The Tennessee women’s tennis team, ranked ninth nationally, began their Southeastern Conference (SEC) season with a 4-0 victory over the Kentucky Wildcats at Barksdale Stadium on Saturday. The win moves Tennessee to a 5-1 overall record and 1-0 in SEC play, while Kentucky falls to 8-2 overall and 0-1 in conference.
“This team loves to compete,” said Tennessee Head Coach Alison Ojeda after the match. “We love training… but coming out on the court and competing, that’s what they do for each other.”
With this result, Tennessee extends its lead in the all-time series against Kentucky to 32 wins and 19 losses. The Lady Vols have now won six consecutive matches against the Wildcats.
In doubles competition, Francesca Mattioli and Vanesa Suarez secured a 6-3 win on court two after breaking serve in the final three games. On court three, Maeve Thornton and Saray Yli-Piipari claimed a 6-2 victory by breaking serve early and maintaining momentum throughout. These results gave Tennessee the doubles point for the second straight match after struggling earlier in the season.
“Having a good relationship with who you’re on court with, [on or off] the court,” Mattioli said about her partnership with Suarez. “you’ve got to be on top of every point, because it goes so fast.”
In singles play, No. 61 Catherine Aulia was first to finish, defeating her opponent 6-3, 6-0 on court three.
“[Cat] is just so focused,” Ojeda said of Catherine Aulia. “she’s just so focused and she’s always going to come with intensity.”
Saray Yli-Piipari added another point for Tennessee with a straight-set win (6-2, 6-2) on court five. After splitting breaks early in both sets at two games apiece, she won four consecutive games each time to close out both sets.
No. 25 Leyla Britez Risso clinched the match for Tennessee by beating Zoe Hammond of Kentucky 6-0, 6-3 on court two. Britez Risso did not drop a game in the first set and overcame an early break deficit in the second set by winning four straight games.
Britez Risso remains undefeated this spring at 8-0 in singles matches across all competitions this season. She has become a reliable performer at the top of Tennessee’s lineup.
Three singles matches were left unfinished once Tennessee secured victory: Suarez led her match after taking a tight first set tiebreak; Mattioli had taken her first set but was trailing before rallying late when play stopped.
Tennessee will next travel to Starkville, Mississippi for its first road dual match of the season against Mississippi State on Thursday.
