Women’s Tennis: No. 7 Hoos advance to Super Regionals with 4-1 win over Illini

The Virginia women’s tennis team defeated Illinois, 4-1, to advance to the Round of 16 of the 2025 NCAA Women’s Tennis Championship on Saturday at the Virginia Tennis Facility at the Boar’s Head Resort.

The match started outside but later moved to the indoor courts during singles due to weather.

Sophomore Blanca Pico Navarro clinched the victory for the Cavaliers (22-5) on court six, propelling Virginia to the Round of 16 for the fifth straight year.

Virginia advances to face the 10-seed Tennessee on Friday at 4 p.m. at the Virginia Tennis Facility. Admission is free.

Graduate student Sara Ziodato and junior Meggie Navarro started the match with a 6-2 victory on doubles court three. Freshman Martina Genis Salas and junior Annabelle Xu followed with a 6-3 win on doubles court two, clinching the doubles point for Virginia and putting the Hoos up 1-0.

After the match was moved inside, freshman Karolina Kozakova topped Ariel Madatali 6-0, 6-3 on court five, giving Virginia a 2-0 advantage over the Illini (15-13).

Courts two and four ended within just moments of one another. Genis Salas extended the Cavalier lead to 3-0 on court four, defeating Kida Ferrari 6-3, 6-2.

Illinois followed right after with a 6-3, 6-2 victory on court two to get on the board.

On court six, Pico Navarro took the first set 6-4 against Kasia Treiber and took an early lead in the second set. Treiber tied the second set at 3 before Pico Navarro won the final three games to take her match 6-4, 6-3, securing the win for the Cavaliers.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• Virginia is the No. 7 seed in the tournament and is ranked No. 7 in the ITA Team Rankings
• The Cavaliers won their fourth straight against Illinois, improving to 4-2 all-time
• Martina Genis Salas recorded her eighth straight singles win (in completed matches)
• Freshman Karolina Kozakova picked up her first singles win since February 8
• Genis Salas and Annabelle Xu improve to 28-8 on the season in doubles and 17-5 in dual matches
• Sara Ziodato and Meggie Navarro improve to 8-4 as a doubles team in dual matches
• Blanca Pico Navarro improves to 7-2 in in singles in dual matches this season
• The Cavaliers lead the all-time series with Tennessee 8-7. Virginia has won the last five meetings, including a 4-2 win this season on February 7 in the round of 16 of the ITA National Team Indoor Championship

FROM HEAD COACH SARA O’LEARY

“Great match with Illinois, they competed really well. The match had a bit of everything, a lot of wind outside and then moving indoors, but I was really proud of just the focus that our players showed, especially when we had to come inside. It was just all business, very professional, focused on the next point, focused on what they had to do and that’s what it’s about. Just controlling our thoughts and going after that next point. So proud of the way they handled the adversity and we’re looking forward to next week.”

VIRGINIA 4, ILLINOIS 1

Singles
1. #27 Sara Ziodato (VA) vs. McKenna Schaefbauer (ILL) 7-5, 4-4, unfinished
2. Megan Heuser (ILL) def. #23 Elaine Chervinsky (VA) 6-3, 6-2
3. #34 Annabelle Xu (VA) vs. Violeta Martinez (ILL) 3-6, 4-3, unfinished
4. Martina Genis Salas (VA) def. Kida Ferrari (ILL) 6-3, 6-2
5. Karolina Kozakova (VA) def. Ariel Madatali (ILL) 6-0, 6-3
6. Blanca Pico Navarro (VA) def. Kasia Treiber (ILL) 6-4, 6-3

Doubles
1. #3 Elaine Chervinsky/Melodie Collard (VA) vs. #83 Megan Heuser/Kida Ferrari (ILL) 4-3, unfinished
2. #41 Martina Genis Salas/Annabelle Xu (VA) def. Violeta Martinez/Alice Xu (ILL) 6-3
3. Sara Ziodato/Meggie Navarro (VA) def. McKenna Schaefbauer/Kasia Treiber (ILL) 6-2
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (5,4,2,6)