Oparenovic Named SEC Freshman Of The Week

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.  – After a stellar weekend in singles and doubles action, Arkansas women’s tennis freshman Ana Oparenovic has been named Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week, the league announced Wednesday.

The award comes just one day after she entered the latest Oracle/ITA Division I Women’s Collegiate Tennis Singles Rankings for the first time at No. 83.

Oparenovic’s honor is the first of her career. She is the first Razorback to earn SEC Freshman of the Week acclaim since Shannon Hudson on Jan. 22, 2014. Earlier this season, sophomore Mia Jurasic was named SEC Player of the Week for her performance in the Razorbacks’ 6-1 season-opening win against Houston on Jan. 16. The two awards mark the first time Arkansas has won multiple awards in the same season since 2011.

“We are thrilled to see Ana recognized by the SEC for her play this past weekend,” head coach Michael Hegarty said. “Not only is she providing stellar play on the court, but you can’t put a price on how valuable her positive energy and spirit are to the success we are having as a team.”

Through the weekend, Oparenovic compiled a 4-0 record in singles and doubles play to help propel the Razorbacks to a weekend sweep of conference foes No. 43 Alabama and No. 15 Auburn.

In singles, she extended her dual-match win streak to a team-best five matches and improved her dual-match record to a team and SEC freshmen-best 12-4 overall and 4-1 in SEC play, defeating Alabama’s No. 31 Andie Daniell 7-6 (5), 7-5 on Friday and Auburn’s No. 76 Alizee Michaud 6-3, 6-1 on Sunday. Michaud was previously 15-1 overall and 12-0 in dual matches. It was her first loss since Sept. 18, 2015.

Paired with fellow teammate Jurasic, she took down Alabama’s pair of Danielle Spielmann and Joanna Nena Savva 6-1 at No. 3 doubles. In the team’s win against Auburn, the duo dispatched Tigers Alannah Griffin and Caroline Turner 6-1 at the No. 3 spot to seal the doubles point for the Razorbacks.

The Razorbacks will put their four-match win streak on the line Wednesday with a doubleheader against Jackson State.   The first match will start at 11 a.m. CDT, and the second contest will follow at 2 p.m.

For more information on Arkansas women’s tennis, follow @RazorbackWTEN on Twitter.