UVA tennis senior Julia Elbaba, a three-time All-American, is set to begin competition at the U.S. Open National Playoff Championships this weekend with a berth in the upcoming U.S. Open on the line should she advance out of this weekend’s event.
Elbaba will open play on Friday, Aug. 21, with a match against top-seeded Ayaka Ikuno with play continuing through the weekend. The Championship of the weekend event will be held on Monday, August 23.
The tournament will feature the 16 winners and/or top available finishers from the 14 US Open National Playoffs Sectional Qualifying Tournaments held throughout the country. Elbaba claimed the Eastern Sectional Qualifying Tournament.
The winner of the US Open National Playoffs – Women’s Singles Championship advances to the US Open Qualifying Tournament, held Aug. 25-28 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, with a chance to earn a spot in the main draw of the 2015 US Open.
Elbaba earned ITA All-America honors last season after posting a 30-7 mark on the season, including a 17-4 mark in dual play. She earned the No. 6 seed at the NCAA Championships last season, marking the second consecutive season to earn a national seed in the event and finished ranked fifth in the final ITA rankings of the season. Elbaba was ranked as high as No. 1 nationally in the ITA rankings during the course of the season.
She was also named a first team All-ACC selection for the third consecutive season last year.
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Chris Graham
