PENSACOLA, Fla. – Saint Leo University men's and women's tennis teams took a small group to the University of West Florida for the ITA Regional Championships, October 3-5. The Lions sent five men and four women to represent the Green & Gold. Jose David Segovia and an Kodai Kato led the men as the duo took home the ITA Regional title for doubles to secure their spot at the ITA Cup. On the women's side, Candice Bernier and Catherine Rabatin took home second place and will wait to see if they get an at-large bid to the ITA Cup.

Segoiva, Dylan Andrianaly, Kato, Eduardo Cohen, and Thomas Buchard represented the men's team. Joining Bernier and Rabatin on the women's side was Deren Ozel and Camila Keller.

Segovia and Kato earned the third seed in the doubles draw and cruised to a finals appearance. On day one, the duo picked up wins over Lynn's Louay Makke and Davide Cortimiglia (8-4), West Florida's Samuel Vidales and Mark Neyelov (8-6), and  Barry's Antonin Chapuis and Leo Caill (8-7(7-2)). After advancing to the semifinals, the duo took on Mississippi College's Sergio Ramirez Ocana and Joshua Hinton, 8-6. They advanced to the final matchup which pitted them against the number one seed Sebastian Rondon and Diego Duran of West Florida. After dropping the opening set 6-3, the Lions batted back to even it all up at one set a piece with a 6-4 win in the second set. Tiebreakers went in favor of Segovia and Kato with a 13-11 victory for the doubles title.

Just like the men did on the first day, Bernier and Rabatin faced three pairs of opponents from the state of Florida, defeating West Florida's Alberte Joergensen and Rachel Ames 8-2. After defeating Embry-Riddles Amelie Gindl and Benedetta Sensi, 8-7 with an 8-6 victory in the tie breaker, they advanced to a quarterfinal match up against Tampa's Nicole Cierniak and Karine Kulidjian, earning the 8-5 victory. Bernier and Rabatin found themselves playing for a regional title after an 8-3 semifinal victory over the two seed from West Florida, Carlota Verdu and Sandra Recuenco Tarin. The magic ran its course in the final match as the unranked Bernier and Rabatin took second place following a pair of 6-1 losses to Nova Southeastern's Kristyna Hranacova and Katja Markus.

Ozel and Keller made their way to the consolation final before bowing out due to injury.
 
DOUBLES
MEN
(3) Jose David Segovia/Kodai Kato
R32: def. Louay Makke/Davide Cortimiglia (LU), 8-4
R16: def. Samuel Vidales/Mark Neyelov (UWF), 8-6
QF: def. Antonin Chapuis/Leo Caill (BU), 8-7(2)
SF: def. Sergio Ramirez Ocana/Joshua Hinton (MC), 8-6
F: def. (1) Sebastian Rondon/Diego Duran (UWF), 3-6, 6-4, (13-11)
 
Dylan Andrianaly/Thomas Buchard
R32: lost to (7) Philipp Bosse/Julien Doitteau (VSU), 8-5
C-R16-Q: lost to Rafael Sabio/Vincente Couto (UWF), 8-6
 
WOMEN
Candice Bernier/Catherine Rabatin
R32: def. Alberte Joergensen/Rachel Ames (UWF), 8-2
R16: def. (7) Amelie Gindl/Benedetta Sensi (ERAU), 8-7(6)
QF: def. Nicole Cierniak/Karine Kulidjian (UT), 8-5
SF: def. Carlota Verdu/Sandra Recuenco Tarin (NSU), 8-3
F: lost to (3) Kristyna Hranacova/Katja Markus (UWF) 6-1, 6-1
 
Deren Ozel/Camila Keller
R32: lost to (5) Meadow Garcia/Kristin Younes (LU) 8-7(1)
C-R16-Q: def. Franziska Kremerskothen/Daniela Fernandez Junquera (ERAU), 8-6
C-R16: Bye
C-QF: def. Sofia Neri/Mercedes Garcia Cid (AUM), 8-5
C-SF: def. Rebecca Presely/Ida Axelsson (UT), 8-5
C-F: lost to Alyssa Novoa/Amina Abdullaeva (RC), WO (inj.)
 
SINGLES
MEN
(14) Jose David Segovia
R64: def. Blake Robertson (SHC), 6-2, 6-1
R32: def. Florian Walcher (MC), 6-1, 6-3
R16: lost to (8) Enrico Rosellini (ERAU), 6-1, 6-4
 
Thomas Buchard
R64: lost to Sergio Ramirez Ocana (MC), 6-1, 6-3
C-R32-Q: lost to Emile Delporte (VSU), 6-3, 6-2
 
Eduardo Cohen
R64: def. Valentin Greco (DSU), 6-1, 6-4
R32: lost to (6) Diego Duran (UWF), 6-3, 2-6, (10-3)
 
Kodai Kato
R64: lost to Mario Garoz (FSC), 6-2, 6-3
C-R32-Q: def. Mark Neyelov (UWF), 6-4, 6-3
C-R32: Bye
C-R16: def. Jip Langerhuizen (LEE), 4-6, 6-1, (10-6)
CQF: def. Louay Makke (LU), 6-3, 6-4
C-SF: vs. Stefan Mos (LEE)
 
Dylan Andrianaly
R64: def. Christian Bacher (UM), 6-3, 6-2
R34: lost to (10) Matias Iturbe (UWA), 6-3, 6-0
 
WOMEN
Deren Ozel
R64: lost to (13) Emily Buchanan (MC), 6-2, 7-6(4)
C-R32-Q: def. Amina Taibi (RC), 6-1, 6-0
C-R32: Bye
C-R16: def. Greta Zawels (UWA), 6-1, 6-3
C-QF: lost to Rune Van Wyk (MC), 4-6, 7-6(6), (10-2)
 
Candice Bernier
R64: lost to (6) Viktoriia Dema (BU), 6-1, 6-3
C-R32-Q: def. Ivana Castillo Hurtado (VSU), 6-1, 4-6 (10-5)
C-R32: Bye
C-R16: lost to Claire Jaramba (UM), 6-4, 6-3
 
Catherine Rabatin
R64: lost to Sofia Neri (AUM), 6-0, 2-6, (10-8)
C-R32-Q: lost to Anastasiia Iakovlieva (DSU), 2-6, 6-1, (10-8)
 
(12) Camila Keller
R64: def. Yasmina Mayer (DSU), 6-1, 6-1
R34: def. Rebecca Presely (UT), 4-6,7-5 (10-6)
R16: lost to Alyssa Nova (RC), 6-1, 6-2

UP NEXT
Segovia and Kato earned their spot at the ITA Cup, which will be played October 16-19 in Rome, Georgia. Bernier and Rabatin will wait to see if they earn an at-large bid to the ITA Cup.