Women’s Tennis: Cajuns Pair Take Doubles Title – Floriane Picaut Falls In The Islander Open Final

CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS – The Louisiana doubles pair of freshmen Floriane Picaut and Dana Radovanovic, due to an injury withdrawal, were crowned the doubles champions here at the Contender CrossFit Islander Open, while Picaut won both of her matches in the singles draw to advance to finals and a chance for her second title of the weekend.

HOW IT HAPPENED (Doubles): Unfortunately, due to an injury suffered by one of the University of Texas at San Antonio’s athletes, the Roadrunners had to withdrawal all their competitors from the remaining matches they were involved in.
           
That meant that the Cajuns pairing of Picaut/Radovanovic, who were ready to face UTSA’s pair of Kato/Ilic were given the doubles title without having to play the championship match.
           
Picaut and Radovanovic punched their ticket to the finals with a win in the semifinals, 6-2, over the University of Incarnate Word’s group of Djurdjevic/Kareh.
           
Junior Carla Ortega and freshman Morgan Forshag, playing in the back draw, bowed out in the second round with a loss to UTSA’s Cabrera/Menon 6-4.

HOW IT HAPPENED (Singles): Picaut entered the day having won her lone match in the previous day’s competition, and she made sure that she had more than one match on this day.
           
First in the quarterfinals she faced Prairie View A&M University’s Noharika Ramos where Picaut easily handled her opponent in straight sets 6-3, 6-1.
           
Next up in the semifinals Picaut was matched up with AMCC’s Louise Tirgona with a chance to head to the finals at stake.  Without missing a beat Picaut handled that matchup in straight sets as well, 6-4, 6-3, to punch her ticket to the finals where she’ll face AMCC’s Marina Vicens Miquel.
           
Radovanovic, having won her first and second round matchups in the previous day, dropped her quarterfinals matchup in straight sets 6-2, 6-2 to UTSA’s Denis Ibrahimovic.
           
In the back draw, sophomore Milena Achlamov lost her only match of the day to PV’s Shaddae Findley in straight sets, 7-5, 6-4.

QUOTEWORTHY (Head coach Stephanie Vallejos):
On Cajuns Second Day: "It’s great to see all of our girls compete as hard as they have been. I’m especially proud of Floriane and Dana and how well they’ve played to keep progressing in the tournament.  Floriane will see the finals in singles and its days like today that make me excited about the future of Ragin’ Cajun tennis."
 
UP NEXT: Picaut returns to the courts tomorrow to play for the championship in the final matchup.  Follow @RaginCajunsWT on twitter for results and updates on how the match goes.
 
Contender CrossFit Islander Open (Day Two)
Sept. 16 at Corpus Christi, Texas
Singles (Quarterfinals) Main Draw:
Floriane Picaut (UL) def. Noharika Ramos (PV) 6-3, 6-1
Denis Ibrahimovic (UTSA) def. Dana Radovanovic (UL) 6-2, 6-2
Singles (Semifinals) Main Draw:
Picaut (UL) def. Louise Trigona (AMCC) 6-4, 6-3
Singles (Quarterfinals) Back Draw:
Shaddae Findley (PV) def. Milena Achlamov (UL) 7-5, 6-4
 
Doubles (Semifinals) Main Draw:
Picaut/Radovanovic (UL) def. Djurdjevic/Kareh (UIW) 6-2
Doubles (Finals) Main Draw:
Picaut/Radovanovic (UL) def. Kato/Ilic (UTSA) W/O
Doubles (Semifinals) Back Draw:
Cabrera/Menon (UTSA) def. Ortega/Forshag (UL) 6-4
 

CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS – In a three-set battle Ragin’ Cajuns freshman Floriane Picaut‘s run to the Contender CrossFit Islander Open finals ended just short of a title as Picaut lost 2-6, 6-3, 10-5 in the championship match.

HOW IT HAPPENED (FINAL): Picaut had been on a tear all weekend, but in the finals against AMCC’s Marina Vicens Miquel she was finally beaten.
           
She dropped the first set 2-6, but Picaut wouldn’t let her weekend end in a straight set dismissal.  And she dug deep to take the second set 6-3 and force a third-set tiebreaker.
           
In that third set tiebreaker, Picaut put up a fight but it wasn’t enough as Vicens Miquel pull ahead late to come away with the win, 10-5, and the title.
           
But Picaut had made her statement, and for her first collegiate tournament she’s sent waves through the region and loudly stated that she’s here to get wins for the Cajuns and titles for herself.

QUOTEWORTHY (Head coach Stephanie Vallejos):
On Picaut’s Match: "She played tough and battled to the very end. I’m proud of the fight she showed and I know that she will continue to grow to be a great competitor."
 
Contender CrossFit Islander Open (Day Three)
Sept. 17 at Corpus Christi, Texas
Singles (Final) Main Draw:
Marina Vicens Miquel (AMCC) def. Floriane Picaut (UL) 6-2, 3-6, 10-5