University of Tennessee Athletics
Photo by: Peyton Collimore/Tennessee Athletics
Britez Risso, Doubles Pairs Advance to ITA Regional Semifinals
October 19, 2025 | Women's Tennis
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee women's tennis team Sunday saw two doubles entries and one singles competitor advance to the ITA Ohio Valley Regional Semifinals.
No. 34 Leyla Britez Risso won her quarterfinal singles match after losing her first set 6-2. The senior battled to a contentious 6-3 win in the second set to knot the score, and outlasted Vanderbilt's No. 45 Valeria Ray in a dominant 6-1 third.
Britez Risso needs only one more win to nab an automatic qualifying spot into the NCAA Individual Championships in November, as both finalists from each of the 13 ITA regions will earn bids.
On the doubles front, both Lady Vol duos earned wins to advance to the semifinals. No. 17 Catherine Aulia/Britez Risso made quick work of Xavier's Nugent/Owen tandem, earning an 8-4 set win. Francesca Mattioli/Maeve Thornton earned their victory over Vanderbilt's Ray/Stammel, 8-5.
Tennessee's two remaining doubles pairs will need two more wins to earn a trip to Lake Nona, as only the champion of each region earns and automatic bid.
The semifinals of doubles competition are slated for 10:00 a.m. ET Monday. The singles semifinals will follow, with times and court assignments not yet established. Check the ITA Ohio Valley Regional tournament homepage for schedule details and results.
ITA Regional Championships Information
The tournament presents an opportunity for two individual players and one doubles pairing to earn automatic qualifications for the NCAA Individual Championships in November.
Each of the 2025 ITA Men's and Women's Division I Regional Championships will have a draw size of at least 64 in the singles qualifying draw and 64 in the singles main draw. The doubles field stands at a minimum of 32 in both the qualifying and main draws.
From these fields, the two singles finalists from each region (26 total players) will qualify for the NCAA Singles Championship. Meanwhile, the doubles champion from each region (13 total entries) will qualify for the NCAA Doubles Championship.
For more information about the ITA Regional Championships, click HERE. For more information on the Ohio Valley Regional in Knoxville, click HERE. Click the following links for Live Stats, Live Streams, and directions to the Barksdale Tennis Stadium. All UT home tennis events are free to attend, and all seating is general admission.
ITA Ohio Valley Regionals – Lady Vols Results (Day One)
Doubles – Quarterfinals
Aulia/Britez Risso (UT) def. Nugent/Owen (Xavier) – 8-4
Mattioli/Thornton (UT) def. Ray/Stammel (VU) – 8-5
Singles – Round of 16
Catherine Aulia (UT) def. Amelia Sorey (Indiana) – 3-6, 6-4, 6-2
Leyla Britez Risso (UT) def. Gabrielle Guenther (Cincinnati) – 6-1, 6-1
Valeria Ray (VU) def. Francesca Mattioli (UT) – 6-3, 6-0
Vanesa Suarez (UT) def. Nicole Teodosescu (Indiana) – 6-2, 6-0
Bridget Stammel (VU) def. Saray Yli-Piipari (UT) – 6-4, 6-2
Mia Yamakita (VU) def. Elim Yan (UT) – 7-6 [3], 6-3
Singles - Quarterfinals
Leyla Britez Risso (UT) def. Valeria Ray (VU) – 2-6, 6-3, 6-1
Bridget Stammel (VU) def. Vanesa Suarez (UT) – 6-2, 6-1
Julia Zhu (UK) def. Catherine Aulia (UT) – 6-4, 6-3
No. 34 Leyla Britez Risso won her quarterfinal singles match after losing her first set 6-2. The senior battled to a contentious 6-3 win in the second set to knot the score, and outlasted Vanderbilt's No. 45 Valeria Ray in a dominant 6-1 third.
Britez Risso needs only one more win to nab an automatic qualifying spot into the NCAA Individual Championships in November, as both finalists from each of the 13 ITA regions will earn bids.
On the doubles front, both Lady Vol duos earned wins to advance to the semifinals. No. 17 Catherine Aulia/Britez Risso made quick work of Xavier's Nugent/Owen tandem, earning an 8-4 set win. Francesca Mattioli/Maeve Thornton earned their victory over Vanderbilt's Ray/Stammel, 8-5.
Tennessee's two remaining doubles pairs will need two more wins to earn a trip to Lake Nona, as only the champion of each region earns and automatic bid.
The semifinals of doubles competition are slated for 10:00 a.m. ET Monday. The singles semifinals will follow, with times and court assignments not yet established. Check the ITA Ohio Valley Regional tournament homepage for schedule details and results.
ITA Regional Championships Information
The tournament presents an opportunity for two individual players and one doubles pairing to earn automatic qualifications for the NCAA Individual Championships in November.
Each of the 2025 ITA Men's and Women's Division I Regional Championships will have a draw size of at least 64 in the singles qualifying draw and 64 in the singles main draw. The doubles field stands at a minimum of 32 in both the qualifying and main draws.
From these fields, the two singles finalists from each region (26 total players) will qualify for the NCAA Singles Championship. Meanwhile, the doubles champion from each region (13 total entries) will qualify for the NCAA Doubles Championship.
For more information about the ITA Regional Championships, click HERE. For more information on the Ohio Valley Regional in Knoxville, click HERE. Click the following links for Live Stats, Live Streams, and directions to the Barksdale Tennis Stadium. All UT home tennis events are free to attend, and all seating is general admission.
ITA Ohio Valley Regionals – Lady Vols Results (Day One)
Doubles – Quarterfinals
Aulia/Britez Risso (UT) def. Nugent/Owen (Xavier) – 8-4
Mattioli/Thornton (UT) def. Ray/Stammel (VU) – 8-5
Singles – Round of 16
Catherine Aulia (UT) def. Amelia Sorey (Indiana) – 3-6, 6-4, 6-2
Leyla Britez Risso (UT) def. Gabrielle Guenther (Cincinnati) – 6-1, 6-1
Valeria Ray (VU) def. Francesca Mattioli (UT) – 6-3, 6-0
Vanesa Suarez (UT) def. Nicole Teodosescu (Indiana) – 6-2, 6-0
Bridget Stammel (VU) def. Saray Yli-Piipari (UT) – 6-4, 6-2
Mia Yamakita (VU) def. Elim Yan (UT) – 7-6 [3], 6-3
Singles - Quarterfinals
Leyla Britez Risso (UT) def. Valeria Ray (VU) – 2-6, 6-3, 6-1
Bridget Stammel (VU) def. Vanesa Suarez (UT) – 6-2, 6-1
Julia Zhu (UK) def. Catherine Aulia (UT) – 6-4, 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
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