Lara Bakhaya has been making waves in college tennis. This week, the junior from Richmond was named Atlantic 10 Conference Player of the Week for the second time this season. This accolade marks her fourth career weekly award after securing two Rookie of the Week honors last year.
Bakhaya has shown impressive skill in both doubles and singles. She is currently riding an eight-match singles win streak that began on March 22, when she overcame Thamonpan Jonglertakul from Massachusetts in a tough match, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3).
Recently, she played a key role in leading the Spiders to two significant victories in the league. They topped their local rivals, VCU, with a score of 4-2 on Thursday. In that match, Bakhaya partnered with Andrea Campodonico in doubles to defeat T. Andrade Sabando and Mariam Ibrahim 6-1. Although they lost the overall doubles point, Bakhaya made a strong comeback in singles, winning 7-5, 6-1 against Ibrahim, which helped the team turn the match around.
On Sunday, against Davidson, Bakhaya again teamed up with Campodonico, winning their doubles match 6-3. She continued her winning streak with a solid singles performance, beating Daniela Porges 6-1, 6-3.
The Spiders are gearing up to finish their regular season with home matches against Saint Joseph’s on April 18 and George Washington on April 19 at the Westhampton Tennis Complex.
This season, the Richmond women’s tennis team has received notable recognition. With Bakhaya’s back-to-back awards and fellow teammate Sofia Barbulescu’s two Rookie of the Week selections, it’s clear the Spiders are a force in the Atlantic 10.
The team’s success shows the rising talent in collegiate tennis, where young athletes are increasingly making names for themselves. A recent report by the NCAA confirms a growing interest in women’s sports, highlighting that women’s tennis participation has increased by over 20% in the last decade.
As Lara Bakhaya continues her impressive streak, it will be exciting to see how the team performs in the upcoming matches and if they can capitalize on their momentum as they head towards the postseason.
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