Successful ITA Regionals come to a close for the Badgers

Alina Mukhortova stands at the ready during a serve

Photo by: David Stluka

Successful ITA Regionals come to a close for the Badgers

October 23, 2022 | Women's Tennis

Wisconsin advanced to semifinals for singles and quarterfinals for doubles

By: Julian Issar

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – A successful ITA Midwest Regional Championships wrapped up on Monday for the Wisconsin women's tennis team. Alina Mukhortova served as the headliner, advancing to the semifinals of the singles draw before her run was ended with a hard-fought, 6-3, 6-2, loss against Ohio State's Sydni Ratliff. While the tournament may have ended on a tough loss for the Badgers, it was a winning weekend overall that also saw Taylor Cataldi and Maria Sholokhova reach the singles quarterfinals and Xinyu Cai/Mukhortova reaching the doubles quarterfinals. Wisconsin being the only school to send three singles players to the quarterfinals.

Up next for the team is the Vanderbilt San Juan Invitiational, which starts on Friday, October 28 and goes until Sunday, October 30. Ava Markham, Ariel Johnson, Maria Sholokhova and Charmaine Seah will all be participating in this tournament.

Monday, Oct. 24

ITA Singles Main Draw
Sydni Ratliff (OSU) def. Alina Mukhortova (UW), 6-3, 6-2

Sunday, Oct. 23

Alina Mukhortova moved on to the semifinals of the Singles Main Draw at the ITA Midwest Regional Championships on Sunday. The junior beat Northwestern's Maria Susharina, 7-5, 6-3, to advance to the final four. Up next for Mukhortova is her match against Sydni Ratliff of Ohio State in the semifinals, which will follow the Doubles Main Draw Final at 10 a.m on Monday, October 24.

The ITA run for Taylor Cataldi and Maria Sholokhova came to an end Sunday. Cataldi took Jaedan Brown deep into the third set, before falling in a tie-breaker, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (6). Sholokhova went toe-to-toe with Michigan's Lily Jones, but suffered a 6-4, 6-4 set back.

On the doubles side, Xinyu Cai and Mukortova ran out of time in the quarterfinals, falling to Michigan's Jones and Fliegner.

ITA Singles Main Draw
Alina Mukhortova (UW) def. Maria Susharina (NU), 7-5, 6-3
Jaedan Brown (U-M) def. Taylor Cataldi (UW), 6-4, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (6)
Lily Jones (U-M) def. Maria Sholokhova (UW), 6-4, 6-4

ITA Doubles Main Draw
Jones/Fliegner (U-M) def. Cai/Mukhortova (UW), 8-5

Saturday, Oct. 22

Saturday was a big day for Wisconsin at the ITA Midwest Regionals as three Badgers advanced to the quarterfinals and stayed in the hunt for the title. Alina Mukhortova, Taylor Cataldi and Maria Sholokhova each posted a pair of wins to advance and make up three of the final eight.

Wisconsin was the only school to send three to the quarterfinals, joining competitors from Michigan (2), Northwestern (2) and Ohio State.

Alina Mukhortova dominated Depaul's Yuliya Kizelbasheva (6-0, 6-1) before taking down Kolie Allen of Ohio State. After dropping the first set to in Round 2, Taylor Cataldi stormed back to top Ohio State's Shelly Bereznyak and then handled Clarrisa Hand of Northwestern in straight sets. Maria Sholokhova beat Notre Dame's Nibedita Ghosh and Irina Cantos of Ohio State.

Ava Markham edged out NU's Sydney Pratt but fell to Michigan's Lily Jones in the round of 16.

In doubles action, the team of Xinyu Cai and Mukortova advanced to the quarterfinals, cruising to an 8-1 win over Gustafsson/Jover of UIC. Up next, they'll face Michigan's Jones/Fliegner.

In singles consolation play, both Xinyu Cai and Charmaine Seah collected wins on Saturday.

ITA Singles Main Draw
Alina Mukhortova (UW) d. Yuliya Kizelbasheva (DePaul), 6-0, 6-1
Alina Mukhortova (UW) d. Kolie Allen (OSU), 6-4, 6-4
Taylor Cataldi (UW) d. Shelly Bereznyak (OSU), 2-6, 7-5, 6-3
Taylor Cataldi (UW) d. Clarrisa Hand (NU), 6-4, 6-2
Maria Sholokhova (UW) d. Nibedita Ghosh (ND), 6-3, 7-6 (6)
Maria Sholokhova (UW) d. Irina Cantos (OSU), 7-6 (4), 6-2
Ava Markham (UW) d. Sydney Pratt (NU), 6-3, 6-4
Lily Jones (UM) d. Ava Markham (UW), 6-3, 6-4

ITA Doubles Main Draw
Cai/Mukhortova (UW) d. Gustafsson/Jover (UIC), 8-1

ITA Singles Consolation Draw
Xinyu Cai (UW) d. Lauren Littell (NIU), 6-3, 6-0
Charmaine Seah (UW) d. Nataly Miroslavova Ninova (NIU), 6-4, 6-2

Friday, Oct. 21

ITA Doubles Main Draw
Cai/Mukhortova (UW) def. Ghosh/Andreach (ND), 8-4
Jhaveri/Sobieski (Valpo) def. Cataldi/Apte (UW), 8-7 (7)
Cantos/Ratliff (OSU) def. Sholokhova/Markham (UW), 8-3

ITA Singles Main Draw
Alina Mukhortova (UW) def. Emilija Kojcic (Marq), 6-2, 6-4
Megan Heuser (ILL) def. Charmaine Seah (UW), 5-7, 6-2, 6-2
Akari Matsuno (ND) def, Xinyu Cai (UW), 6-4, 6-4
Taylor Cataldi (UW) def. Olivia Czerwonka (Valpo), 6-5, 7-6 (1)
Ava Markham (UW) def. Emily Casati (ILL), 6-2, 6-1
Maria Sholokhova (UW) def. Cecilia Rosas (YSU), 6-2, 6-1

Thursday, Oct. 20

ITA Singles Qualifying Draw:
Emily Casati (ILL) def. Anisha Apte (UW), 6-2, 6-2
Eloise Saraty (BGSU) def. Ariel Johnson (UW), 5-7, 7-6 (5), 6-0

Schedule for the ITA Midwest Regional Championships

Thursday, Oct. 20
8 a.m. -- Qualifying Singles First Round
To Follow -- Qualifying Singles Second Round (16 players will qualify for main draw)

Friday, Oct. 21
8 a.m. -- Doubles Main Draw First Round
To Follow -- Doubles Main Draw Second Round
To Follow -- Singles Main Draw First Round

Saturday, Oct. 22
8 a.m. -- Doubles Main Draw Round of 16
To Follow -- Singles Main Draw Round of 32
To Follow -- Singles Main Draw Round of 16

Sunday, Oct. 23
9 a.m. -- Doubles Main Draw Quarterfinals
To Follow -- Doubles Main Draw Semifinals
To Follow -- Singles Main Draw Quarterfinals

Monday, Oct. 24
10 a.m. -- Doubles Main Draw Final
To Follow -- Singles Semifinals

Tuesday, Oct. 25
10 a.m. -- Singles Main Draw Final

*Schedule subject to change