Vicens Miquel Claims Women's Singles Title

Women's Tennis | September 17, 2017

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Junior Marina Vicens Miquel completed her spectacular run at the Contender CrossFit Islander Open with a come from behind victory in the women's singles championship match to earn her first individual title.
 
Vicens Miquel toppled Louisiana's Florian Picaut, overcoming a 6-2 defeat in the opening set to earn the championship. Down a set, the Islander continued to grind, slowly but surely working her way back into the match.
 
Vicens Miquel claimed a 6-3 second set to level the championship match and force a 10-point super tiebreak for the title. The Islander was dominant from the outset, reeling off a 5-1 advantage. The edge would prove more than enough as Vicens Miquel rolled to a 10-5 victory and the Islander Open Championship. For Miquel, it marked the third-straight number one player the Islander defeated this weekend, knocking off the top players from UTSA, UIW and Louisiana.
 
"Honestly, this is a special result for us to have Marina win the Contender CrossFit Islander Open," said Director of Tennis Steve Moore. "Marina really stands for all the good values that we teach so much here. She was our seven player as a freshman, our six last year and she really represents everything you appreciate as a coach: hard work, grit and determination.
 
"We gave this girl a game plan of things to work on this summer and she obviously worked her tail off," Moore continued. "She improved like crazy and came in and won the tournament. You have to root for someone like Marina who is so driven and determined."
 
Along with Vicens Miquel's title, the Islanders added a pair of runner-up finishes on the men's side. The Kellerman twins, Francois and Okkie, came oh-so-close to a doubles title, but fell in a heartbreaking 7-6 (7) defeat in a tiebreaker.
 
Trading games throughout the set, the Islander duo reached 6-6 against UTRGV's Kaufman and Johnstone. The two sides traded points in the tiebreaker and the twins appeared to have gained the upperhand at 8-7, but the ball was called out to flip the scoreline. Kaufman and Johnstone picked up the next point to take the title.
 
In men's singles, William Mottet opened the morning with a 6-4, 4-6, 10-5 victory over Koby Jansen in the semifinals to earn a spot in the championship match. Mottet was also dealt to a runner-up finish as Lamar's Benny Schweizer claimed the title 6-2, 6-2.
 
For a 10th straight year, Islanders Tennis brought another wildly successful ITA-sanctioned tournament to Corpus Christi with the Contender CrossFit Islander Open. It's a feat and event that had Director of Tennis Steve Moore talking after the weekend.
 
"What a great event for our community and our university to have an ITA sanctioned event in Corpus Christi," Moore said. "We can't thank Contender CrossFit and David Harris enough for making this event possible for this tennis community and I can't thank Hester's enough for the amazing food they brought out as well. It's special to see the community come together like this and the support this team receives. We're really grateful for this community and its special to see the way this community supports Islanders Tennis."
 
UP NEXT
 
The Islanders continue their fall schedule as the women head to the Rice Invitational next weekend in Houston. The men will follow on the 29th for their return to action at the Rice Invitational.