CAA Men's and Women's Tennis Weekly Awards - Feb. 6
Rob Washburn
RICHMOND, Va. (February 6, 2024) – Delaware grad student
Javier Ruiz was recognized as the CAA Men’s Tennis Player of the Week, while William & Mary grad student
Yu Chen was chosen as the CAA Women’s Tennis Player of the Week. Selected as the men’s Doubles Team of the Week were UNCW’s
Gabe Hurtado and
Bekhzod Rasamatov, and receiving women’s Doubles Team of the Week accolades were Hampton’s
Mio Kozaki and
Sofia Sokolova.
CAA Men’s Tennis Player of the Week
Javier Ruiz, Gr., Delaware (Nyon, Switzerland)
Ruiz recorded victories in singles and doubles as Delaware defeated Big Ten foe Penn State for the first time in program history, 5-2. Playing at the No. 3 slot, the grad student downed PSU’s Jack Martuccio, 6-3, 6-4. Ruiz and partner Karol Malirz also clinched the doubles point with a 6-3 win at the No. 1 position.
CAA Men’s Tennis Doubles Team of the Week
Gabe Hurtado, Sr., UNCW (Bogota, Colombia)
Bekhzod Rasamatov, Sr., UNCW (Tushkent, Uzbekistan)
Hurtado and Rasamatov rallied to clinch the doubles point in UNCW’s 6-1 team win over Coastal Carolina. After a split of the first two doubles matches, the Seahawks’ tandem was down 4-1 in a tiebreaker to Coastal’s Jesus Garcia and Guilherme Toresan on the No. 3 court. However, they reeled off six consecutive points to earn a 7-6 (4) victory.
CAA Women’s Tennis Player of the Week
Yu Chen, Gr., William & Mary (Jinzhang City, China)
Chen posted a 2-0 record in singles and doubles to help lead William & Mary to season-opening victories over Longwood (7-0) and Georgetown (5-2). The Auburn transfer blanked Longwood’s Oriana Izarra, 6-0, 6-0, at the No. 2 spot, and then moved up to No. 1 against Georgetown, where she edged Chloe Bendetti, 6-4, 7-6 (4) to clinch the match. Chen and Emma Fernald also won both of their matches at No. 1 doubles by convincing 6-2 scores.
CAA Women’s Tennis Double Team of the Week
Mio Kozaki, So., Hampton (Aichi, Japan)
Sofia Sokolova, Fr., Hampton (Krasnogorsk, Russia)
Kozaki and Sokolova clinched the doubles point in both of Hampton’s matches against Loyola (Md.) and Morgan State. Playing at the No. 1 position, the duo edged Loyola’s Jessica Bodewes and Emi Shivkumar, 7-6 (0). They followed with a 6-4 triumph over Morgan State’s Hannah Smith and Lauryn Hall. Kozaki also picked up a pair of victories at No. 1 singles, including a three-set win vs. Morgan State.
CAA Men’s Tennis Players of the Week
Jan. 23 – Oskar Antinheimo, Elon
Jan. 30 – Karol Malirz, Delaware
Feb. 6 – Javier Ruiz, Delaware
CAA Men’s Tennis Doubles Teams of the Week
Jan. 23 – Reece Falck/Harold Huens, UNCW
Jan. 30 – Alex De Sousa/Alan Jesudason, Drexel
Feb. 6 – Gabe Hurtado/Bekhzod Rasamatov, UNCW
CAA Women’s Tennis Players of the Week
Jan. 23 – Lizette Reding, Elon
Jam. 30 = Lorie Lemongo, Drexel
Feb. 6 – Yu Chen, William & Mary
CAA Women’s Doubles Teams of the Week
Jan. 23 – Lizette Reding/Sibel Tanik, Elon
Jan. 30 – Mialy Ranaivo/Eeva Ristola, Campbell
Feb. 6 – Mio Kozaki/Sofia Sokolova, Hampton