Sunday, 09/16/2012

NEW YORK - The Columbia women's tennis team opened the 2012-13 year on its home court, the Dick Savitt Tennis Center, playing host to the Columbia Invitational. The first round of the four singles flights, as well as two rounds in the doubles flights wrapped up play on day one.

Nicole Bartnik and Bianca Sanon both opened the tournament with victories in their flight A singles matches. Bartnik topped Sharissa Ryan of Fairfield in straight sets, 6-0, 6-3. She will move on to face Stephanie Do from Penn in the second round Saturday. Sanon also advanced via a straight-set win, defeating St. John's Diamond Adams, 6-2, 6-1, to earn the right to play Harvard Hideko Tachibana in round two.

The Lions picked up two additional victories in flight B singles. Iani Alecsiu continued the streak of straight-set wins, as she was victorious over Allison Radde, 6-1, 6-3. Freshman Kanika Vaidya advanced with a 6-2, 6-1 showing over Gvantsa Robakidze from St. John's.

Crystal Leung put up a dominate performance in her first round flight C singles match, downing St. John's Terri Thomas via the double donut, 6-0, 6-0.

Tiana Takenaga and Amy Li added two more victories to the Columbia arsenal in flight D singles. Takenaga made quick work of Gianna Frances from Massachusetts, 6-2, 6-0, while Li needed three sets to beat Fordham's Anika Novacek, 6-7, 6-4, 10-8.

In doubles action, Bartnik and Leung combined for a pair of victories in flight A. The duo will face-off against Harvard's tandem of Tachibana and Kristin Norton Saturday. Partners, Sanon and Takenaga, defeated the UMass doubles team of Sonia Bokhari/Jocelyn Providence to move on to the next round.

In flight B singles, Columbia's Katarina Kovacevic and Vaidya teamed up to defeat the Penn pairing of Srinidi Raghavan/Emma Whitfield, 8-1.

Action continues at the Dick Savitt Tennis Center Saturday.

Flight A Singles

N. Bartnik (C) d. S. Ryan (Fair), 6-0, 6-3

B. Sanon (C) d. D. Adams (SJ), 6-2, 6-1

Flight B Singles

I. Alecsiu (C) d. A. Radde (Fair), 6-1, 6-3

S. Brodsky (Bing) d. L. Stratman (C), default

K. Vaidya (C) d. G. Robakidze (SJ), 6-2, 6-1

Flight C Singles

J. Leong (Ford) d. K. Kovacevic (C), 6-4, 6-3

C. Leung (C) d. T. Thomas (SJ), 6-0, 6-0

Flight D Singles

T. Takenaga (C) d. G. Frances (UMass), 6-2, 6-0

A. Li (C) d. A. Noveck (Ford), 6-7, 6-4, 10-8

Flight A Doubles

Bartnik/Leung (C) d. Bokhari/Providence (UMass), 9-7

Bartnik/Leung (C) d. Do/Jania (Penn), 8-4

Sanon/Takenaga (C) d. Motyl/Swixzcz (UMass), 8-2

Flight B Doubles

Kovacevic/Vaidya (C) d. Raghavan/Whitfield (Penn), 8-1

Comas/Francis (UMass) d. Alecsiu/Stratman (C), default

Koladzyn/Radde (Fair) d. Li/Zaher (C), 8-4