UGA women’s tennis freshman Katarina Jokic became the third Bulldog in the past three years to claim an ITA Southeast Regional singles title as she won it Monday at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.

 

The road to the championship for Jokic, who was seeded seventh, included straight set wins over the top seed in 11th-ranked Estela Perez-Somarriba (Miami) in the semifinals and 15th-ranked Anna Danilina (Florida) in the final. Her 6-0 run in the event also featured wins over 23rd-ranked Johnnise Renaud (Georgia Tech) and Ida Jarlskog (Georgia Tech), who is ranked eighth among freshmen/newcomers.
 
 
“It feels amazing, and I’m really excited,” said Jokic who is now 18-2 in her career. “This is definitely one of the toughest tournaments I’ve played this season. I played really good matches in the tournament. This match was really hard even though I won the second set 6-2. She is a really good opponent. Yesterday I had a battle too. So I’m really happy. I just want to keep doing what I’m doing now. I can still improve.”
 
 
“I just told Katarina that this is the toughest regional tournament in America so it is the hardest one to win,” said Georgia coach Jeff Wallace. “She has played great all weekend, and it is well deserved. We are excited to see a second freshman in a row win this tournament. (Elena) Christofi won it last year down in Gainesville and Caroline Brinson won it the year before as a sophomore here in Athens. So it is three years in a row winning this championship.
 
 
“Katarina has a world-class backhand. She is a competitor and is willing to listen and buy in to things that she needs to do in order to get better,” Wallace added. “Her mental toughness grew this week again and that is going to be important for all of our players, and that was kind of what this weekend was about. We saw the people make some really great improvements.”
 
 
In the final, Danilina picked up the first break of the match take a 3-2 lead but Jokic got it back to even the match at 4-all and then broke her at 5-4 to secure the first set 6-4. In the second set, Jokic raced out to a 5-1 lead and eventually claimed that set 6-2 for the title.
 
 
In the doubles final, Ulyana Grib and Maryna Veksler of Florida International upset the top seed and third-ranked Georgia Tech duo of Paige Hourigan and Kenya Jones 8-5. It was an all-Georgia final in consolation singles, featuring senior Mariana Gould versus freshman Morgan Coppoc. On Monday, Coppoc notched the victory by a score of 6-3,6-7(5),10-4.
 
 
As regional champions, Jokic along with the FIU doubles team, have earned a spot in the Oracle/ITA Fall National Championships next month in Indian Wells, California.
 
 
CLICK HERE for the full results from the ITA Southeast Regional Championships.
 

ITA Southeast Regional Final Results

 
Main Draw Singles Final
 
Katarina Jokic {7) (UGA) def. #15 Anna Danilina {2}(UF) 6-4,6-2
#=ITA Ranking; {X}=Seed
 
 
Main Draw Doubles Finals
 
Ulyana Grib/Maryna Veksler (FIU) def. #3 Paige Hourigan/Kenya Jones {1} (GT) 8-5
#=ITA Ranking; {X}=Seed
 
 
Consolation Singles Final
 
Morgan Coppoc (UGA) def. Mariana Gould (UGA) 6-3,6-7(5),10-4
 
 
*Consolation Doubles Final
 
Victoria Flores/Nami Otsuka (GT) def. Natalia Boltinskaya/Kristen Thoms (FAU) 8-3
 
 
*Consolation Singles Final For Main Draw 2nd Round Losers
 
Ulyana Shirokova (UM) def. Maryna Veksler (FIU) 6-3,6-0

*Played Sunday, Oct. 22