Rice's Yasha Zemel Named AAC Men's Tennis Player of the Week
3/26/2024 1:30:00 PM | Men's Tennis
HOUSTON, Texas — Rice men's tennis senior Yasha Zemel has been named the AAC Men's Tennis Player of the Week for the week ending March 25.
Helping Rice to three wins during the week, Zemel went 5-0 across both doubles and singles play, playing exclusively at the first position in both lineups. In the Owls' 7-0 win over Dartmouth, Zemel teamed with sophomore Kabeer Kapasi to post a 6-4 win in doubles before earning a 6-2, 7-5 win in singles play. Against Wichita State in the opening match of the 65th Ralph O'Connor Rice Invitational, Zemel and Kapasi again started the Owls off with a 6-3 win in doubles play. Zemel then posted a dominant 6-1, 6-0 victory in singles play to lead Rice to the 4-0 sweep of the Shockers. In the tournament-clinching 4-0 win over UAB, Zemel capped his 5-0 week with a 6-0 win alongside Kapasi in doubles action. Zemel also led by a set in his singles match before play was suspended.
It is Zemel's first time in his career being named a conference player of the week. It is also the first time an Owl has been named the AAC Men's Tennis Player of the Week. Sophomore Santiago Navarro was the last Owl to be named a conference player of the week, earning the distinction from Conference USA in April of 2023.
The Owls continue their season with a pair of matches in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Owls will face off against Presbyterian in a neutral match on Saturday, March 30, at 2 p.m. (CT) before taking on No. 70 Charlotte on Sunday, March 31, at 11 a.m. (CT).
