ATLANTA, GA – August 1, 2025 – INTENNSE™ Tennis is entering the home stretch with only two weekends left to go before crowning a champion. Atlanta is primed to pick up the points it needs if they can top Jacksonville and Tampa. 
 

Week Five Storylines:
 

2 PM – Team Tampa vs Challenge Team: "The Return of the Queen"
Irina Falconi is back. INTENNSE’s first-ever Challenge Team coach and the only one to lead her squad to victory. Can she work her magic again? Tampa finally has momentum after notching their first win in Week Four. Can they keep it rolling, or will Irina remind everyone how it’s done?
 

7 PM – Team Jacksonville vs Team Atlanta: "Tied Up and Tense"
The series is tied 1-1, tensions are rising, and the winner will take full control of their championship destiny. Sam Nicholson’s Week Four heroics pushed Jacksonville into the win column, but how will Atlanta respond after their streak was snapped? All eyes are on Atlanta’s on-court leader, Kevin King. Has his knee healed up enough to lead his team back to dominance?
 

2 PM Sunday – Team Tampa vs Team Atlanta: "The Doubles Drought"
Tampa’s men are heating up, but doubles have been a problem all season, with zero wins so far. Enter Quinn Gleason, a doubles specialist, to change things around. Can she be the missing piece Tampa needs to close out Week 5 with a statement?
 

League Standings:

Team Atlanta - 
Ava Hrastar is out this week, marking a significant departure for a team that fell to Jacksonville 208–191 in Week Four. Alessandra Crump, who previously played for Tampa in Week One, will take her place, while Edward Tymes makes his debut, replacing Raul Garcia. The team recently avenged their Week One loss by defeating the Challenge Team 225–179.

Week Five Rosters

Head Coach: Marcelo Ferreira
Currently serving as the High-Performance Tennis Manager at Windy Hill, Ferreira has spent over 15 years shaping champions at both the collegiate and professional levels. He has coached at prestigious programs such as Pepperdine University, Texas Tech University, and Georgia College & State University, earning recognition as a two-time ITA Assistant Coach of the Year. His players have excelled under his guidance, achieving All-America honors, winning NCAA® championships, and transitioning to successful professional careers.

Trent Bryde
A former University of Georgia tennis standout, he was a three-time ITA All-American and a dominant player for the Bulldogs. He reached a career-high ATP ranking of No. 625 in singles and was a top-10 junior player, competing in ATP Challenger™ and Grand Slam® events.

Ed Tymes
Edward Tymes is a senior standout on the Georgia State men’s tennis team from Midland, Georgia. A consistent force in singles, he earned All-Sun Belt honors in both 2024 and 2025, including First Team recognition in his senior year. Tymes posted impressive wins against top conference opponents and played a key role in the Panthers’ deep runs. He was also named Sun Belt Player of the Week twice in 2024.

Throughout his career, Tymes climbed the lineup from court six to court two, finishing with multiple double-digit win seasons. He’s known for his competitive edge, match-clinching performances, and academic excellence, earning Dean’s List and Athletic Director’s Honor Roll honors. Tymes helped lead Georgia State to its best start in over 20 years and cemented himself as one of the program’s top contributors.

Kevin King
Grew up in Peachtree City, Georgia, and started playing tennis at just four years old. He went on to play collegiate tennis at Georgia Tech, earning a degree in mechanical engineering before turning pro. On the ATP Tour®, he reached career-high rankings of No. 164 in singles and No. 114 in doubles.

Alessandra Crump
Making her debut for Team Atlanta. Previously played for Team Tampa in Week One and on Challenge Teams. Grew up inspired by her older brother's love for sports and picked up a tennis racquet early on, sparking a lifelong passion. She played her first professional match at just 14 years old and has since traveled the world competing and growing through the sport. With years of experience behind her, she continues to embrace tennis's challenges while pushing herself to a new level.

Tanya Sasnouskaya
One of the top-ranked NCAA® Division I tennis players, consistently competing at the highest level in both singles and doubles. She earned ITA All-America honors, reached national championship finals, and held a No. 1 national ranking in doubles while representing both Old Dominion University and the University of Texas at Austin.

Michaela Gordon
Born in Chicago and raised in the Bay Area, Gordon made her mark as Stanford University's No. 1 singles and doubles player. She contributed to two NCAA® championship-winning teams and earned numerous accolades, including Pac-12® Singles & Doubles Player of the Year, National Rookie of the Year, and multiple ITA All-America honors. Now, she brings her impressive collegiate and professional experience to Team Atlanta.

