University of Miami player, Alexa Noel, becomes NCAA Singles Champ

Alexa Noel is bringing the NCAA Singles Championship trophy back to the University of Miami after her three-set thriller at the Greenwood Tennis Center last week.

For the third time in program history, a Miami Hurricane has earned the NCAA Singles title (Audra Cohen in 2007 and Estela Perez-Somarriba in 2019). Noel secured the honor after a 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 victory against No. 70 Anastasiia Lopata from Georgia.

Above: Alexa Noel. Photo: University of Miami.

“I’m so proud of the tournament that Alexa played,” said head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews. “She showed uncompromising poise and the toughness of a champion. She’s a special young lady.”

The accolade marks Yaroshuk-Tews’ third career NCAA Singles Champion and second in the past five tournaments.

Lopata was first to notch a game before Noel answered right back to tie it up and secure the break point to go up 2-1. The Bulldog didn’t waiver from it, as she took the next break point against Noel to lead 3-2. In a tight point to give Lopata the possible advantage, Georgia led 4-3, hoping to go up with only one more game to claim the set. Noel persevered to take the game and tied it up at 4-4. Lopata continued to do what she did and kept the game at her pace, leading to a 6-4 set win for Georgia.

Above: Highlights from the match. YouTube: Miami Hurricanes.

Set two started the same way, with Lopata taking the lead and earning the 2-0 advantage. Noel didn’t stray away from fighting to cut the deficit, as she came up big with a break point to make it 3-2 and ultimately tie it at three-all. The remainder of the set mirrored the same way, until Noel took the lead on break point, 6-5, for her first lead since the first set at 2-1. The Hurricane went on and took the set, 7-5, to even the match.

The first five games were back-and-forth on ties and leads. Noel started to pull away after a 3-2 lead, pushing it to 5-2. Lopata went on to take her last game of the set, before Noel claimed the set, 6-3.

Since the victory, Noel received a wildcard into the US Open main draw and was also named a Honda Sport Award finalist for tennis.

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Source/Top Photo: University of Miami.