University of Tennessee Athletics
Women’s Tennis Inks Two to 2019 Class
November 20, 2018 | Women's Tennis
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee women's tennis team added two signees to its 2019 class this week, adding Rebeka Mertena and Maia Haumuller.
Both Mertena and Haumuller are early enrollees and will join the Lady Vols in January, eligible to compete immediately.
"I'm very excited for both Maia and Rebeka to join our Volunteer family this upcoming spring," head coach Alison Ojeda said. "Both of them have spirit that align with the culture of our team.
"Maia's ferocity on the tennis court and Rebeka's ability to compete at an incredibly high level is going to instantly make a positive impact on our program."
Mertena, a Liepaja, Latvia native, has an 11.88 UTR and has competed for the Latvian National Team since 2013. She has posted a 55-21 singles record in ITF Juniors play and peaked at No. 243 in the rankings in October 2017.
Mertena claimed three ITF Juniors singles titles in 2017, each of those as the top seed. She first won the Grade 4 U-18 Tallink Cup in Estonia in July, following that with trophies in September at the Grade 5 Siaulai Mayor's Cup in Lithuania and the Grade 5 Venden Cup Liepaja.
Mertena has two Latvian Olympiad singles titles, taking the U-14 championship in 2013 and the adult crown in 2016. She also earned Liepaja City Sport's Athlete of the Year in 2016.
"Rebeka is going to be a phenomenal addition to our team here at Tennessee," assistant coach Ty Schaub said. "She not only has a serious skill set in tennis, but she is also an awesome girl.
"I had a great opportunity to go see her in her hometown of Liepaja, Latvia. As I got to watch her train and spend time with her family, I was equally as impressed with her interactions with her parents and coach as I was with her tennis ability! Rebeka is going to bring a lot to the table here in Knoxville."
Haumuller has also racked up impressive credentials prior to her arrival on Rocky Top. The Corral De Bustos, Argentina, native possesses a 10.50 UTR, and reached a high ranking of No. 152 in March of last year. Haumuller owns a 56-45 singles record.
Since July of 2016, Haumuller has won one singles tournament and advanced to the finals of three more. She won the singles main draw at the Grade 5 2016 Paraguay Junior Open, while finishing runner-up at the Grade 5 2017 Tunari Junior Open, the Grade 5 2016 Barquisimeto Juniors Open and the Grade 5 12th Mburucuya Bowl.
"I couldn't be more excited to add Maia to the squad," assistant coach Ty Schaub said. "I think Maia is going to get to Tennessee and be a serious worker.
"I was instantly impressed with Maia when I watched her play and met with her this summer. She's an athletic girl with a lot of fire and I expect big things from Maia here on Rocky Top!"
Mertena and Haumuller join Johanna Silva (Hamburg, Germany), Tenika McGiffin (Brisbane, Australia) and Kaitlin Staines (Wagga Wagga, Australia) as players from outside of the United States on Tennessee's roster.
The Lady Vols wrapped up their fall season with the Tennessee Fall Invite at the end of October. The team will return to action on Jan. 14, when they host North Alabama to begin the spring season.
"Our Lady Vols have worked incredibly hard to create a championship culture all across the board," Ojeda said. "Whether we are learning in the classroom, lifting in the weight room, running on the turf or practicing to put another ball in the court, everything we do is with excellence in mind.
"We are pushing each other every day to become better competitors, and I'm happy about our team's progress. Our focus is 100 percent on the process."
For the most up-to-date information about the Tennessee women's tennis program, follow @Vol_WTennis on Twitter.
Both Mertena and Haumuller are early enrollees and will join the Lady Vols in January, eligible to compete immediately.
"I'm very excited for both Maia and Rebeka to join our Volunteer family this upcoming spring," head coach Alison Ojeda said. "Both of them have spirit that align with the culture of our team.
"Maia's ferocity on the tennis court and Rebeka's ability to compete at an incredibly high level is going to instantly make a positive impact on our program."
Mertena, a Liepaja, Latvia native, has an 11.88 UTR and has competed for the Latvian National Team since 2013. She has posted a 55-21 singles record in ITF Juniors play and peaked at No. 243 in the rankings in October 2017.
Mertena claimed three ITF Juniors singles titles in 2017, each of those as the top seed. She first won the Grade 4 U-18 Tallink Cup in Estonia in July, following that with trophies in September at the Grade 5 Siaulai Mayor's Cup in Lithuania and the Grade 5 Venden Cup Liepaja.
Mertena has two Latvian Olympiad singles titles, taking the U-14 championship in 2013 and the adult crown in 2016. She also earned Liepaja City Sport's Athlete of the Year in 2016.
"Rebeka is going to be a phenomenal addition to our team here at Tennessee," assistant coach Ty Schaub said. "She not only has a serious skill set in tennis, but she is also an awesome girl.
"I had a great opportunity to go see her in her hometown of Liepaja, Latvia. As I got to watch her train and spend time with her family, I was equally as impressed with her interactions with her parents and coach as I was with her tennis ability! Rebeka is going to bring a lot to the table here in Knoxville."
Haumuller has also racked up impressive credentials prior to her arrival on Rocky Top. The Corral De Bustos, Argentina, native possesses a 10.50 UTR, and reached a high ranking of No. 152 in March of last year. Haumuller owns a 56-45 singles record.
Since July of 2016, Haumuller has won one singles tournament and advanced to the finals of three more. She won the singles main draw at the Grade 5 2016 Paraguay Junior Open, while finishing runner-up at the Grade 5 2017 Tunari Junior Open, the Grade 5 2016 Barquisimeto Juniors Open and the Grade 5 12th Mburucuya Bowl.
"I couldn't be more excited to add Maia to the squad," assistant coach Ty Schaub said. "I think Maia is going to get to Tennessee and be a serious worker.
"I was instantly impressed with Maia when I watched her play and met with her this summer. She's an athletic girl with a lot of fire and I expect big things from Maia here on Rocky Top!"
Mertena and Haumuller join Johanna Silva (Hamburg, Germany), Tenika McGiffin (Brisbane, Australia) and Kaitlin Staines (Wagga Wagga, Australia) as players from outside of the United States on Tennessee's roster.
The Lady Vols wrapped up their fall season with the Tennessee Fall Invite at the end of October. The team will return to action on Jan. 14, when they host North Alabama to begin the spring season.
"Our Lady Vols have worked incredibly hard to create a championship culture all across the board," Ojeda said. "Whether we are learning in the classroom, lifting in the weight room, running on the turf or practicing to put another ball in the court, everything we do is with excellence in mind.
"We are pushing each other every day to become better competitors, and I'm happy about our team's progress. Our focus is 100 percent on the process."
For the most up-to-date information about the Tennessee women's tennis program, follow @Vol_WTennis on Twitter.
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