My Article on Rodriguez's Commitment to Georgia; Jovic Outlasts Stoiana to Stay in Australian Open WC Race; Smith Reaches First Challenger Semifinal in Sioux Falls; Monday Wins 13th Straight Match at Norman $25K

Earlier this month I spoke with blue chip Ava Rodriguez about her commitment to the University of Georgia, with the 16-year-old, who is No. 9 in the Tennis Recruiting Network's Class of 2026, making a decison early in the process, just weeks after talking with coaches this summer.

Rodriguez started playing softball, but with an older brother who played tennis, and a family background in the game, she began focusing solely on that sport four or five years ago. 

For more on Rodriguez's decision to verbally commit to Georgia, see this article at the Tennis Recruiting Network. 

Wild card Sofia Kenin defeated No. 3 seed Daria Kasatkina of Russia 6-3, 6-4 today in the quarterfinals of the WTA 500 in Tokyo to move closer to a return to the Top 100 and direct entry into the Australian Open. She's not there yet however, with her live ranking at 105, so if she loses to No. 9 seed Katie Boulter of Great Britain in the semifinals and doesn't play the rest of the year, she will win the USTA's Australian Open wild card race, which ends this week.

But if Kenin wins tomorrow, or does continue to play and gets into 2025's first major on her own ranking later this fall, that wild card will go to the next highest finisher, which will be determined this week at the USTA Pro Circuit W100 in Tyler Texas.

Iva Jovic took a big step forward in that race today, defeating Texas A&M senior Mary Stoiana 6-2, 6-7(6), 7-6(2) in the three-hour and 24-minute quarterfinal. Jovic served for the match twice in the second set, at 5-4, and 6-5, but with only two service holds in the 12 games of the set, it was no surprise that she didn't close it out. Stoiana, who moved into the WTA Top 300 with her second round win Thursday, was up 6-3 in the tiebreaker before closing it out. 

Jovic took a 3-1 lead in the third set, but three service breaks later it was 4-all, and neither blinked in reaching the tiebreaker. Jovic was definitely steadier in that final game, closing it out on her first match point.

Jovic will face unseeded Jaimee Fourlis of Australia, who defeated No. 6 seed Katarzyna Kawa of Poland 4-6, 7-5, 6-1. 

While Jovic has kept her hopes alive for the Australian Open wild card, so too has Alana Smith, the former NC State All-American, who received a wild card into this week's tournament. Smith, who reached the final of the W75 in Norman two weeks ago, defeated unseeded Usue Arconada 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 to advance to the semifinals. She will face top seed Renata Zarazua of Mexico, who defeated Clervie Ngounoue 6-4, 6-2.

While the women's Australian Open Wild Card Race ends this week, the men's has just begun, and only two Americans will earn any significant points this week, Colton Smith(Arizona) and the winner of tonight's Sioux Falls ATP Challenger 75 quarterfinal between Chris Eubanks(Georgia Tech) and Murphy Cassone(Arizona State).

Arizona senior Smith, who received a wild card this week, battled past Michigan State junior Ozan Baris 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to reach his first Challenger semifinal. One bad game in the third set by Baris, at 4-all, was the only break of the set, but Smith had to save three break points serving for the match before converting his third match point.

Smith, who played his first Challenger in August, will take on either Cassone or Eubanks Saturday.

After last week's Challenger in Calgary featured two qualifiers, another one has reached the Sioux Falls semifinals, former Wake Forest All-American Borna Gojo of Croatia. Gojo, who was 72 in the ATP rankings less than a year ago, was out with an injury from January until August, and struggled to find his form in the past three months. But with his wins over No. 2 seed Mitchell Krueger, Denis Kudla and No. 6 seed Brandon Holt(USC) today, the latter by a 4-6, 7-6(1), 6-2 score, he is back on track. He will face unseeded Mark Lajal of Estonia, who beat No. 6 seed Patrick Kypson(Texas A&M) 7-6(3), 6-3.

Johannus Monday is one of four former collegians through to the semifinals at the $25,000 men's USTA Pro Circuit tournament in Norman Oklahoma. Monday, who graduated from Tennessee this past spring, has won the past two $25Ks in the United States, two weeks ago in Louisville and last week in Harlingen. Unseeded, the 22-year-old from Great Britain, won his 13th straight match today with a 6-0, 7-6(3) win over qualifier Sebastian Dominko(Notre Dame) of Slovenia.

Monday will face Stefan Dostanic, the former USC All-American who will be using his final season of eligibility at Wake Forest in the spring. Dostanic, also unseeded, defeated qualifier Isaac Becroft(Oklahoma State) of New Zealand 6-3, 6-2.

Recent Oklahoma State graduate Tyler Zink, the only seed remaining at No. 6, defeated No. 4 seed Alex Martinez(Oklahoma) of Spain 6-4, 6-2. He will play Juan Carlos Aguilar(Texas A&M, TCU) of Canada, who beat Quinn Vandecasteele(Oregon) 0-6, 7-6(4), 6-4. Vandecasteele had beaten top seed Toby Kodat 6-4, 6-3 Thursday.

There are two 19-year-old current collegians in semifinals at the USTA Pro Circuit W35 in Hilton Head: Georgia junior Anastasiya Lopata of Ukraine and Central Florida sophomore Olivia Lincer of Poland. 

2024 NCAA finalist Lopata followed up her win yesterday over teammate and Georgia No. 1 Dasha Vidmanova by taking out Michigan's former No. 1 Kari Miller 6-1, 4-6, 6-4. Lopata will face Kylie McKenzie, who advanced when No. 3 seed Allie Kiick retired down 3-1.

Lincer defeated No. 4 seed Jenny Duerst of Switzerland 1-6, 7-6(4), 6-0 and will play top seed Elvina Kalieva, who beat Eryn Cayetano(USC) 6-3, 6-1.