PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Esha Velaga of the University of Pennsylvania women's tennis team will compete in the WTA 125 Ennoble Care Philly Open on Sunday, August 23, at Hamlin Tennis Center, her home court. Velaga received a wildcard into the qualifying singles draw, where she will face Ekaterina Ovcharenko.

Velaga enters the event with a standout collegiate career, as recognized by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). In the 2025-2026 season, Velaga began the year ranked No. 78 in the ITA singles rankings, the highest ranking among Ivy League players at the time. She anchored the top spot in Penn's lineup with an 8-4 singles record (4-1 in Ivy League play) and finished second on the team with 16 singles wins.

Velaga also competed at the No. 1 doubles position, posting a 2-2 record in Ivy League play alongside Lara Stojanovski. Her achievements on and off the court earned her ITA Scholar-Athlete recognition.

The Colmar, Pa. native will look to capitalize on her collegiate experience and home-court advantage as she competes against Ekaterina Ovcharenko in the qualifying singles wildcard match on August 23.

The WTA 125 Ennoble Care Philly Open will run from August 23-29 at Hamlin Tennis Center.