Completed Event: Tennis versus Blue Gray National Tennis Classic on September 12, 2025 ,
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Tennis
Blue Gray National Tennis Classic
Iowa State University Athletics
Cyclones Punch Tickets To Fall Nationals
10.24.2021 | Tennis
IOWA CITY, Iowa – It'll be a Cyclone versus Cyclone matchup in the doubles finals at the ITA Central Regional Championships Monday.
The Cyclones earned a clean sweep of both doubles qualifiers from the region for the ITA Fall National Championships which will be held Nov. 4-7 in San Diego, California.
"For two of our doubles teams to reach the final to play each other is a special moment for our program," head coach Boomer Saia said. "Our teams have brought out some superb tennis this weekend - playing our best in the most important moments. We preach a lot about energy and styles of play and both of our teams have consistently brought their best to each match. I'm excited for them to compete at fall nationals for the first time in our program's history."
Miska Kadleckova and Sofia Cabezas were the first to punch their ticket, earning a quarterfinals win against Oklahoma State's Ayumi Miyamoto and Dariya Detkovskaya, 8-3. The pair then became the first Cyclones ever to reach the national tournament after beating Arkansas' pair of Morgan Cross and Tatum Rice, 6-3, 6-2.
Thasaporn Naklo and Christin Hsieh joined them shortly after, beating Maria Titova and Malkia Ngounoue of Kansas, 8-4, in the quarterfinals. With a trip to nationals on the line, the Cyclone duo won the opening set 6-2 against K-State's Dinara Alloyarova and Manami Ukita. Naklo and Hsieh fell behind 3-0 in the second set, but rallied for the 6-3 victory to reach the finals alongside their Cyclone teammates.
Naklo, the tournament's top singles seed and nation's No. 38 player, also stayed alive with a quarterfinal win against Southeast Missouri's Romana Tarajova by a tally of 6-1, 6-1.
"Naklo has continued to make a significant run here and we are excited for her to compete in the semifinals tomorrow."
Naklo will attempt to earn a trip to nationals in singles play on Monday when she faces KU's Malkia Ngounoue at 9 a.m. in the semifinals. The Cyclones doubles teams will battle for the championship at 11:30 a.m.
"So proud of each one of our kids at this tournament," Saia said. "They have competed unbelievably hard in each match. Chie Kezuka made an incredible run in singles - she battled against some of the top players in our region. All of the hard work Chie has been putting in is paying off and I'm excited to see where her game continues to go."
Singles
Quarterfinals
Thasaporn Naklo (ISU) def. Romana Tarajova (SEMO), 6-1, 6-1
Doubles
Quarterfinals
Naklo/Christin Hsieh (ISU) def. Maria Titova/Malkia Ngounoue (KU), 8-4
Miska Kadleckova/Sofia Cabezas (ISU) def. Ayumi Miyamoto/Dariya Detkovskaya (OSU), 8-3
Semifinals
Kadleckova/Cabezas (ISU) def. Morgan Cross/Tatum Rice (ARK), 6-3, 6-2
Naklo/Hsieh (ISU) def. Dinara Alloyarova/Manami Ukita (KSU), 6-2, 6-3
Players Mentioned
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