ATHENS, Ga. (UCFKnights.com) – The UCF women's tennis team opened up its ITA Southeast Regional on Thursday afternoon.
Natalia Serrano, and Monica Matias competed in the singles and doubles qualifying draws on the campus of the University of Georgia.
Serrano played her way into the main draw in both events. After receiving a first-round bye, the Spanish international easily downed Emilia Bujan from Georgia Southern, 6-1, 6-1, in singles action. She will battle Nerma Caluk from FIU in the main draw.
Serrano teamed up with Matias for the doubles qualifying draw. The UCF pairing made quick work of Kennesaw State's Brenna Reilly and Jada Tijani to reach the main draw with an 8-4 win.
Emilia Granstrom was originally slated to compete in the qualifying draw, but an injury moved her into the main section. She will face Ulyana Shirokova from Miami on Friday.
Freshman Ksenia Kuznetsova, the No. 13 seed, will open against Nadia Gizdova from Georgia Tech. Fellow rookie Maria Martinez will square off with the No. 1 seeded Estela Perez-Somarriba of Miami in the first round.
Matias will go up against Alexandra Mercado from Kennesaw State on Friday, and Silvia Bordes will face Georgia Tech's No. 9 seed Kenya Jones.
In doubles action, Serrano and Matias will play Emilia Bujan and Ella Monsey from Georgia Southern. Bordes and Granstrom are set to battle No. 2 Nandini Das and Ariana Rahmanparast from Florida State.
Kuznetsova and Martinez will meet FAU's duo of Natalia Boltinskaya and Kristen Thoms.
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