ATLANTA, GA — June 29, 2025

Team Atlanta capped a perfect weekend at the INTENNSE™ Arena, defeating Team Tampa in a thrilling Dual and became the second host team to sweep both of its Matches. Atlanta’s decisive 226-202 victory followed Saturday night’s dramatic win over Jacksonville.

“The biggest thing was going to be how do we come back from last night for Atlanta,” said analyst J.Y. Aubone. “I think for Tampa, they had a lot of time to rest, so we expected them to come out with good energy. But really the question mark was on Atlanta. Can they maintain that energy?”

It turned out they could and then some.

A Deadlock Through Singles

The Dual opened with Women’s Singles, where momentum swung back and forth but neither team truly broke away. Tampa’s Kate Sharabura seized control early, helping Tampa win the first two Bolts and build a lead. Atlanta’s Tanya Sasnouskaya struggled out of the gate, later admitting, “I definitely was not very happy with my Women’s Singles today. It started very flat, very purposeless.”

But Tanya rallied in the third Bolt, winning it for Atlanta and narrowing Tampa’s edge. By the end of Women’s Singles, the score was still extremely tight with Tampa leading 66-63.

Men’s Singles followed the same script: tight, tactical, and fiercely contested. Tampa edged the first two Bolts, inching slightly ahead. But Atlanta’s Kevin King refused to let his team fall too far behind. With a brilliant final push, he flipped the scoreboard, leading Atlanta to outscore Tampa 73-67. It marked the first time in the Dual that Atlanta held the lead.

Coach Marcelo Ferreira couldn’t hide his pride. “Kevin…by the time the league is over, he’s going to be the MVP. He really stepped up this weekend, played unreal Singles, and in Doubles he was completely dominant.”

J.Y. Aubone gave credit to Tampa’s coaching staff, particularly Coach Yelena Labat, for shuffling lineups and bringing in Trey Mallory for strategic matchups. Still, as J.Y. put it, “Neither one pulled away. And all the way through the Singles, you just felt like, who’s really going to step up?”

Women’s Doubles: The Decisive Moment

The breakthrough finally arrived in Women’s Doubles. Atlanta’s Tanya Sasnouskaya and Ava Hrastar stepped onto the court and completely shifted the momentum. J.Y. described it perfectly: “That 10 minutes of Women’s Doubles is when everything just blew out of proportions for both Atlanta and Tampa. And Tampa just couldn’t come back.”

From the opening points, the Atlanta duo was relentless. Their first Bolt In Doubles ended with a massive 33-16 margin, instantly swinging the Dual Atlanta’s way. They maintained the pressure through the subsequent Bolt, refusing to let Tampa claw back.

By the time the teams reached Mixed Doubles, Atlanta had built a firm cushion, outscoring Tampa 90-69 in that match to extend their lead and seal the victory.

“That Women’s Doubles was the stamp on the day for Atlanta,” J.Y. Aubone said. “Tanya was doing a great job, really, at the net, putting a lot of pressure on both returners and making an impact.”

Coach Marcelo shared the praise: “I’m very pleased, especially because I wasn’t too happy with my Women’s Doubles yesterday. I’m very pleased with the way they bounced back. Ava and Tanya played really, really well in Doubles today.”

Tanya credited the comeback to her teammates’ support and the squad’s chemistry. “We were very happy to give that kick back to the team, to give a little advantage, to take some pressure off because the Dual was quite tight. The boys really, for me, definitely brought me back because I got a little down on myself. Overall, props to the team. We’re really a team throughout the entire weekend.”

A Host Team Making History

The Dual was a statement for Atlanta with sweeps in both Matches in a single weekend. Despite having played two grueling Matches in under 24 hours, Atlanta’s energy and unity carried them through.

“It was very impressive for Atlanta overall, after the amount of energy they spent last night going to bed late, coming back, and preparing,” said J.Y. Aubone. “When we arrived at the facility this morning, Tanya was here before everybody. She was in the player area, warming up, massaging, using a roller, stretching out. So even though they had a great win last night, you could tell those players were back for more today, and it showed.”

Coach Marcelo credited that spirit for Atlanta’s historic sweep. “The ultimate difference was the team coming together. The energy and the team unity made a huge difference,” he said. “With the type of format we play and the quality of players we have, when there’s energy, there’s engagement—they’re going to execute their shots.”

Looking Ahead

While Atlanta celebrates a perfect homestand, Tampa will spend the break retooling, particularly focusing on consistency in Women’s Doubles. J.Y. Aubone predicts Tampa’s fortunes could shift when Seone Mendez returns to pair with Kate Sharabura, forming a potentially dominant partnership.

“They’ve got to go and spend more time on the practice courts in Doubles and figure out how to play more consistent,” J.Y. Aubone said. “But Atlanta’s just dangerous if they’re going to start putting it all together.”

As fans filtered out of the INTENNSE Arena, there was no doubt: Team Atlanta had arrived as a serious contender—and the rest of the league had better take notice.

INTENNSE League action resumes July 12th and 13th at the INTENNSE Arena:

SATURDAY

• Jacksonville vs. Challenge Team — 2 PM ET
• Atlanta vs. Tampa — 7 PM ET

SUNDAY

• Jacksonville vs. Tampa — 7 PM ET

All Duals will be streamed live on Twitch @INTENNSE and YouTube.

The full schedule is available here: INTENNSE Schedule

Limited tickets are available, offering multiple experiences. Further details can be found via the INTENNSE Tickets link