Velaga Claims ITA Northeast Super Regional Singles Title

WEST POINT, N.Y. – Freshman Esha Velaga adds ITA Northeast Super Regional singles champion to her resume after capturing a 6-3, 6-0 victory on Sunday afternoon at Army West Point.

Final Results

Velaga defeated her sister Neha Velaga of Princeton 6-3, 6-0 in the final round of the regional to claim the University of Pennsylvania women's tennis first victory in West Point since the 2019-20 season. Gavriella Smith also attended the Super Regional for Penn, making it to the quarterfinals round.

The Northeast Super Regional started on Friday, with Velaga and Smith making it past the rounds of 32 and 16. Velaga beat Kate Kim (Harvard) 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-1, and then the No. 4 seed Maria Aguila (Boston College) 6-1, 7-5 to punch her ticket to the quarterfinals round on Saturday. Smith took down Maiko Uchijima (Temple) 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, and then the No. 8 seed of the regional Victoria Carlsten (Boston University) 7-6 (6), 7-5 to join her teammate in the quarterfinals.

Velaga kept her momentum going in the quarterfinals round on Saturday, defeating Polina Kozyreva (Syracuse) 6-4, 6-3 to clinch a spot in the semifinals. Unfortunately for Smith, her time in the regionals came to an end in the quarterfinals as she battled Phoebe Peus (Brown) to a 6-3, 6-1 decision.

The first-year rolled through both rounds today to claim the single title. Velaga defeated familiar foe Miyuka Kimoto of Syracuse 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to move on to the finals to battle her sister. The Colmar, Pa., native took down her older sister 6-3, 6-0 to claim the single victory.

Up Next
Velaga will travel to the Golden State for the ITA Fall Nationals, taking place Nov. 2-5 at the Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego, Calif.

#FightOnPenn

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Players Mentioned

Gavriella Smith: 5' 6"; Junior

Esha Velaga: Freshman

Players Mentioned

Gavriella Smith
: 5' 6"; Junior

Esha Velaga
: Freshman