Okalova and Ploner Ranked Fifth in Preseason ITA Women's Doubles National Rankings
9/17/2019 12:00:00 PM | Women's Tennis
TEMPE, Ariz. – After finishing the 2018-19 season going 29-7 in doubles play, Tulsa seniors Martina Okalova and Vera Ploner will begin the women's tennis season ranked fifth in the 2019-20 Preseason ITA Division I Women's Doubles National Rankings.
This is the highest doubles preseason ranking in program history. After not being ranked in last season's preseason doubles poll, the duo ranked fourth in the initial regular season rankings. Okalova and Ploner join TU women's tennis alumnae Samantha Vickers and Isaura Enrique as the only doubles tandems ranked in the top 10 in program history. Vickers and Enrique were slotted ninth during the 2012-13 campaign.
Head coach Dean Orford is proud of how his upperclassmen have performed in their time at TU and what's to come this season.
"We feel like this is a good starting point," Orford said. "We have high expectations for Martina (Okalova) and Vera (Ploner) because they can do really good things for our team.
A year ago, they advanced to the NCAA doubles quarterfinal round, which is the highest finish in school history. The duo also became the second and third women's tennis All-Americans at Tulsa. Okalova and Ploner posted a 10-4 mark against nationally-ranked competition and ended the season winning eight of their last 10 matches.
In addition to being ranked in the doubles standings, Okalova is the No. 73-ranked athlete in the Division I Women's Individual National Rankings. That is the Slovakian's highest ranking since last year's preseason poll where she was ranked 54th. She finished the year going 13-9, with an 11-8 mark at No. 1 singles.
The Golden Hurricane open their fall schedule on Friday, Sept. 20, as Tulsa heads to Missouri for the Mizzou Invite. The three-day tournament takes place at the Mizzou Tennis Complex.
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