Photo by: Colton Foster | Rice Athletics
10/8/2026 10:05:00 PM | Women's Tennis
WACO – Rice women's tennis advanced three Owls to the main singles draw Thursday to open the ITA Texas Regional in Waco.
Fernanda Martinez opened the day with a 7-5, 7-6 win over Jessica Board of Abilene Christian before securing her spot in the main draw with a 6-3, 0-6, 6-3 victory over Baylor's Ligaya Murray.
Freshman Josephine Kunz also earned two wins to advance. She defeated UTSA's Celine Absawi in three sets, 6-2, 6-7, 6-1, before claiming a 6-0, 6-3 victory over UIW's Victoria Franklin.
Francesca Maguina received a first-round bye and advanced to the main draw after taking the opening set 6-2 and leading 3-0 in the second when Luna Buijtenhuijs retired due to injury.
Daniela Chica opened her tournament with a 6-3, 6-1 win over UTSA's Akari Tomoyose before falling to Texas A&M's Yoana Konstantinova, 7-6, 6-2.
Main-draw singles play begins Friday. Anushka Ashar, Martinez and Divna Ratkovic are scheduled to compete at 12:30 p.m., followed by Maguina and Nithesa Selvaraj at 2 p.m. and Uma Bakaityte and Kunz at 3:30 p.m.
Doubles play begins at 8 a.m. with Ashar and Selvaraj. Kunz and Maguina will take the court at 9:30 a.m., followed by Ratkovic and Chica and Martinez and Bakaityte at 11 a.m. Both later pairs received first-round byes.
Results
Singles
Fernanda Martinez (RICE) def. Jessica Board (ACU) 7-5, 7-6
Daniela Chica (RICE) def. Akari Tomoyose (UTSA) 6-3, 6-0
Josephine Kunz (RICE) def. Celine Absawi (UTSA) 6-2, 6-7, 6-1
Francesca Maguina (RICE) vs Luna Buijtenhuis (UTRGV) 6-2, 3-0 RET [inj]
Yoana Konstantinova (TAMU) def. Daniela Chica (RICE) 7-6, 6-2
Josephine Kunz (RICE) def. Victoria Franklin (UIW) 6-0, 6-3
Fernanda Martinez (RICE) def. Ligaya Murray (Baylor) 6-3, 0-6, 6-3
Fernanda Martinez opened the day with a 7-5, 7-6 win over Jessica Board of Abilene Christian before securing her spot in the main draw with a 6-3, 0-6, 6-3 victory over Baylor's Ligaya Murray.
Freshman Josephine Kunz also earned two wins to advance. She defeated UTSA's Celine Absawi in three sets, 6-2, 6-7, 6-1, before claiming a 6-0, 6-3 victory over UIW's Victoria Franklin.
Francesca Maguina received a first-round bye and advanced to the main draw after taking the opening set 6-2 and leading 3-0 in the second when Luna Buijtenhuijs retired due to injury.
Daniela Chica opened her tournament with a 6-3, 6-1 win over UTSA's Akari Tomoyose before falling to Texas A&M's Yoana Konstantinova, 7-6, 6-2.
Main-draw singles play begins Friday. Anushka Ashar, Martinez and Divna Ratkovic are scheduled to compete at 12:30 p.m., followed by Maguina and Nithesa Selvaraj at 2 p.m. and Uma Bakaityte and Kunz at 3:30 p.m.
Doubles play begins at 8 a.m. with Ashar and Selvaraj. Kunz and Maguina will take the court at 9:30 a.m., followed by Ratkovic and Chica and Martinez and Bakaityte at 11 a.m. Both later pairs received first-round byes.
Results
Singles
Fernanda Martinez (RICE) def. Jessica Board (ACU) 7-5, 7-6
Daniela Chica (RICE) def. Akari Tomoyose (UTSA) 6-3, 6-0
Josephine Kunz (RICE) def. Celine Absawi (UTSA) 6-2, 6-7, 6-1
Francesca Maguina (RICE) vs Luna Buijtenhuis (UTRGV) 6-2, 3-0 RET [inj]
Yoana Konstantinova (TAMU) def. Daniela Chica (RICE) 7-6, 6-2
Josephine Kunz (RICE) def. Victoria Franklin (UIW) 6-0, 6-3
Fernanda Martinez (RICE) def. Ligaya Murray (Baylor) 6-3, 0-6, 6-3
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
Wednesday, March 09
Saturday, December 04
Thursday, December 02