhu was forced to retire with an injury, after an opening set loss. Hammond faced Kenna Erickson and picked up her second win on the weekend by defeating her 6-3, 6-4 in convincing fashion.
Moving onto the consolation semifinals, Hammond faced defeat against Florida’s Valery Gynina 6-3, 6-4, finishing the Wildcats time at ITA Sectionals.
The rest of the Kentucky team competed in the June Stewart Vanderbilt Invitational this past weekend against Vanderbilt, Lipscomb, Purdue, and Ole Miss.
One the first day, the doubles pair of Asuncion Jadue and Reese Sager defeated Purdue’s Devas/Wilson in decisive fashion, 6-1. Jadue and Sager also picked up singles wins against Ole Miss, with Jadue defeating Nova 6-3, 6-4 and Sager over Olson 6-2, 6-3. Freshman Elena Molla also picked up a singles win on day one of the invite, defeating Lipscomb’s Bovio 6-2, 6-1.
On the second day in Nashville, Jadue picked up yet another singles win over Purdue’s Devas 3-6, 6-4, 11-9. Marina Fuduric joined in on the singles win fun, defeating Lipscomb’s Dolzhenko 6-3, 6-2.
Finishing competition on Sunday, the Wildcats saw wins in doubles as Jadue and Sager defeated the Ole Miss pair of Nova/Crowder 7-5. Sager also saw a second weekend singles win against Vijayakumar 6-4, 6-1, as did Fuduric in a convincing 6-0, 6-3 match.
Although this marks the end of the 2025 fall season for the Wildcats, they will continue to work until their first team match in late January. Full of ups and downs, they have been using the high level of competition to prepare them adequately and ensure they are ready for SEC and nonconference play in the new year.
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