The Alabama women’s tennis team will travel to Auburn to face in-state rival Auburn in the regular season finale this Saturday.
The Crimson Tide (15-3, 9-1 SEC) earned the No. 7 spot in the Campbell/Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings. The Tide has won 17 of its last 19 matches, which includes road wins against No. 5 Georgia and No. 22 Tennessee. Along with the team’s success, junior Alexa Guarachi was named SEC Player of the Week.
“We have done a really good job this year of not overlooking anyone and not playing ahead,” head coach Jenny Mainz said. “They are focused, and we are playing the courts well, and I believe it will be a good match.”
The Tide has not faced the Tigers in a dual match, but Alabama’s Emily Zabor defeated Auburn’s Jacqueline Kasler in singles competition in the Roberta Alison Fall Classic. Mainz said she is very impressed with Auburn’s team and the way it has competed throughout the season.
“They are ranked 63, but that number does not show how good they are,” Mainz said. “When they played No. 2 Florida, they kept them out on the court for almost four and a half hours.”
Mainz said the team’s main focus has been scoring early in doubles matches.
“It gives us a good head start, and starting early has been the key this season,” Mainz said.
Mainz said her confidence in the team comes from their performance and how well the team bonds with one another. Mainz said the team is very mature and has great leadership.
“They genuinely play for and care about one another, and that has been proven to be a difference maker,” Mainz said. “That is a hard concept to teach a team.”
Freshman Emily Zabor said the team’s bonding has helped earn the Tide’s recent success.
“We are all very close to one another, and we push each other to do our best,” Zabor said. “They are all my seven best friends.”
Last year, the Tide sent Auburn home without a single point. Mainz said the Tide would not overlook an opponent.
“We are going in there ready, and we are not taking anything for granted,” Mainz said. “We are taking one match at a time and not worrying about the end result.”
The first serve is scheduled for Saturday at 5 p.m. in Auburn.