Team Tampa

Kate Sharabura is out this week, replaced by newcomer Quinn Gleason. Tampa notched its first win in Week Four, edging Jacksonville 207–198.

Week Five Rosters

Head Coach Yelena Labat
Started playing tennis at age 4 and quickly developed a strong passion for the sport thanks to her father. After competing at a high level in France as one of the nation's top U18 players, she moved to the United States to play collegiate tennis at Columbus State University (NCAA® Division II), where she spent four years on the women's team.
During her collegiate career, her team became Southeast Regional Champions every year from 2021 to 2024 and qualified for the NCAA® Nationals all four years, reaching the semifinals twice. She was also honored as an ITA All-America doubles player. Today, she remains connected to the sport as a dedicated tennis coach at the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy.

Trey Mallory
Started playing tennis at age 10 and quickly rose to become Bermuda's top junior player. He trained at LAT and SVB Tennis Academies in Florida before earning an NCAA® Division I scholarship to UNC Wilmington, where he helped secure four CAA® Conference Championships. In 2024, he earned his first ATP® point in Santo Domingo and has proudly represented Bermuda in Davis Cup™ since age 16. Now, he's continuing to chase new heights
 
Sam Frizelle
A standout from Lutz, Florida, Sam emerged as a key player for the Florida Southern Mocs. In the 2025 season, he boasts an impressive 11-7 singles record at the No. 1 court. Frizelle's consistent excellence earned him the Sunshine State Conference® Men's Tennis Athlete of the Week honor on April 14, 2025.

Noori Adam
Earned All-MEAC honors at Florida A&M and began his tennis journey at the New Mexico Military Institute. Originally from Sudan, Adam achieved his first ATP® points at just 16 years old, showcasing his early potential.

Seone Mendez
An Australian standout with Argentine roots, she has made her mark on the professional tennis circuit. Reaching career-high WTA rankings of No. 198 in singles and No. 304 in doubles, Mendez has captured 13 ITF singles titles and 5 ITF doubles titles, showcasing her versatility and consistency across both disciplines. Known for her competitive spirit and international flair,

Victoria Flores
A standout Georgia Tech tennis alumna who left a lasting legacy both on and off the court. A 2021 ITA All-American in singles and doubles, Victoria earned at-large bids to the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships and was named to the All-ACC Second Team that same year. Known not only for her performance but also for her character, she received the prestigious ITA Ann Lebedeff Leadership Award and the ITA Southeast Regional Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award.

Her 2020 campaign was just as strong, earning ITA All-American honors in doubles, being named the ITA Southeast Region Player to Watch, and capturing ACC Player of the Week on January 28.

Off the court, Victoria is a true adventurer. She’s traveled to 18 countries, knows how to drive a stick shift, and loves to surf, bringing the same fearless energy to life that she showed on the tennis court.

Quinn Gleason
Quinn Gleason is a professional tennis player from the United States, known for her success as a doubles specialist on the WTA Tour. A former standout at the University of Notre Dame, Gleason turned pro in 2016 and steadily climbed the ranks, reaching a career-high doubles ranking of No. 64 in July 2025. She has captured multiple titles on the WTA and WTA 125 circuits, including her first WTA Tour title at the 2024 Mérida Open with partner Ingrid Martins. Gleason has also competed in Grand Slams, making her Wimbledon debut in 2021 and notching a win there in 2023.

Team Jacksonville

Head Coach Claudio Pistolesi returns after Week Four’s interim leadership by Assistant Caio Ravagnani. The roster remains unchanged following a 207–198 loss to Tampa and a 208–191 win over Atlanta.

Head Coach Claudio Pistolesi
A tennis icon with deep roots in the sport as both a player and coach, Pistolesi was born in Italy and rose to become a two-time Grand Slam® junior semifinalist and Orange Bowl® champion, earning the title of World No. 1 ITF Junior Champion. During his professional career, he achieved a career-high ATP® singles ranking of No. 71, earned victories over Top 10 players, and proudly represented Italy in Davis Cup™ for six consecutive years, winning the Italian national championship in 1990.

As a coach, Pistolesi has worked with some of the sport's top names—including Monica Seles, Robin Söderling, and Daniela Hantuchová—guiding multiple players to Top 50 and Top 100 rankings while coaching them to over 10 tour titles. His leadership extends beyond coaching, having served as captain for Italy at the Mediterranean Games, for both Italy and Japan at the Hopman Cup™, and as an Olympic coach for Team Slovakia in 2012.
Week Five Rosters

Sam Nicholson
Nicholson exploded for an 83 to 45 Week Four win in singles, delivering one of the most dominant individual performances of the season and giving Jacksonville a 38-point cushion to start the night.

