Sun Belt announces Tennis Players of the Week (March 1)
Men’s Tennis Co-Player of the Week
Zackery Kennedy (Georgia State, Senior)
Senior Zackery Kennedy went 2-0 in singles play and 1-1 in doubles play, both at the No. 1 position. Kennedy scored the first point for the Panthers in a close 4-3 loss at Louisville, before putting GSU up 3-0 against Middle Tennessee. He and partner Andrei Andrukhou took down Morell and Moonen to give Georgia State a one-match advantage in doubles play against Middle Tennessee.
Men’s Tennis Co-Player of the Week
Juan Cruz Soria (South Alabama, Senior)
Juan Cruz Soria helped South Alabama to two wins in Birmingham, Ala. over the weekend by winning both of his singles matches on court No. 1 in straight sets and splitting two matches with partner Loic Cloes on court No. 1 in doubles. Soria defeated Justin Ghavami 7-5, 6-2 that clinched the 4-0 sweep of Samford. Against UAB he and Cloes won 6-4 in doubles, and then he beat Eric Komati 6-3, 7-5.
Women’s Tennis Co-Player of the Week
Julie Gauguery (Arkansas State, Senior)
Arkansas State’s Julie Gauguery extended her winning streak to five straight with a pair of victories over Samford’s and UAB’s No. 1 singles’ players the past weekend. Gauguery was instrumental in helping guide the Red Wolves to their first victory of the season on Sunday as she posted a 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 victory over the Blazers’ Pardis Kianoush. Gauguery’s point was the third of the day for A-State and tied the match to setup a decisive third set in the No. 4 match. Early in the week, Gauguery also picked up a win against Samford’s Savannah Wood with a 6-2, 6-7, 7-5 victory. The senior from France lost a set in back-to-back matches for the first time this season and has now lost just three sets in matches she has won all season. Her five match win streak is also the longest since 2014 when Tamara Slijepcevic ended the season on a seven match winning streak.
Women’s Tennis Co-Player of the Week
Anna Wichert (UTA, Freshman)
Anna Wichert was perfect in a pair of matches this week, clinching pivotal points in each. Wichert opened the week against Texas Regional foe Stephen F. Austin, winning a 6-4, 6-2 decision at No. 5 to clinch the overall team win as UTA would take the match 5-2. Wichert was also successful at No. 2 doubles, winning 6-2. Against SFA, she was able to take a 6-3 decision in doubles that proved pivotal in the match with UTA trailing in the other match. She would take her singles decision with a 6-0, 6-1 win, the opening singles point of a close match with New Mexico State that was closer than the 4-0 overall result. Wichert stretched her winning streak to five matches in singles and to nine in doubles, winning each during UTA's dual match season.
Previous Men’s Tennis Player of the Week honorees
Feb. 8 – Juan Cruz Soria, South Alabama
Feb. 15 – Juan Cruz Soria, South Alabama
Feb. 22 – Tuki Jacobs, South Alabama
March 1 – Zackery Kennedy, Georgia State and Juan Cruz Soria, South Alabama
Previous Women’s Tennis Player of the Week honorees
Feb. 8 – Agustina Serio, UTA
Feb. 15 – Arina Taluyenko, Georgia State
Feb. 22 – Laura Matuskova, South Alabama
March 1 – Julie Gauguery, Arkansas State and Anna Wichert, UTA