Wildcats Finish the Fall Season with Ranked Suarez, Four Champions
Nov 27, 2023 | Tennis
MANHATTAN, Kan.- The K-State women's tennis team wrapped up their fall season after five tournaments with multiple achievements to start off the seventh season with head coach Jordan Smith at the helm.
On Wednesday, Nov. 15, the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) released the final fall rankings, with sophomore Vanesa Saurez making an appearance in the singles rankings at No. 80. Suarez went 4-4 during the fall, facing three preseason ranked opponents, collecting a victory over Oklahoma's #50 Dana Guzman in three sets, 6-3, 4-6, 10-6, during the Big 12 Fall Invitational.
Suarez also competed internationally for Venezuela during the Pan American/Parapan American games in Santiago, Chile in October. Competing in four singles matches she ultimately reached the quarterfinal round where she earned a top-five finish.
At the Big 12 Fall Invite, K-State left Waco, Texas with two singles champions. Competing in two separate draws, freshman Charlotte Keitel and sophomore Maria Santos each won an individual championship after four days of competition.
Santos went undefeated, 4-0, with a final victory over Houston's Nina Skoric, 6-3, 6-2, to win the yellow draw. Keitel defeated Romana Cisovska from Oklahoma in the semifinal round in three sets, 5-7, 6-4, 10-5, before her final round match opponent could not compete, crowning her the white draw champion.
Keitel, who led the team in singles victories going 13-3, also claimed the singles co-champion title with fellow teammate, freshman Tereza Polakova, during the TCU Invitational in Fort Worth, Texas. Both women went undefeated, 3-0, during the tournament, while Polakova was also named the doubles champion with partner junior Veronika Kulhava, the duo going undefeated, 4-0, in both eight game pro sets and regular sets.
In singles competition, Polakova also amassed double digit wins, going 10-6, while Kulhava also saw a winning record at 8-3, including matchups against ranked opponents, going 1-1 during the ITA Central Regional in Lawrence, Kan. She defeated Iowa State's #120 Ana Supapitch Kuearum in a two-set tiebreaker, 7-5 7-6 (7-4) before falling to #90 Kristina Novak from Oklahoma State in the round of 16-- 5-7, 1-6.
Freshman Jillian Harkin ended the fall contest with a .500 record (6-6) with three two-set victories during the ITA Central Regional. Senior Aleen Quamar reached the semifinal round of her bracket at the Big 12 Fall Invite where she competed in her sixth three-set match, the second most on the team, behind Polakova's seven.
In doubles competition, Suarez and junior Manami Ukita competed in four of the five tournaments, including an invitation to the ITA All-Americans in Cary, North Carolina. The pair was 5-4 during the season, including three consecutive wins, two back-to-back during the Central Regional.
The Wildcats look forward to their return to the courts for the 2024 spring season set to begin the third week of January.
How to follow the 'Cats: For complete information on the K-State Women's Tennis Team, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team's social media channels on X (formerly Twitter), Threads, Facebook and Instagram.
On Wednesday, Nov. 15, the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) released the final fall rankings, with sophomore Vanesa Saurez making an appearance in the singles rankings at No. 80. Suarez went 4-4 during the fall, facing three preseason ranked opponents, collecting a victory over Oklahoma's #50 Dana Guzman in three sets, 6-3, 4-6, 10-6, during the Big 12 Fall Invitational.
Suarez also competed internationally for Venezuela during the Pan American/Parapan American games in Santiago, Chile in October. Competing in four singles matches she ultimately reached the quarterfinal round where she earned a top-five finish.
At the Big 12 Fall Invite, K-State left Waco, Texas with two singles champions. Competing in two separate draws, freshman Charlotte Keitel and sophomore Maria Santos each won an individual championship after four days of competition.
Santos went undefeated, 4-0, with a final victory over Houston's Nina Skoric, 6-3, 6-2, to win the yellow draw. Keitel defeated Romana Cisovska from Oklahoma in the semifinal round in three sets, 5-7, 6-4, 10-5, before her final round match opponent could not compete, crowning her the white draw champion.
Keitel, who led the team in singles victories going 13-3, also claimed the singles co-champion title with fellow teammate, freshman Tereza Polakova, during the TCU Invitational in Fort Worth, Texas. Both women went undefeated, 3-0, during the tournament, while Polakova was also named the doubles champion with partner junior Veronika Kulhava, the duo going undefeated, 4-0, in both eight game pro sets and regular sets.
In singles competition, Polakova also amassed double digit wins, going 10-6, while Kulhava also saw a winning record at 8-3, including matchups against ranked opponents, going 1-1 during the ITA Central Regional in Lawrence, Kan. She defeated Iowa State's #120 Ana Supapitch Kuearum in a two-set tiebreaker, 7-5 7-6 (7-4) before falling to #90 Kristina Novak from Oklahoma State in the round of 16-- 5-7, 1-6.
Freshman Jillian Harkin ended the fall contest with a .500 record (6-6) with three two-set victories during the ITA Central Regional. Senior Aleen Quamar reached the semifinal round of her bracket at the Big 12 Fall Invite where she competed in her sixth three-set match, the second most on the team, behind Polakova's seven.
In doubles competition, Suarez and junior Manami Ukita competed in four of the five tournaments, including an invitation to the ITA All-Americans in Cary, North Carolina. The pair was 5-4 during the season, including three consecutive wins, two back-to-back during the Central Regional.
The Wildcats look forward to their return to the courts for the 2024 spring season set to begin the third week of January.
How to follow the 'Cats: For complete information on the K-State Women's Tennis Team, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team's social media channels on X (formerly Twitter), Threads, Facebook and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
/ Tennis
/ Tennis
/ Tennis
/ Tennis
/ Tennis
/ Tennis
/ Tennis
K-State Tennis | Weekend Recap vs Old Dominion & Minnesota
Tuesday, February 24
K-State Tennis | Court Updates and Resurfacing
Tuesday, November 11
K-State TEN | Court Resurfacing
Thursday, November 06
K-State Tennis Practice highlights
Tuesday, September 02
