Wayne State University Athletics

Women's Tennis 9/26/2022 4:00:00 PM Zachary Manning, Sports Information Graduate Assistant

Women's Tennis Finishes Play at ITA Midwest Regional

Three Warriors made the quarterfinal round in their respective singles draws.

ALLENDALE, Mich. -- The Wayne State University women's tennis team completed play at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Midwest Regional earlier today. The Warriors had three players reach the quarterfinals of their respective singles draws.

SINGLES A DRAW
The Green and Gold had Malak Arafat (Alexandria, Egypt), Anais Ruyssen (Nantes, France), Marta Komar (Inowroclaw, Poland) and Martyna Szpakowska (Gdansk, Poland) playing in the top draw, with Ruyssen and Arafat reaching the quarterfinal round.

Arafat looked strong in the opening round of play, dominating her opponent from Saginaw Valley State, 6-4, 6-1. In the Round of 32, she had a tougher battle with Grand Valley State's Taylor Barrett. After dropping the first set, Arafat bounced back to win, 3-6, 7-5, 10-7. Arafat again lost the first set in the Round of 16, but she was able to edge out a 2-6, 6-4, 10-8 victory. However, her run would end there against the top overall seed in the draw as Arafat fell 5-7, 5-7 in the quarterfinals.

Ruyssen also played her way into the later stages of the tournament. She opened play with a three-set victory over Davenport's Amy Bloch. In the Round of 32, she had no problem getting by the challenger from Saginaw Valley State, earning a 6-1, 6-0 victory. Ruyssen collected a 7-5, 6-3 win in the Round of 16 before falling 0-6, 1-6 to the No. 3 overall seed in the tournament's quarterfinals.

Komar was strong in her opening two matches, downing GVSU's Amanda Diaz 6-2, 6-3 in the opening round and Michigan Tech's Dominika Bobik 6-4, 7-6 (2) in the Round of 32. Komar then ran into the No. 10 seed, where she came up just short, falling 3-6, 6-3, 7-10.

Szpakowska opened the tournament with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Tiffin's Carina Avram before falling in a tight, three-set match to Purdue Northwest's Sienna Lopez.

SINGLES B DRAW
Dea Gorgidze (Tbilisi, Georgia), Sabrina Laynes (Saginaw, Mich. / Heritage), Suki Mandair (Dexter, Mich. / Ann Arbor Skyline) and Shanice Weekes (London, England) participated in the B Draw for the Warriors, with a pair of players making strong runs.

Gorgidze opened the tournament with a three-set victory over Walsh's Alexa Gamborino before taking care of Michigan Tech's Emily Cojocaru 6-1, 6-3 in the Round of 32. Her next match was also a two-set victory, as she upended her opponent 6-2, 6-3. Her run would end in the quarterfinals, however, as Gorgidze dropped a three-set battle, 5-7, 6-4, 3-10.

Laynes battled throughout the tournament, finishing with a 2-1 record. In the opening round, she posted a 4-6, 7-5, 11-9 victory over Quincy's Mahi Panchal. In the Round of 32, Laynes again won in three sets, downing her opponent 6-3, 3-6, 11-9. Her three-set magic would run out in the Round of 16, however, as Laynes was upended 6-4, 6-7 (2), 7-10.

Mandair and Weekes both dropped their opening matches of the tournament. Mandair played into a third set, but was defeated 5-7, 6-4, 8-10. Weekes fell in her opening-round match, 5-7, 3-6.

DOUBLES A DRAW
The Warriors' top double pair of Ruyssen and Komar collected a 2-1 record throughout the tournament. In the opening round of play, the pair earned an 8-2 victory. They were also strong in the Round of 16, posting an 8-5 win. Their run would end there, as the pair was upended 6-8 by challengers from Lewis.

Arafat and Szpakowska were the other doubles pair in the top draw. The duo collected a 1-1 record, as they earned an 8-4 victory in the opening round before falling 5-8 in the Round of 16.

DOUBLES B DRAW
The Warriors had a pair of doubles teams play in the B Draw, with teams of Laynes and Mandair and Weekes and Gorgidze. Both teams would fall 6-8 in their opening round matches.

UP NEXT
The Warriors will be back in action at the Hillsdale Invitational on Oct. 1.

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Players Mentioned

Marta Komar: 5' 8"; Sophomore

Sabrina Laynes: 5' 3"; Junior

Anais Ruyssen: 5' 7"; Sophomore

Suki Mandair: 5' 2"; Sophomore

Malak Arafat: 5' 9"; Freshman

Martyna Szpakowska: 5' 7"; Freshman

Shanice Weekes: 5' 4"; Freshman

Dea Gorgidze: 5' 6"; Redshirt Freshman

Players Mentioned

Marta Komar
: 5' 8"; Sophomore

Sabrina Laynes
: 5' 3"; Junior

Anais Ruyssen
: 5' 7"; Sophomore

Suki Mandair
: 5' 2"; Sophomore

Malak Arafat
: 5' 9"; Freshman

Martyna Szpakowska
: 5' 7"; Freshman

Shanice Weekes
: 5' 4"; Freshman

Dea Gorgidze
: 5' 6"; Redshirt Freshman