WACO – The Rice women’s tennis team had an impressive finish at the H-E-B Invitational hosted by Baylor. On Sunday, they secured five wins, including one in doubles and four in singles matches.
Nithesa Selvaraj and Uma Bakaityte teamed up to beat Baylor’s Kennedy Gibbs and Alain Zack with a decisive score of 6-3. In singles play, Divna Ratkovic, Francesca Maguina, Valentina Ponce, and Selvaraj all claimed victories.
Darya Schwartzman will round out the fall season by competing in the NCAA Singles Championship in Orlando, Florida, from November 18 to 23.
Match Results
Doubles:
- Nithesa Selvaraj / Uma Bakaityte (Rice) defeated Kennedy Gibbs / Alain Zack (Baylor) 6-3.
- Natalie Cinkova / Claudia Martinez De Velasco (Denver) defeated Valentina Ponce / Ema Mravcova (Rice) 6-2.
Singles:
- Divna Ratkovic (Rice) defeated Kennedy Gibbs (Baylor) 6-2, 6-2.
- Nithesa Selvaraj (Rice) defeated Yerkezhan Arystanbekova (Kansas) 6-1, 6-2.
- Francesca Maguina (Rice) defeated Martaa Chogsmjav (Kansas State) 6-2, 6-4.
- Valentina Ponce (Rice) defeated Margaret Jaraczewski (Kansas State) 6-2, 2-6, 10-7.
- Anushka Ashar lost to Anna Perelman (TAMU) 6-1, 7-6 (4).
- Ema Mravcova (Rice) lost to Giuliana Giardina (UTSA) 6-3, 6-2.
This weekend’s performance highlights the growing strength of the Rice tennis program. Their success at the Invitational is encouraging, showing how the players have improved and how they are building momentum as they head toward the NCAA competition.
In recent years, women’s college tennis has seen an increase in competitiveness, with teams concentrating on better training and performance. According to recent reports, schools are investing more in their athletic programs, providing players with access to top-notch facilities and coaching.
As Rice moves forward, keeping this winning attitude will be key. Fans are eagerly anticipating how Darya Schwartzman will perform in the upcoming championship. Social media buzz is already building, with supporters sharing excitement and hoping for great outcomes.
