Elbaba Highlights Opening Round Action at USTA/ITA National Championships

November 12, 2015 | By Brian Coleman
Julia_Elbaba_2015_0

Virginia’s Julia Elbaba, an Oyster Bay, N.Y. native, opened up her campaign at the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships Thursday morning in smooth fashion, downing University of Southern California’s Giuliana Olmos 6-0, 6-1 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center to move into the Round of 16.

“I played well today. I started strong and that was the key,” said Elbaba. “I was able to get a lead, and used my weapons to execute the way I wanted to.”

Elbaba moves on to play Breaunna Addison of Texas, who beat Michigan’s Brienne Minor 6-4, 6-2 on Thursday.

“I am just going to try and play my game tomorrow,” Elbaba said of her next match. “I haven’t played her in awhile, I think the last time we played was actually at this tournament a couple of years ago, but I feel like if I play my game it should go well.”

Being a Long Island native and training at the National Tennis Center, this tournament is special to Elbaba. She is able to stay at home rather than spending the weekend in a hotel, which allows her to stay relaxed and focused.

“It’s unbelievable. Being able to go home into my own bed is comfortable for me,” she said. You can’t top homemade meals and being in New York is special to me. This is where I grew up and trained my whole live, so I’m definitely looking forward to having my family and the home crowd around for my match tomorrow.”

Elbaba’s teammate at Virginia, Danielle Collins, did not see the same success in her match on Thursday. Collins was upset by Oklahoma State’s Katarina Adamovic, who ousted the top-seed with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 opening-round win.

In women’s doubles, Columbia’s duo of Rima Astarian & Alexandra Solovyev advanced to the second round with a 6-4, 4-6, 10-5 win over Texas Christian University’s Seda Arantekin & Caroline Wegner.

Astarian & Solovyev will take on the fourth-seeded pair of Hayley Carter & Whitney Kay of North Carolina later today.

 


Brian Coleman

 Brian Coleman is the Senior Editor for New York Tennis Magazine. He may be reached at brianc@usptennis.com

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