Rychagova Advances to Singles Main Draw Quarterfinals at ITA Central Regionals
LAWRENCE, Kan. — Kansas freshman Anastasiya Rychagova advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2015 Intercollegiate Tennis Assocation (ITA) Central Regionals Saturday with a hard-fought win at the Greenwood Tennis Center on the campus of Oklahoma State University.
“I am very proud of Anastasiya because she found a way to win today despite not playing her best tennis,” said Kansas head coach Todd Chapman. “We are excited to have her moving on the quarterfinals tomorrow. She showed a lot of maturity for a freshman today.”
Rychagova was one of four Jayhawks competing in the singles Main Draw round of 16. The Moscow, Russia, native dropped her first set 3-6, before rebounding for a 6-3 edge in the second set over Oklahoma State’s Kelsey Laurente. Rychagova dominated the third set, 6-0, to advance to the quarterfinals.
Fellow freshman Nina Khmelnitckaia was topped by Vladica Babic of Oklahoma State, 6-3, 6-3. Sophomore Summer Collins was defeated by Viktoriya Lushkova of Oklahoma State, 6-4, 6-2. Sophomore Smith Hinton opened her round of 16 match with a 5-7 win in the first set, before dropping the next two sets, 7-6, 7-5.
“Smith lost a very hard fought match and will hopefully learn from a couple things and continue to get better,” said Chapman. “Nina and Summer ran up against two quality opponents, but definitely had their chances. We look forward to another day of competition tomorrow.”
In doubles play, Rychagova teamed up with fellow freshman Janet Koch in the Main Draw, but the pair was knocked out of the tournament by Oklahoma State’s Lushkova and Carla Tur Mari, 8-2. Collins and Hinton fell victim to Arkansas State’s Tori Roberts and Julie Gauguery, 8-1 in the doubles Consolation Draw.
Rychagova will lead the way for the Jayhawks on Sunday’s final day of competition as she gets started in the singles Main Draw quarterfinals at 9 a.m., at the Greenwood Tennis Center.
ITA Central Regionals Results
Singles Main Draw
Anastasiya Rychagova (KU) def. Kelsey Laurente (OSU), 3-6, 6-3, 6-0
Vladica Babic (OSU) def. Nina Khmelnitckaia (KU), 6-3, 6-3
Viktoriya Lushkova (OSU) def. Summer Collins (KU), 6-4, 6-2
Julia Schiller (WSU) def. Smith Hinton (KU), 5-7, 7-6, 7-5
Doubles Main Draw
Lushkova/Tur Mari (OSU) def. Koch/Rychagova (KU), 8-2
Doubles Consolation Draw
Roberts/Gauguery (ASU) def. Collins/Hinton (KU), 8-1
