.png&width=32&height=32&type=webp)
The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
USTA/ITA Southern Regional Championships
Julia Jones Regional Champion
10/13/2014 | Women's Tennis
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Ole Miss Women's Tennis senior Julia Jones, competing for the first time since the NCAA Team Championships, captured the USTA/ITA Southern Regional Championships Monday in a thrilling three-set match against the top seed.
Jones, who earned a preseason ranking of No. 72 in the nation after an All-SEC campaign last year, rallied to top Auburn's Pleun Burgmans, ranked No. 36, 5-7, 6-4, 7-6(4).
The first set was decided by one break to Burgmans. Jones got the break she needed in the second set to force the deciding set. Burgmans looked like she was going to run away with it in the final set, getting out to a 3-0 lead, but once again Jones rallied to tie it at 5-5. In the tiebreaker, Jones led 4-2 before impending rain forced the conclusion indoors. Once indoors, Jones won two more points to go up 6-2. Burgmans would cut it to 6-4, before Jones won the final point for the championship.
After earning All-SEC honors as a junior, Jones was looking forward to her senior campaign, but injury sidelined her during the summer and early fall.
"I went into the tournament not knowing what to expect, I just wanted to play my game and take it one match at a time and see what happens," Jones said. "The courts [indoor] weren't too different. They gave us three minutes to warm up. The indoor courts at Alabama aren't very fast, so it was very similar. It was the same for both players, so I just continued to tell myself one point at a time."
On her way to the title, Jones (6-0) defeated the Nos. 42, 61 and 36 ranked players in the nation. Dating back to last year, Jones has won nine of her last 10 matches.
"Any time you win a title at a tournament like this, it's a great accomplishment," head coach Mark Beyers said. "It's especially gratifying for Julia, because she battled through an injury during the summer and early part of the fall. She has worked very hard to come back, but you never know how a person will do their first tournament back. She played several really good players and won three tough matches in the third set. We are excited that Julia gets to go to New York and compete against the best of the best in college tennis."
Jones, who grew up in Florida, but now calls McComb, Mississippi home, has never been to New York.
"I am so excited to go to New York, she said. "I am going to practice a lot indoors leading up to the tournament and go there and give it my best and see what happens."
Several other players highlighted a solid regional tournament for the Rebels. Freshman Arianne Hartono reached the quarterfinals in singles and Erin Stephens and Iris Verboven made the semifinals in doubles, before losing 10-6 in the third set.
"Overall we had a good weekend," Beyers said. "We picked up some good wins, but we still have things we can work on. We are excited to showcase our team in two weeks at our home tournament against some great competition."
The Rebels welcome 2013 NCAA Tournament teams Georgia, Vanderbilt and Texas Tech to the Palmer/Salloum Tennis Center Oct. 24-26 for the Ole Miss Invitational.
For more information on Ole Miss Women's Tennis, follow the Rebels on Twitter, @OleMissWTennis and on Facebook at OleMissWTennis.
USTA/ITA REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS - Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Singles Final - [6] Julia Jones (OM) def. [1] Pleun Burgmans (AU) 5-7, 6-4, 7-6(4).
Players Mentioned
