Tuscaloosa, Ala. – On the final day of action at Roberta Alison, three Clemson women’s tennis players, Mackenzy Middlebrooks, Eleni Louka and Ali DeSpain, went on to capture flight titles. Three Tigers finished the weekend with a perfect record in singles and the team went 11-4 in singles and 6-3 in doubles.
Middlebrooks topped Alex Staiculescu of Indiana, 6-4, 6-2, to take the crown in the Mary Anne Macfarlane singles draw. Louka also picked up the title in the Alice Tunaru flight after defeating East Tennessee State’s Raquel Amaro 6-2, 6-3. After dropping the first set against Vanessa Streng of Northwestern, Ali DeSpain outlasted her opponent to win the Jim Tressler singles draw, 1-6, 6-4, 6-1.
Additionally, each Tiger pairing went 1-1 in doubles on the day. In their first match, DeSpain/Marti defeated Aziz/Alvarez of Iowa State, 6-4, to advance to the Allison Easter draw title match. The duo fell in their final match of the tournament to Indiana’s Hu/Saticulescu. Zaina Nait Omar and Cristiana Tudor of Wisconsin also advanced to the final round of the Nancy Pate draw with a 6-1 victory over East Tennessee State’s Carvajal/Elizarraras but fell 6-3 in the deciding match.
Middlebrooks/Louka dropped out of title contention of their doubles draw but were named victors of the consolation match after beating Southern Alabama’s Jujioka/Kohoutova 6-1.
The Tigers are back in action next weekend when they head to Tallahassee for the Seminole Showdown.
Doubles
Streng/Ogut (Northwestern) def. Louka/Middlebrooks – 6-0
DeSpain/Marti def. Aziz/Alvarez (Iowa State) – 6-4
Nait Omar (Clemson)/Tudor (Wisconsin) def. Carvajal/Elizarraras (East Tennessee State)– 6-3
Louka/Middlebrooks def. Jujioka/Kohoutova (Southern Alabama) – 6-1
Hu/Saticulescu (Indiana) def. DeSpain/Marti – 6-1
Honhold/J. Cao (Memphis) def. Omar (Clemson)/Tudor (Wisonsin) – 6-1
Singles
Eleni Louka def. Raquel Amaro (East Tennessee State) – 6-1, 6-3
Ali DeSpain def. Vanessa Streng (Northwestern) – 1-6, 6-4, 6-1
Mackenzy Middlebrooks def. Alex Staiculescu (Indiana) – 6-4, 6-2
Sara Lizariturry (Mississippi State) def. Laura Marti – 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (5)
Annabelle Andrinopoulous (Indiana) def. Zaina Nait Omar – 6-4, 3-6, 6-1
