Anastasiya Rychagova Named Big 12 Player of the Week

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Kansas freshman tennis sensation Anastasiya Rychagova was named the Big 12 Conference Women’s Tennis Player of the Week Wednesday afternoon, the league office announced. Rychagova is the first Jayhawk to pick up the award during the 2016 season.
 
Rychagova, who is currently ranked 45th in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) singles rankings, helped lead the Jayhawks to back-to-back wins over teams ranked in the top 45 of the latest ITA rankings over the weekend as KU dominated both No. 36 Arkansas and No. 45 Purdue in 4-1 victories. The wins pushed the Jayhawks to 4-0 to open the 2016 season.
 
Rychagova remains undefeated on the season, as well, as she posted two wins at the No. 1 singles position and joined forces with sophomore Smith Hinton to post a pair of wins at the No. 3 doubles position. Rychagova and Hinton’s doubles victories helped get the Jayhawks out to a 1-0 lead to start both matches over the weekend as their wins on court three allowed KU to secure the doubles point to open both matches.
 
Rychagova outdueled the more experienced Shannon Hudson of Arkansas, 7-5, 6-2, to help guide the Jayhawks to a win over No. 36 Arkansas. In her second singles match of the weekend she made quick work of Purdue’s Deborah Suarez, 6-1, 6-1.
 
Rychagova and her Jayhawk opponents will host a pair of home matches this upcoming weekend. Kansas will welcome North Texas to the Jayhawk Tennis Center for a 1 p.m., match on Saturday, Feb. 6. KU will then host Colorado on Sunday, Feb. 7 at 12 p.m.
 
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