Bama's Women's Tennis, Stephenson Climb in Rankings
3/9/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
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The Alabama women’s tennis team and sophomore Robin Stephenson both made big moves in the International Tennis Association’s latest team and individual rankings.
Alabama (7-4, 3-1 SEC) advanced eight spots to No. 37 in the team rankings. The Tide has won three straight conference matches and is currently in first place of the SEC Western Division. After falling to the second-ranked Georgia Bulldogs in the conference opener, Alabama went on to defeat No. 28 Tennessee, No. 27 Ole Miss and Mississippi State. The Tide hosts 17th-ranked Michigan this Sunday at noon.
Robin Stephenson, previously unranked, jumped to No. 50 in the ITA top 100 singles rankings. Stephenson has been a big part of Alabama’s recent success. Even though the team lost to Georgia, Stephenson defeated the nation’s top-ranked player, Agata Cioroch, handing the Lady Bulldog senior only her third loss of the 2003-04 season. Stephenson then beat Tennessee’s 27th-ranked Tammy Encina in straight sets, 6-3, 6-0. The Kitchener, Ontario native improved her conference record to 4-0 with straight set wins over Ole Miss junior Chloe Carlotti and Mississippi State senior Marcelle Hirt. Carlotti was ranked 96th when she faced Stephenson, but she is now No. 75.
Alabama head coach Jenny Mainz is proud of Stephenson’s accomplishment.
“She is very deserving as her results are indicative of her constant improvement,” Mainz said. “She has led this young team with some stellar wins and decided that she is going to make her mark on Alabama Tennis.”
Stephenson and teammate Ashley Bentley are also undefeated in the SEC at No. 1 doubles. The duo has defeated all four teams they have faced in conference play, including wins over Cioroch and Alexandra Smith of Georgia, Encina and Melissa Schaub of Tennessee and Carlotti and Virginia Tomatis of Ole Miss.
This is the first time in Stephenson’s career that she has been ranked in singles. She was ranked as high as 33rd with teammate Millie Begovic at doubles as a freshman last season.
