Banner Season: Blues, Mustangs crowned champions after 2018 gold medal rematches
Markham, Ont. (via York Lions) - The Toronto Varsity Blues women’s tennis team ended a three-year run by the Western Mustangs to win the OUA tennis championship by a 5-2 score on Sunday at the Mayfair Club – Toronto East. The Mustangs did not go home empty-handed, however, as the men won their second straight conference banner with a 5-2 win over the Blues.
In the other medal matches earlier in the day, the host York Lions played for bronze in both the men’s and women’s draws. The women won their second straight bronze medal, and eighth consecutive medal overall, with a 6-1 win over the Brock Badgers, while the men came up just short in their bid for a second straight bronze with a 5-2 loss to the Waterloo Warriors.
Toronto’s win was their first since 2013 and the 11th in program history. Third-year veteran Samar Qaedizadeh was named the 2019 OUA female player of the year following an undefeated weekend. She went 2-0 in the No. 2 singles spot and 2-0 in No. 1 doubles action over the two matches.
First-year standout Pia Jhattu earned OUA female rookie of the year honours after going 2-0 in the No. 2 doubles spot and 2-0 in singles action, winning once at the No. 3 match and once at the No. 4 spot.
The Blues swept the doubles matches to earn the single point versus Western and then took four of the six singles matches to claim the trophy. Joining Qaedizadeh and Jhattu as winners were Andrea Kuntjoro and Milena Music.
For Western, the banner was their sixth in eight seasons and 21st overall. Alex Day earned the player of the year award after strong weekend for the Mustangs. On Sunday, he won his doubles match and then cruised in straight sets in his singles match while playing out of the top spot.
The men’s final played out in similar fashion to the women’s, with the eventual champion taking the one point from the doubles and then four of the six singles matches. In addition to Day, Matthew Oliver, Matt Erdman and Connor Smith took their matches to clinch the trophy for Western.
The men’s rookie of the year was Pavle Milic from the Warriors after he led his team to the bronze medal while playing in the top spot in singles and doubles.
The Lions women’s team earned the doubles point with two of three wins and then took five of the six singles matches to win easily. Claudia Poluga, Sara Krupica, Anja Fimpel, Annabelle Gelev and Daniela Sanchez were all victorious.
On the men’s side, the Lions took the doubles point for an early 1-0 lead but then were only able to win one of the singles matches as Sahil Sareen defeated his opponent in straight sets playing in the four spot.
Women's Major Award Winners
Player of the Year – Samar Qaedizadeh, Toronto
Rookie of the Year – Pia Jhattu, Toronto
Coach of the Year – Nabil Tadros, Toronto
Men’s Major Award Winners
Player of the Year – Alex Day, Western
Rookie of the Year – Pavle Milic, Waterloo
Coach of the Year – Cam Cross & Anthony Galvenic, Western
Women's All-Stars
Mara Stroe, Toronto
Samar Qaedizadeh, Toronto
Camille Duggal, Western
Sophie Bui, Western
Sara Krupica, York
Liana Biktimirova, Brock
Men's All-Stars
Alex Day, Western
Mark Jensen, Western
Sasha Obucina, Toronto
Nathan Wong, Toronto
Pavle Milic, Waterloo
Tegbir Hara, York