Cary, NC – After becoming the first player in program history to win a match at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Women’s Tennis All-American Championship, Saturday, Austin Peay State University (APSU) women’s tennis graduate student Jana Leder extended her winning streak on the final day of the tournament, but lost the following match to end her historic run, Sunday, at the Cary Tennis Park.
“Jana played some great tennis this weekend,” said Austin Peay State University head women’s tennis coach Maria Sorbello Morrison. “We are all so proud of the way that she represented APSU on the national stage. She has improved so much throughout her years here and it showed in this tournament.”
Leder defeated nationally ranked No. 84 Giulia Morlet from Arizona State in straight sets (6-4, 6-3) to open the event, earning Austin Peay State University’s first-ever win against a ranked opponent and first win at the All-American Championships.
A two-time First Team All-PAC-12 selection and mainstay in the ITA’s National Singles Rankings, Morlet has exclusively played the No. 1 position for the Sun Devils each of the last two seasons where she has combined for seven nationally-ranked victories, including two against top-20 opponents. She has ranked as high as No. 54 in singles by the ITA in three seasons at ASU.
Following her win against Morlet, Leder again picked up a straight-set win (6-4, 6-4) against a Power 5 opponent in Iowa’s Daianne Hayashida.
Hayashida won a team-best 10 singles wins for the Hawkeyes during her freshman campaign, including posting a 4-0 mark in Big Ten singles play.
Leder’s tournament run came to an end following a 6-1, 6-3 loss to North Carolina’s Theadora Rabman, who was the No. 13 seed in the tournament and the No. 14 in the United States Tennis Association’s Junior Rankings and the No. 53 player in the International Tennis Federation’s Junior Rankings.
“I am so pleased with Jana to get rewarded for the effort she has put in all throughout her career,” said APSU Director of Tennis Ross Brown. “She has been a foundation of this program for a number of years. There is no give in her, she works extremely hard to give herself the best chance at being successful. To come back for her COVID year, and pick up a couple of great wins is an extreme confidence boost for her. The difference with what she is doing now, is that when it gets close, she is being brave and committing to the shots she needs to play and that is what makes the difference.”
