Tennis Locked In For 2019 Season

DENTON — Over the past three years, the Mean Green tennis team has seen a steady increase in individual and team success that has raised the level of experience and competition.

Tuesday, North Texas begins its 21-match spring dual-match season with a noon match against Abilene Christian at Lifetime Fitness' indoor tennis facility in Plano. Leading the charge for the Mean Green, their senior class that is on track to be the most successful class in program history.

And after a fall that saw big-time wins from its entire eight-woman roster and included the program's first Intercollegiate Tennis Association's Regional championship, 2019 has the team believing conference championship, which would be the program's fourth in the last eight years.

"I specifically prepared myself well enough for this season," said senior Tamuna Kutubidze, who won the Rice Fall Invite Singles Championship and this fall was twice named C-USA Female Tennis Athlete of the Month. "I will give my best in each match to help our team win a championship and go to nationals."

Kutubidze, who in the ITA preseason ranking earned a personal-best No. 45 national singles ranking, is part of a three-woman senior class that is the first in UNT history that has every player ranked.

Along with Kutubidze, senior Minying Liang earned her first national ranking after this fall she racked up the most wins over a two month period she's ever had and reached the round of 16 in the Texas Regional, another personal best for the senior. Following her successful fall campaign, Liang earned a No. 102 ranking.

"This fall was very positive for me and our team," Liang said. "We got a lot better and gained confidence."

Someone who doesn't lack confidence is senior Maria Kononova. The only player in the program's history to reach the NCAA Individual National Tournament, the program's all-time singles and doubles wins leader earned a No. 21 ranking in doubles alongside doubles partner Kutubidze after their Regional championship this fall.

It is the highest doubles ranking a UNT duo has ever achieved. Kononova and Kutubidze are 55-21 after reaching the round of 16 of the 2018 ITA Fall Nationals tournament, the first time in program history a UNT doubles team won a match at nationals. Kononova and Kutubidze beat the No. 24 nationally ranked team in the first round.

"I still have plenty of time to work on my game, to improve in several aspects," Kononova said. "I just want to use the last semester as the preparation for the next step of my career and help our team win a championship.

"The last three years have been a unique experience as i've been to many new places, met a lot of new people and is something I'll never forget. I want to make sure we go out strong," the Russia native added.

Kononova has been the team's No. 1 dual-match singles player in her three years and is expected to maintain that position headed into her final year. She will aim to break her 2017 season mark of 18 dual-match singles wins, which is also a program record.

By the end of the year, Kononova could become the program's first four-time first-team all-conference selectee, to go along with her record singles and doubles win totals. She can also graduate with the best singles winning percentage and doubles winning percentage. She currently has a .618 singles winning percentage and a .723 doubles winning percentage when paired with Kutubidze. Her singles winning percentage ranks fourth, while her and Kutubidze's doubles winning percentage ranks first.

"It's a long season," Kutubidze said. "We have to stay positive, healthy and continue to have a champion mindset."

THE SCHEDULE
A difficult non-conference schedule has become an expected characteristic of the Mean Green schedule and 2019 is no different.

In the 21-match schedule, the Mean Green face No. 22 Tulsa, TCU, Iowa, Kansas State, Arizona, Wichita State and SMU on senior day. North Texas has won on senior day 13 consecutive years.

North Texas will play home matches against K-State on Feb. 15, Arizona on Feb. 17 and No. 22 Tulsa on March 30.

UNT's first home match at the Waranch Tennis Complex will be on Saturday, Jan. 26, against Lamar.

KEY C-USA MATCH
While all league matches are important, North Texas drew Old Dominion at home on March 8. ODU and the Mean Green are expected to be two of the top teams in C-USA.

Along with Old Dominion, North Texas will host five league matches starting with UTEP on Feb. 2.

The Mean Green will face defending C-USA Tournament champion Florida International in Miami on March 3. When the Mean Green and Panthers met last season, Kononova defeated FIU's Andrea Lazaro, who at the time was the No. 2 nationally ranked player.

Lazaro was a senior last year, but the Panthers are expected to remain one of the top teams in the league.

LOCAL RIVALRY
Along with SMU and TCU, North Texas will also play UT Arlington. The two schools have met every year over the past 10 years. UNT has beaten UTA every year Kononova, Kutubidze and Liang have been with the Mean Green. UNT defeated UTA 5-0 last year.

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Maria Kononova

Tamuna Kutubidze

Minying Liang

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