Subhash repeats as ITA Atlantic Regional singles champion

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Junior Natasha Subhash won the singles title at the ITA Atlantic Regional  Women’s Tennis Championships that took place Friday through Monday at the Virginia Tennis Facility at the Boar’s Head Resort.

Subhash, who also won the title as a freshman in 2019, defeated fellow Cavalier, freshman Elaine Chervinsky, 6-4, 6-2, in Monday’s final. Sophomore Hibah Shaikh and freshman Melodie Collard were the runners-up in the doubles championship, being edged by the region’s top seeds, Tatsiana Sasnouskaya and Yuliia Starodubtseva of Old Dominion 6-7 (7), 7-6 (5), 10-4.

By virtue of being finalists in their respective events, all four players will advance to compete at the ITA Fall National Championships, being held Nov. 4-7 in San Diego.

For the first time, the Intercollegiate Tennis Associations’ regional championships were split with qualifying matches that happened at different regional sites earlier this month. Sixteen singles players and eight doubles teams earned spots through qualifying. The remaining 16 singles players and eight doubles teams earned direct entry into this week’s Super Regional by virtue of their ITA and/or UTR ranking. Shaikh earned a spot in the singles championship through qualifying while Sara Ziodato, Sofia Munera, Subhash, Collard, Chervinsky and Subhash all were direct entries into the field. Subhash was the top seed in the draw, Chervinsky the two-seed and Collard the three.

On the opening day of action, all three doubles teams advanced to the quarterfinals. Subhash and Munera, the No. 2 seed, opened play with an 8-4 win against Stella Wiesemann and Katarina Marinkovikj of George Washington. Shaikh and Collard, the No. 3 seeds, won their opener in a tiebreaker, 8-7 (2) against Karly Friedland and Alexandra Nielsen of Penn State. Chervinsky and Ziodato, the No. 4 seed, moved on with an 8-5 win against Gabrielle O’Gorman and Sofiya Chekhiystova of Penn State.

Four Cavaliers won their opening singles matches to advance to Saturday’s Round of 16. Top-seeded Subhash won 6-1, 6-0 against Momoko Nagato. Collard topped Sofia Johnson 6-3, 6-3. Sara Ziodato won 6-4, 6-2 against Mary Brumfield. Chervinsky battled to a 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 win against Selma Cadar of Maryland. Shaikh was edged in her opener and Munera retired while down a set and trailing 5-4 in the second.

On Saturday, all four Cavaliers won their singles matches to advance to the quarterfinals with Subahsh and Chervinsky advancing to the semifinals. In the quarters, Subhash dropped her first set 6-2 against Mila Saric of William & Mary but rallied for 7-5 and 6-2 wins in the second and third set to advance. Chervinsky topped Sofiya Chekhlystova 6-4, 7-5 to earn her spot in the semis. On Sunday, Subhash topped Tatsiana Sasnouskaya 7-5, 1-6, 6-1 to earn her spot in the final. Chervinsky won 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (3) against Yuliia Starodubtseva also of Old Dominion.

The Cavaliers advanced two teams to Sunday’s doubles semifinals. Chervinsky and Ziodato blanked Old Dominion’s Sofia Johnson and Aleysa Yakubovich 8-0 to advance. Melodie Collard and Hibah Shaikh won 8-6 against a West Virginia tandem to advance. On Sunday, Shaikh and Collard won 6-4, 6-3 against a Maryland team to earn their spot in the final.

This is the fourth time that a UVA player has won the regional title. Subhash is the first Cavalier to repeat as Danielle Collins and Julia Elbaba each one once.

Singles competition

32 — Subhash def. Momoko Nagato (West Virginia) 6-1, 6-0
16 — Subhash def. Daria Afanasyeva (James Madison) 6-4, 6-0
QF — Subhash def. Mila Saric (William & Mary) 2-6, 7-5, 6-2
SF — Subhash def. T Sasnouskaya (Old Dominion) 7-5, 1-6, 6-1
F — Subhash def. Chervinsky 6-4, 6-2

32 — Chervinsky def. Selma Cadar (Maryland) 6-2, 4-6, 7-6
16 — Chervinsky def. Anastasia Bovolskaya (West Virginia) 7-6, 6-3
QF — Chervinsky def.  Sofiya Chekhiystova (Penn State) 6-4, 7-5
SF — Chervinsky def. Y Starodubtseva (Old Dominion) 6-4, 1-6, 7-6
F — Subhash def. Chervinsky 6-4, 6-2

32 — Collard def. Sofia Johnson (Old Dominion) 6-3, 6-3
16 — Collard def. Marta Perez Mar (Maryland) 6-3, 6-1
QF — T Sasnouskaya (Old Dominion) def. Collard 6-2, 6-3

32 — Ziodato def. Mary Brumfield (Maryland) 6-4, 6-2
16 — Ziodato def. A Viktorovich (Old Dominion) 6-4, 6-3
QF — Y Starodubtseva (Old Dominion) def. Ziodato 6-0, 6-3

32 — Sofiya Chekhiystova (Penn State) def. Shaikh 6-0, 6-3
32 — Yvonna Zuffova (Penn State) def. Munera 7-5, 5-4, retired

Bonus Singles Matches

Shaikh def. Francesca Feodorov (Maryland) 6-2, 6-2
Maria Parra Romero (Liberty) def. Shaikh 6-4, 4-6, 10-7
Kiefer def. Momoko Nagato (West Virginia) 0-6, 6-4, 10-7
Kiefer def. Sahar Biran (Old Dominion) 6-2, 4-6, 10-4

Doubles competition

16 — Collard/Shaikh def. Karly Friedland/Alexandra Nielsen (Penn State) 8-7
QF — Collard/Shaikh def. Momoko Nagato/Penny Hsieh (West Virginia) 8-6
SF — Collard/Shaikh def. JoJo Bach/Marta Perez Mar (Maryland) 6-3, 6-4
F — T Sasnouskaya/Y Starodubtseva (Old Dominion) def. Collard/Shaikh 6-7, 7-6, 10-4

16 — Chervinsky/Ziodato def. Gabrielle O’Gorman/Sofiya Chekhiystova (Penn State) 8-5
QF — Chervinsky/Ziodato def. Sofia Johnson/Alesya Yakubovich (Old Dominion) 8-0
SF — T Sasnouskaya/Y Starodubtseva (Old Dominion) def. Chervinsky/Ziodato 6-1, 6-1

16 — Subhash/Munera def. Stella Wiesemann/Katarina Marinkovikj (George Washington) 8-4
QF — Marta Perez Mar/JoJo Bach (Maryland) def. Subhash/Munera 8-7