EVANSTON, Ill. — For the first time since the 2015 campaign, a Northwestern rookie claimed Big Ten Tennis Athlete of the Week honors as Clarissa Hand earned the recognition from the league for her play at the 2019 Miami Spring Invite.
Hand, ranked No. 100 in singles, helped NU win a pair of doubles matches and claimed a top-10 win in singles play over the weekend. The Moorestown, N.J., native opened the spring season up by topping No. 7 Estela Perez-Somarriba (Miami) in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4. It was only the second time Perez-Somarriba dropped a singles match at home and the first time since Sept. 23, 2017.
In doubles action, Hand teamed up with Lee Or to beat No. 51 Yuna Ita and Ulyana Shirokova (Miami), 6-2, in addition to picking up a 6-2 decision over Vanderbilt's Emily Smith and Fernanda Contreras.
No. 19 Northwestern returns to action on Friday, Jan. 18, at 3 p.m. when it hosts UIC at the Combe Tennis Center. The Wildcats then travel to Lawrence, Kansas, to battle No. 16 Kansas at noon CT.
Hand, ranked No. 100 in singles, helped NU win a pair of doubles matches and claimed a top-10 win in singles play over the weekend. The Moorestown, N.J., native opened the spring season up by topping No. 7 Estela Perez-Somarriba (Miami) in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4. It was only the second time Perez-Somarriba dropped a singles match at home and the first time since Sept. 23, 2017.
In doubles action, Hand teamed up with Lee Or to beat No. 51 Yuna Ita and Ulyana Shirokova (Miami), 6-2, in addition to picking up a 6-2 decision over Vanderbilt's Emily Smith and Fernanda Contreras.
No. 19 Northwestern returns to action on Friday, Jan. 18, at 3 p.m. when it hosts UIC at the Combe Tennis Center. The Wildcats then travel to Lawrence, Kansas, to battle No. 16 Kansas at noon CT.