Hamner Secures Spot in Round of 32
Hamner advanced with a straight sets win over the No. 76 singles player.
Champaign, Ill. – No. 6 Sarah Hamner of South Carolina women’s tennis advanced to the Round of 32 in the NCAA Singles Championship on Monday. The Gamecock freshman posted a dominant straight sets win over the No. 76 player in the nation to move on in the tournament.
Hamner was quick to make a statement against No. 76 Shakhnoza Khatamova of UC Santa Barbara by winning the first game of the match. She continued to build to a 4-1 lead before she went up a break and closed the first set 6-2. Her momentum carried into the second set in which she won three games before Khatamova could answer. Hamner quickly took the final three games and claimed the 6-1 win off a powerful backhand that Khatamova sent out of play to advance in the tournament.
In other first-day action, No. 57 Ayana Akli played a competitive match against No. 11 Jaeda Daniel of NC State. Akli cruised through a dominant first set to blank her top-15 opponent 6-0. Daniel, however, fought back to force a third set and ultimately took the 0-6, 6-2, 6-3 win. Akli ends her first season at South Carolina with a 29-16 singles record which includes an 11-match winning streak and 16 ranked wins.
In the Round of 32, Hamner will face No. 27 Lisa Zaar of Pepperdine on Tuesday at a time that is to be determined. Zaar made the second round after she took down No. 25 Abigail Forbes of UCLA in a 6-3, 6-3 decision.
Results
No. 6 Sarah Hamner (SC) def. No. 76 Shakhnoza Khatamova (UCSB) 6-2, 6-1
No. 11 Jaeda Daniel (NCSU) def. No. 57 Ayana Akli (SC) 0-6, 6-2, 6-3
