United Athletic Conference

Arlington, Texas – NM State’s women’s singles player Anna Pinaieva and Seattle U’s women’s doubles team Liliya Dimiva and Elena Kraleva have been named the TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference Women’s Tennis Players of the Week. Abilene Christian’s men’s singles playerDario Kmet and NM State’s men’s doubles teamJordy Visser and Yehor Opanasenko have been named the TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference Men’s Tennis Players of the Week, for the competition week ending on Apr. 4. 

Pinaieva, a freshman from Brovary, Ukraine, the Aggies’ No. 1 player finished the weekend with a 2-0 record against WAC opponents while dropping just five total games in four sets. Pinaieva defeated Sam Houston’s Paula Cerda 6-0, 6-1 on Friday and defeated SFA’s Alkmini Giannakogiorgou 6-2, 6-2 on Sunday. Pinaieva moves to 4-1 in WAC play and 10-7 overall. 

Dimiva, a sophomore from Varna, Bulgaria, and Kraleva, a sophomore from Burgas, Bulgaria, have been playing at the No. 1 position all year long and had an excellent competition weekend. In the match against UTRGV, Dimova and Kraleva dominated their match against Isabelle Bahr and Marjorie Souza, taking the win 6-2. In the match against UT Arlington, Dimova and Kraleva had another dominant win, as they took down Tora Goriness and Ana Paula Jimenez 6-2 and helped the Redhawks secure the doubles point in a close 4-3 win for the Redhawks. 

Kmet, a junior from Sydney, Australia went 2-0 at No. 1 singles in two team victories that put ACU on top in the WAC standings. Kmet defeated Jonathan DaSilva, Grand Canyon, 6-3, 7-6 and defeated Clement Hamel, Seattle, 5-7, 6-3, 3-0. 

Visser, a senior from Bemmel, Netherlands, and Opanasenko, a freshman from Kyiv, Ukraine, finished the weekend with a perfect 2-0 record at the No. 1 position while dropping only three combined sets. The duo defeated Seattle U’s Clement Hamel and Veselin Kiselkov 6-2 on Friday and defeated Grand Canyon’s Jonathan Da Silva and David Wekesa 6-1 on Sunday. 

2023 TicketSmarter WAC Tennis Weekly Awards 

WAC Women's Tennis Singles Player of the Week 
Anna Pinaieva, NM State (Apr. 5) 
Elena Kraleva, Seattle U (Mar. 29) 
Emma Persson, Tarleton (Mar. 22)  
Ksenia Mamontova, Stephen F. Austin (Mar. 15) 
Madeline Lamoreaux, Grand Canyon (Mar. 10) 
Santa Strombacha, Grand Canyon (Feb. 22) 
Emma Persson, Tarleton (Feb. 15)  
Martha Makantasi, Tarleton (Feb. 7)  
Martha Makantasi, Tarleton (Jan. 31) 
Isabelle Bahr, UTRGV (Jan. 24) 

WAC Women's Tennis Doubles Players of the Week 
Liliya Dimiva and Elena Kraleva, Seattle U (Apr. 5) 
Lea Karren and Barbara Martinez, UTRGV (Mar. 29) 
Tara Gorinsek and Paula Jimenez, UT Arlington (Mar. 22) 
Martha Makantasi and Clara Sobius, Tarleton (Mar. 15) 
Natasha Puehse and Santa Strombacha, Grand Canyon (Mar. 10)  
Natasha Puehse and Santa Strombacha, Grand Canyon (Feb. 22) 
Natasha Puehse and Santa Strombacha, Grand Canyon (Feb. 15)  
Ximena Morales and Laure Razet, Tarleton (Feb. 7) 
Natasha Puehse and Santa Strombacha, Grand Canyon (Jan. 31) 
Isabelle Bahr and Yaiza Vazquez, UTRGV (Jan. 24) 

WAC Men's Tennis Singles Player of the Week 
Dario Kmet, Abilene Christian (Apr. 5) 
Lachlan Robertson, UT Arlington (Mar. 29) 
Anton Shepp, UT Arlington (Mar. 22) 
Daniel Morozov, Abilene Christian (Mar. 15) 
Emilien Burnel, UTRGV (Mar. 10)  
Emilien Burnel, UTRGV (Feb. 22)  
Jonathan Da Silva, Grand Canyon (Feb. 15)  
Emilien Burnel, UTRGV (Feb. 7) 
Chris Lawrance, UTRGV (Jan. 31) 
Martim Marujo, Grand Canyon (Jan. 24)  

WAC Men's Tennis Doubles Players of the Week 
Jordy Visser and Yehor Opanasenko, NM State (Apr. 5) 
Santiago Giamichelle and Dante Teramo, UT Arlington (Mar. 29) 
Emilien Burnel and Borna Devald, UTRGV (Mar. 22)  
Emilien Burnel and Borna Devald, UTRGV (Mar. 15)  
Veselin Kiselkov and Clement Hamel, Seattle U (Mar. 10) 
Dario Kmet and Daniel Morozov, Abilene Christian (Feb. 22) 
William Alsterback and Alfred Almasi, Grand Canyon (Feb. 15) 
Emilien Burnel and Borna Devald, UTRGV (Jan. 24) 

- WAC -