The Alabama women’s tennis team defeated the University of Alabama at Birmingham 7-0 on Saturday, Feb. 11, in its first game back in Tuscaloosa after three straight matches on the road.

Both teams battled hard for the doubles point, with each team taking a match in the best of three. Ola Pitak and Kasia Pitak secured a 6-3 victory for Alabama to start, but Petra Sedlackova and Anna Parkhomenko dropped their match 2-6. 

However, it was the Crimson Tide who would take the point in the end, thanks to a 6-2 victory from Anne Marie Hiser and Loudmilla Bencheikh over Adela Wasserbauervoa and Mackenzie White of the Blazers. 

“I thought across the board we did a good job of working through some difficult situations,” Alabama head coach Jenny Mainz said. “We found our way through it. I’m proud of the team for doing that.” 

After a shaky performance in doubles, it was relatively smooth sailing for the team heading into singles play. Ola Pitak started things with a 6-2, 6-0 victory, with Hiser following with a 6-2, 6-2 win as well. 

Klara Milicevic would secure the fourth point of the day and the win for Alabama with a 6-4, 6-3 victory. Bencheikh and Parkhomenko each won their singles matches in straight sets as well, winning 6-1, 7-5 and 6-2, 6-2 respectively. 

The most entertaining match of the day was coincidentally the longest of the day:, the battle between Sedlackova and UAB’s Maggie White. After falling behind early in the first set, Sedlackova battled back to take the set and win the point in straight sets for the Crimson Tide, shaking off her struggles in doubles. 

“I’m proud of Petra,” Mainz said. “She really had to do a good job controlling the controllables and managing herself, and I’m proud of her because I think she did a very good job of it today.” 

Alabama’s next match will be in Tuscaloosa as it hosts Tulane University on Saturday, Feb. 18. 

Questions or comments? Email Blake Byler (Sports Editor) at [email protected]