Dual match victories from Turati, Labraña propel Texas to 7-0 sweep over Baylor

Dual+match+victories+from+Turati%2C+Labra%C3%B1a+propel+Texas+to+7-0+sweep+over+Baylor

Sam Starr

Seniors Fernanda Labraña and Anna Turati put on a show Sunday as the Longhorns faced off against the No. 7 Baylor Bears.

With another perfect performance in their singles matches, the Longhorns maintained their impressive undefeated record at the Texas Tennis Center with a 7-0 sweep over the Bears.

After sealing the doubles point for Texas against Rice on Saturday, the No. 80-ranked duo looked to move up the leaderboards Sunday on doubles court 2. With lightning-quick reflexes and a rocket return, Turati showcased her impressive skill set in the match point as the pair made quick work of their opponent and sealed the match with a 6-2 victory.


On doubles court 3, recently paired freshman Peyton Stearns and senior Marta Perez Mur made another appearance Sunday against Baylor junior Kristina Sorokolet and senior Jessica Hinojosa. With two powerful, back-to-back forehand returns, Stearns commanded the court and closed the match 6-4. In a hard-fought win, the duo managed to improve on Saturday’s performance against Rice and helped secure the doubles point for the Longhorns.

The normally dominant freshmen duo of Lulu Sun and Kylie Collins were unable to continue their impressive streak of doubles victories Sunday. After having worked for the No. 10 doubles rank, the pair fell in a 6-2 upset. Baylor’s No. 40-ranked doubles team of junior Mel Krywoj and senior Angelina Shakhraichuk dealt the formidable Texas duo a tough loss.

Turati claimed an early lead in her singles match against Baylor’s Hinojosa. Throughout the majority of the first set, Turati simply outlasted her opponent, taking the first set 6-1. The highly skilled senior hardly ever makes mistakes in her singles matches, and Sunday was no different.

Turati maintained her momentum in the second set and took a commanding lead right off the bat. The senior clinched the match with a laser serve too fast for her opponent to properly return. Hinojosa sent her return straight into the net, falling 6-2 to Turati in the second set.

Minutes before the end of Turati’s dominant performance, Labraña had taken control of her singles match on court 5. No. 71-ranked junior Livia Kraus from Baylor was no match for Labraña’s sheer determination to win.

Labraña claimed a 6-3 victory in the first set. In an absolute battle for the match point, she refused to give in, returning every single shot her opponent sent her way. She ultimately closed the second set 6-2, notching another point for the Longhorns’ lead over the Bears.