Like all seniors in Division I spring season athletics, Texas senior Anna Turati was given the option to return for an extra season of eligibility on the women’s tennis team.
Turati, hailing from Barzano, Italy, elected to resume her collegiate career and build upon her already superb record. The five-year veteran boasts an outstanding total singles record of 100-18. In addition to her formidable win record with the Longhorns, Turati became one of four Longhorns in head coach Howard Joffe’s tenure to earn an ITA singles All-America honor in her 2020 season. That year, the senior finished the season ranked at No. 4 on the Oracle ITA national singles rankings.
The No. 2 Longhorns left Saturday’s game in Waco with a deserving 4–1 win over the No. 15 Baylor Bears. Turati looked to increase her singles win record during the game against the No. 15 Baylor senior, Jessica Hinojosa.
Despite constant heckling and taunting from the Bears’ fans, the experienced Turati maintained a level head and showcased the same impressive skill set that propelled her to 100 wins over the past five years.
Turati dominated in her first set against Hinojosa and secured the first win of the match with a 6-2 victory.
Throughout the second set, the seasoned veteran had her opponent sprinting back and forth the length of the court, sending volleys that were too well placed for Hinojosa to return. Turati closed the second set even faster than the first and claimed the match with a 6-1 win, sending the Longhorns into a two point lead over the Bears.
Despite her current singles rank of No. 5, Turati has much of the season remaining to climb back to her previous standing. She has already taken one step closer with her commanding singles victory over Hinojosa on Saturday.
Turati has baffled many opponents in the International Tennis Federation’s 15k pro circuit singles titles, notching four titles since the summer of 2019. In just one summer, Anna secured three singles titles and even a doubles championship on the clay courts of Tabarka, Tunisia.
Later on in Norman, Oklahoma, she acquired her first hard court 15k singles title at the ITF Norman tournament and won again with her twin sister, Bianca, to take the doubles title at the ITF 15k tournament in Austin.
Although not as impressive as her singles record, Anna’s doubles record has her standing at No. 39 in the International Tennis Federation’s doubles rankings as of Mar. 1.
Turati didn’t get as lucky in her doubles match with Lebraña, a senior from Santiago, Chile. The senior duo fell in a hard fought match against Baylor’s doubles teammates Kristina Sorkolet and Hinojosa.
With the help of Anna’s ferocious performance in her singles win on court two, the Longhorns maintained their dominance for another week. The team will have nearly a week’s worth of rest before facing off against Texas State on Mar. 12.
