Jayhawks continue to advance at ITA Regional

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Senior Tess Bernard-Feigenbaum and sophomore Nina Khmelnitckaia continued to work their way through the main draw doubles bracket at the ITA Central Regional Sunday, and will compete for the doubles title Monday.
 
Bernard-Feigenbaum and Khmelnitckaia teamed up to knock off the No. 2-seeded duo of Sofia Blanco and Aliona Bolsova from Oklahoma State, 8-4, in the quarterfinals. The Jayhawk tandem followed with a 6-3, 6-2 semifinals victory over Missouri’s Amina Ismail and Beatriz Machado Santos.  With the two wins, Bernard-Feigenbaum and Khmelnitckaia will square off Monday at 9 a.m., CT against No. 1 seed Vladica Babic and Carla Tur Mari from Oklahoma State for the regional title.
 
“It is remarkable how far we have come in doubles in the last couple of weeks,” head coach Todd Chapman said. “Tess and Nina played really well (Sunday) and were in complete control for the entirety of both of their matches. It is exciting to have them playing this well this quickly considering this is their first tournament playing with each other.”
 
Sophomore Anastasia Rychagova moved one step closer to returning to the regional singles final for a second-straight year with an impressive 6-0, 6-3 win over Oklahoma State’s Katarina Stresnakova in the quarterfinals of the main draw. With a win in her 11 a.m., CT semifinal match Monday, Rychogova would compete for the regional championship later in the day at 2 p.m., CT.
 
“Nastia is competing at a high level right now and she is so motivated,” said Chapman. “She handles each match so professionally and is continually pushing herself to be the best she can be.
 
“(Monday) is an exciting day for the program and I know the girls are ready to represent the program in the right way.”
 
Bernard-Feigenbaum’s quest to join Rychagova in the semifinals of the singles main draw fell short, after dropping a 6-1, 6-1 match to Oklahoma State’s Bolsova in the quarterfinals. Despite knocking Bolsova out of the doubles bracket earlier in the day, the Cowgirl evened the score on the singles court. 
 
At the start of the day, KU had another team in quarterfinals of the doubles main draw. Rychagova and Janet Koch were close to advancing as well, but an 8-6 loss to Oklahoma’s Julie Byrne and Lily Miyazaki ended their run.
 
In the consolation doubles bracket, KU freshmen Maria Toran Ribes and Tatiana Nikolaeva claimed an 8-2 victory over Oklahoma’s Serena Nash and Simran Sethi in the quarterfinals. The Jayhawk team followed with a close 8-7 victory over Nebraska’s Claire Reifeis and Vasanti Shinde to finish their doubles play.
 
Nikoleava and Toran Ribes each had consolation singles matches Sunday as well, and continued their winning ways. Nikoleava claimed a tough three-set match, 4-6, 6-3, 10-7, to Nebraska’s Katerina Matysova, while Toran Ribes also topped a Husker with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Elizabeth Gould.
 
Singles Main Draw Results
Rychagova (KU) def. Stresnakova (OSU) – 6-0, 6-3
Bolsova (OSU) def. Bernard-Feigenbaum (KU) – 6-1, 6-1
 
Doubles Main Draw Results
Bernard-Feigenbaum/Khmelnitckaia (KU) def. Blanco/Bolsova (OSU) – 8-4
Bernard-Feigenbaum/Khmelnitckaia (KU) def. Ismail/Machado Santos (MU) – 6-3, 6-2
Byrne/Miyazaki (OU) def. Koch/Rychagova (KU) – 8-6
 
Consolation Singles Results
Nikolaeva (KU) def. Matysova (UN) – 4-6, 6-3, 10-7
Toran Ribes (KU) def. Gould (UN) – 6-0, 6-0
 
Consolation Doubles Results
Toran Ribes/Nikolaeva (KU) def. Nash/Sethi (OU) – 8-2
Toran Ribes/Nikolaeva (KU) def. Reifeis/Shinde (UN) – 8-7
 
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