MALIBU, Calif. – After the most unprecedented ending to a season in history, members of the Pepperdine women's tennis team return to action this week in the re-designed Oracle/ITA Masters, hosted by San Diego at the Barnes Tennis Center.
 
The Masters "is an open event for college, elite juniors and professional players that have had their fall seasons cancelled or severely limited due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic." The tournament will feature singles-only play.
 
Health and safety guidelines include checking temperatures, proper face coverings off the courts, repeated sanitization routines, social distancing guidelines enforced throughout and no handshakes or physical contact between players.
 
OPENING ROUND MATCH-UPS
Nikki Redelijk (PEPP) vs Jwany Sherif (pro) | Friday, October 9 | 10:30 a.m. PST
Lexi Ryngler (PEPP) vs Becca Weissmann (LMU)  | Friday, October 9 | 9 a.m. PST
Jessica Failla (Unattached) vs Maya Pitts (junior) | Friday, October 9 | 11:30 a.m. PST
Ashley Lahey (Unattached) vs Vivian Ovrootsky (junior) | Friday, October 9 | 9 a.m. PST
 
THE FIELD
Fresh waves Nikki Redelijk and Lexi Ryngler will make their debuts in Waves uniforms in San Diego as true freshman Redelijk takes on the likes of Jwany Sherif, a player in her professional career while transfer Ryngler will meet LMU's Becca Weissmann, who transferred to the Lions from USC.
 
Competing unattached from Pepperdine are powerhouses Ashley Lahey and Jessica Failla who both chose to return to Malibu after the abrupt ending of their senior seasons. Both players open the tournament against junior players as Lahey takes on Vivian Ovrootsky and Failla entices Maya Pitts, who won the 2019 USTA SoCal Junior Sectionals.
 
Other names of note include USD junior Solymar Colling, recent Gonzaga graduate Sophie Whittle, Cal sophomore Haley Giavara and senior Julia Rosenqvist, Wake Forest sophomore Anna Campana, USC senior Angela Kulikov and Princeton junior Grace Joyce.