NORMAL, Ill. – After a long winter of work following a busy fall tournament schedule, the Illinois State women's tennis team will officially begin its spring 2023 dual meet slate on Sunday when they host Eastern Illinois and UIS at the Evergreen Racquet Club.
The Redbirds will take on Eastern Illinois at noon Sunday before taking on UIS at 5 p.m. later that evening.
After claiming the 2022 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Championship, Illinois State women's tennis team has been selected second by leagues coaches in the 2023 MVC preseason poll. The Redbirds received 67 total points and sit eight points behind preseason favorite and new MVC member, Belmont.
The Redbirds are led by two-time MVC All-Conference selection and 2021 MVC Player of the Year, Tijana Zlatanovic, at the no. 1 spot. She is joined by her doubles partner, Tara Damnjanovic, and standouts Alexandra Abyasova, Elena Jankulovska, and Othilia Brodin as ISU returners. The Redbirds also see newcomers Nevena Kolarevic, Zoe Limparis, Iva Poleksic, and Silivia Pomarolli join the program to round out the 2022-23 lineup.
The fall was busy for the Redbirds, who competed in five tournaments including the 2022 MVC Individual Championships. At that tournament, freshman Nevena Kolarevic had quite the debut at her first MVC Individual Championships, as she went undefeated in Flight 3 to take home the championship at the Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield, Missouri. The Redbirds also saw Tara Damnjanovic drop a tough three-set match to UIC's Natalia Nikolopoulou 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (8-6) to finish in second place overall.
Eastern Illinois was selected third in the Ohio Valley Conference preseason women's tennis poll. The selection comes along with a pair of Panthers named among the league's top ten players to watch this season (Elizaveta Bukraba-Ulanova and Christine Gouws).
UIS enters Sunday after taking on SIUE last weekend in an exhibition for the program. Sunday's meeting with the Redbirds will also be an exhibition for the Prairie Stars before they open regular season play with Washburn on Feb. 11.
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