Michigan
NCAA Individual Championships
Yurovsky Rallies for NCAA First-Round Win
5/20/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
May 20, 2015
Site: Waco, Texas (Hurd Tennis Center)
Event: NCAA Singles Championship (First Round)
U-M Team Result: No Team Scoring
Next U-M Event: Thursday, May 21 -- at NCAA Singles Championship - Day 2 (Waco, Texas), 11:30 a.m. CDT
WACO, Texas -- Junior Ronit Yurovsky of the University of Michigan women's tennis team rallied from down a set and 5-3 in the second to take a 1-6, 7-5, 6-2 win over No. 44 Denise Starr of California in the first round of the NCAA Singles Championship on Wednesday (May 20) at the Hurd Tennis Center.
Yurovsky fell in a 4-0 hole to start before winning her first game at 4-1. Starr won the final two games to wrap up a 6-1 first-set win.
In the second, Yurovsky went up a break at 2-1 after rallying from a 30-0 deficit in the third game. She held serve in the ensuing game for a 3-1 lead. Starr surged back and won four straight games, heading back to the service line to serve out the match at 5-3. Yurovsky broke Starr to ignite a four-game run, as the Wolverine took a 7-5 second-set win.
Yurovsky broke Starr to begin the third set, keeping the break lead throughout en route to a 6-2 win. Yurovsky broke Starr again for a 5-2 lead, serving out the match in the next game as Starr's return of serve sailed long on the final point.
Senior Emina Bektas was also in first-round action, falling to No. 6 Julia Elbaba of Virginia, 6-2, 1-6, 6-3. Bektas was broken in her second service game in the first as Elbaba took a 6-2 win in the first set.
It was all Bektas in the second set as she jumped out to a 5-0 lead, breaking Elbaba in her first two services games. Elbaba got on the board at 5-1, but Bektas served out the set in the next game to send the match to a third and deciding set.
Through six games in the third, it was all square after Bektas recovered from a 15-40 deficit in her third service game to tie the frame at 3-3.
Elbaba came through with a break of Bektas to go up 5-3 as a Bektas forehand found the net. Bektas saved three match points in the next game, but Elbaba came through on the fourth to seal the 6-3 win.
Bektas, the 2014 and 2015 Big Ten Athlete of the Year, ends her singles career as Michigan's all-time leader in wins with 129.
Yurovsky advances to face Virginia's Danielle Collins in the second round tomorrow (Thursday, May 21) at 11:30 a.m. CDT. Bektas and freshman Alex Najarian will also compete in the doubles tournament, slated to begin tomorrow at 5 p.m. CDT.
NCAA Singles Championship
First Round
Wednesday, May 20 -- No. 31 Ronit Yurovsky (U-M) d. No. 44 Denise Starr (Cal), 1-6, 7-5, 6-2
Wednesday, May 20 -- No. 6 Julia Elbaba (UVa) d. No. 27 Emina Bektas, 6-2, 1-6, 6-3
Communications Contact: Sarah VanMetre (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
