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Gophers Fall to Wisconsin in Big Ten Opener 5-2
2/14/2021 4:35:00 PM | Tennis
Madison, Wi. - The Gophers returned to Nielsen Tennis Stadium one week after competing in the Wisconsin Invitational. The B1G opener saw Minnesota and Wisconsin battle for four hours with the result coming down to the final two singles matches. The match ended with a final of 5-2.
Minnesota (0-1) competed in a B1G match for the first time in 344 days. This is the first conference loss for the Gophers since Apr. 4, 2019 and first loss to the Badgers in almost two years. Wisconsin (2-1) notched their first conference victory. The Badgers extended their home win streak to eight matches.
The Gophers started strong in doubles play, securing the point with 7-5 victories from Ekin Ercetin/Rachel Hanford and Dalila Said/Lucia de Santa Ana. This was the first competition for Said and de Santa Ana as a doubles pair. Hanford and de Santa Ana each earned their first career B1G doubles victory.
Wisconsin pulled even after a 6-1, 6-1 victory from Xinyu Cai over sophomore Dalila Said.
Wisconsin grabbed a 3-1 lead after straight-set victories from Anna Makarova over Lucia de Santa Ana (6-4, 6-3) and Charmaine Seah over Zeyneb Sarioglan (6-2, 6-4). This was both de Santa Ana and Sarioglan's first career B1G singles action.
Freshman Rachel Hanford came up huge for the Maroon & Gold in her first career B1G singles match. She defeated junior Ava Markham in straight sets (7-5, 7-6) to earn her first career B1G singles victory and brought the Gophers within one.
The match came down to the final two singles matchups. Senior Juliet Zhang took the first set, but ended up falling to freshman Jordana Ossa in the #6 position. Ossa's first career B1G victory secured the victory for the Badgers. Ekin Ercetin and Antonela Stoica opted to finish their matchup which saw Stoica win 7-6, 4-6, 6-4.
Minnesota is back in action Friday Feb. 19 at home vs. Nebraska. The home opener is scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. start.
Doubles
Ekin Ercetin/Rachel Hanford (MIN) def. Nastasya Semenovski/Xinyu Cai (WIS) 7-5
Dalila Said/Lucia de Santa Ana (MIN) def. Anna Makarova/Antonela Stoica (WIS) 7-5
Charmaine Seah/Ava Markham (WIS) def. River Hart/Juliet Zhang (MIN) 7-5
Order of finish: 3,2,1
Singles
Xinyu Cai (WIS) def. Dalila Said (MIN) 6-1, 6-1
Rachel Hanford (MIN) def. Ava Markham (WIS) 7-5, 7-6
Antonela Stoica (WIS) def. Ekin Ercetin (MIN) 7-6, 4-6, 6-4
Anna Makarova (WIS) def. Lucia de Santa Ana (MIN) 6-4, 6-3
Charmaine Seah (WIS) def. Zeyneb Sarioglan (MIN) 6-2, 6-4
Jordana Ossa (WIS) def. Juliet Zhang (MIN) 2-6, 7-6, 6-2
Order of finish: 1,4,5,2,6,3