Women’s tennis won seven wins on opening day at Debbie Southern

GREENVILLE, SC The University of Texas women’s tennis team won a total of seven wins on Friday on the opening day of the 34th anniversary of the Debbie Southern Furman Fall Classic at the Mickel Tennis Center. Second year student Malaika Rapolu highlighted Friday’s action with an impressive 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 win against fifth-place Georgia Drummy of Duke in the opening round of Flight 2 singles.

The day began with two rounds of doubles, with the Longhorns recording a total of five wins. On the flight 3 doubles Rapolu and freshman Bella Zamarripa earned a 6-3 victory in the opening round from Clemson’s Cristina Mayorova and Daniella Medvedeva. Rapolu and Zamarripa dropped a 6-1 decision to Carol Lee and Kate Sharabura of Georgia Tech.

Senior Fernanda Labraña and freshman Grace thomas won 6-3 Vanderbilt in the opening round of Flight 5 games by Anessa Lee and Yufei Long. Labraña and Thomas later claimed a 6-4 victory against Mahak Jain and Georgia Tech’s Ruth Marsh.

Flight 6 doubles, second year duo Simran Kortikere and Gabby Cusano won 7-5 Eva Borders (Furman) and Maddie McKeen (Mississippi State) in the first round. Kortikere and Cusano returned to earn a 6-1 win over Vanderbilt Amy Stevens and Dasha Kourkina.

Rapolu’s three-series win against Drummy highlighted the single game played in the afternoon. Rapolu had an excellent freshman season in 2021 at Longhorns, setting a 26-3 single record (19-2 in singles). Labraña won the 2-6, 7-5, 6-1 victory over Vanderbilt’s Anna Rossi in the Flight 5 single, while Zamarripa dropped to No. 78 on the list for Anika Yarlagadda from North Carolina with points 7-5, 6- 2 on the 4 singles.

The tournament has competition in both singles and doubles (no team competition, only individual flight and doubles champions). The Debbie Southern Furman Fall Classic includes players from 13 teams across the country, including Clemson, Duke, Florida State, host Furman, Georgia Tech, Mississippi State, North Carolina, Ohio State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vanderbilt and Wake Forest.

On Saturday, one double round and one single round will be played. Sunday’s action includes one single tour. Playback starts every day at 8.00 CT (9.00 ET). No streaming or scoring is available for the tournament.

Texas Results at Debbie Southern (September 17, 2021)

Single flight 2

Malaika Rapolu (UT) def. # 5 Georgia Drummy (Duke), 6-2, 2-6, 6-4

Single flight 4

# 78 Anika Yarlagadda (UNC) side. Bella Zamarripa (UT), 7-5, 6-2

Single flight 5

Fernanda Labraña (UT), fin. Anna Ross (Vanderbilt), 2-6, 7-5, 6-1

Solo flight 10

Sara McClure (UNC) won Grace thomas (UT), 1-6, 5-4 (retired)

Single flight 11

Mia Ahmed (Wake) won Gabby Cusano (UT), 6-2, 6-1

Solo flight 12

Sophia Sassoli (Ga Tech) won Simran Kortikere (UT), 6-3, 6-0

Double flight 3

Rapolu / Zamarripa (UT), fin. Cristina Mayorova / Daniella Medvedeva (Clemson), 6-3

Carol Lee / Kate Sharabura (Technology) Rapolu / Zamarripa (UT), 6-1

Double flight 5

Thomas / Labraña (UT), fin. Anessa Lee / Yufei Long (Vanderbilt), 6-3

Thomas / Labraña (UT), fin. Mahak Jain / Ruth Marsh (Ga. Tech), 6-4

Double flight 6

Kortikere / Cusano (UT) side Eva Borders (Furman) / Maddie McKee (MSU), 7-5

Kortikere / Cusano (UT) side Amy Stevens / Dasha Kourkina (Vanderbilt), 6-1