The University of Mississippi Athletics
Tuesday, April 20
Tuscaloosa, AL
Ole Miss
vs
Kentucky
Women’s Tennis Faces No. 26 Kentucky in SEC Tournament Tuesday
4/19/2021 | Women's Tennis
No. 8 Seed Rebels to Meet No. 9 Seed Wildcats in Second Round Action
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Tuesday No. 19 OLE MISS (11-8, 7-6 SEC) vs. No. 26 KENTUCKY (14-7, 6-7 SEC) Tue., April 20 • 9:00 a.m. • Tuscaloosa, Ala. The University of Alabama Tennis Stadium |
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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The No. 19 Ole Miss Rebels (11-8, 7-6 SEC) draw No. 26 Kentucky (14-7, 6-7 SEC) in the second round of the SEC Championships at 9 a.m. CT on Tuesday. The tournament this year takes place at The University of Alabama Tennis Stadium.
Apt for April
Ole Miss fell 4-1 to No. 17 Texas A&M last Saturday in the final tune-up for the postseason. Despite the loss, the Rebels concluded the regular season in good form. Ole Miss has won three of four matches this month, all versus ranked opponents. The Rebels have faced 11 straight ranked opponents from the SEC, compiling a 6-5 record over that span.
Ole Miss has held an advantage over its opponents in singles throughout the dual season. The Rebels went 52-31 overall and 30-17 versus SEC opponents. Ole Miss has held a distinct advantage at No. 2-4 singles and has won 80 percent of matches among those courts (32-8 record). In doubles, the Rebels have won 24 of 50 matches this season with seven wins at No. 1 doubles, nine at No. 2 and eight at No. 3.
Run in Back Wildcats
Two weekends ago the Rebels defeated No. 23 Kentucky at home on April 10. The Rebels won 4-1 over the Wildcats on Ole Miss Senior Day. After narrowly losing doubles, 2-1, the Rebels swept singles versus Kentucky, 4-0. Sabina Machalova, Tiphanie Fiquet, Anna Vrbenska and Reka Zadori earned straight set victories for Ole Miss.
Ole Miss last faced Kentucky in the SEC Championships in 2017. The Rebels were edged out, 4-3, in the quarterfinals.
Scouting Kentucky
The Wildcats concluded their 2021 season at Ole Miss nine days ago. Kentucky has lost three of four matches entering the SEC Championships. The Wildcats are 2-5 versus ranked opponents this season having earned wins at No. 36 Missouri (March 5) and home versus No. 19 Tennessee (March 28).
Kentucky features the No. 1 ranked doubles pairing in the nation, Fiona Arrese and Akvile Parazinskaite. Arrese and Parazinskaite (ranked No. 8 at the time) narrowly defeated the Rebels' Vrbenska and Alexa Bortles, 7-5, to clinch the doubles point in the prior match between Ole Miss and Kentucky this season. Bortles and Vrbenska have received the No. 20 ranking in the nation and are set for a rematch with the Wildcats' top duo.
Parazinskaite is also the Wildcats' No. 1 singles player, ranking No. 45 nationally. Machalova defeated Parazinskaite 7-5, 6-1 in their prior meeting this season.
Next Up
If the Rebels advance they will next face No. 1 seed Georgia at 9 a.m. CT on Wednesday. The Bulldogs are currently No. 3 in the ITA/Oracle rankings.
For more information on Ole Miss Women's Tennis, follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissWTennis, on Facebook at OleMissWTennis and on Instagram at OleMissWTennis. Also follow Coach Beyers on Twitter, @MarkBeyers.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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