A two-time First Team All-Big South® singles selection, Sam Nicholson has been a consistent presence at the top of his team's lineup since his freshman year. In 2023-24, he tallied 14 singles wins—11 at the No. 2 position—and went undefeated in conference doubles play with partner Freddy Murray, earning Second Team All-Conference honors in doubles. As a freshman, Nicholson led the team in singles wins (14), competing across all top three lines and recording four conference victories.

Maxwell Benson
A two-time Big South® Champion and the 2021 Player of the Year from Presbyterian College. On the pro circuit, he's captured two ITF World Tennis Tour M25 doubles titles, showcasing his all-around abilities and competitive edge. Off the court, Max enjoys staying active, especially on the basketball court.

Martin Gutierrez
Born in Colombia, Martín later moved to Jacksonville, Florida, with his family, where he grew up and learned to play tennis. He built a stellar collegiate career at Barry University, winning four NCAA® championship titles and earning three ITA All-America honors. Martín has also created a thriving community of 20,000+ tennis enthusiasts through his Instagram account @TheForehandGuy, with the mission of helping players develop confident forehands. A fierce competitor (which becomes immediately apparent when you watch him play!), Martín is passionate about spending time with friends, working out, and grilling.

Annabelle Thomas
Originally from the UK, Annabelle attended Millfield School on a multi-sport scholarship and climbed to No. 18 in the U18 British tennis rankings by 2020. She went on to play NCAA® Division I tennis at the University of North Florida, where she won two ASUN® titles, earned Freshman of the Year honors, and helped clinch the program's first-ever NCAA® Tournament win.

Now at Clemson University, she serves as co-captain of the women's tennis team while pursuing a master's in applied psychology. Her research explores barriers to mindfulness in sport, and she's certified as both a Mindful Sport Performance Enhancement (MSPE®) instructor and a National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach.

Alejandra Cruz
A two-time ACC® Co-Freshman of the Week and ITA Scholar-Athlete at Georgia Tech. She posted back-to-back double-digit singles win seasons, including victories over Top 25 opponents and multiple match-clinchers in high-stakes ACC® and NCAA® tournament play. In doubles, she broke into the national rankings with two different partners, highlighted by a commanding win over UNC's No. 3-ranked team

Sofia Johnson:
Sofia is a British-Hungarian player who was born and raised in England and started playing tennis at age 6. She’s graduating from Old Dominion University, where she reached a college career-high singles ranking of #6 in the nation.

Challenge Exhibition Match: 

Saturday at 2 PM ET vs. Team Tampa 
Team Tampa took on the Challenge Team in Week Two and won 235-204 
Last weekend, Atlanta avenged a Week One loss with a 225-179 victory.

Week Five - Challenge Team:

Coach: Irina Falconi 
Makes her return to the sideline after coaching the Challenge Team in Week One in which she led her team to a 212-186 victory:
A former WTA® top-65 player and Georgia Tech All-American. Irina brings her elite tour-level experience and vibrant energy to the Challenge Team, mentoring players with both heart and high-level insight.  

Tyler Stice
Played on the Week One Challenge Team. American professional tennis player from Atlanta, Georgia, emerged as a top junior, ranked No. 5 in the U.S. Class of 2019 by TennisRecruiting.net and No. 1 in the South. Training at Ginepri Performance Tennis Academy, he won the Wildcard Challenge at the BB&T Atlanta Open and earned two Silver Balls at the 16s Nationals. At Auburn University, Stice excelled, qualifying for the NCAA singles tournament as a sophomore, earning First Team All-SEC honors, and reaching a national singles ranking of No. 26. He clinched key victories, including a dramatic 4-3 team win over Alabama, defeating Zhe Zhou in a three-set thriller.


Now competing professionally, Stice has participated in ITF and UTR Pro Match Series events, with recent matches including a loss to Alexander Razeghi in the ITF M15 Rochester and a win against Jayden Templeman in a UTR Pro Match Series. A two-time First Team All-SEC selection, he credits managing pressure for his growth. Off the court, Stice enjoys golf, a hobby picked up in recent years. His transition from a standout collegiate player to the pro circuit showcases his resilience, especially after navigating a last-minute college commitment switch to Auburn.

Joaquin Benoit
Joaquin Benoit, a standout tennis player from Georgia, made significant contributions to the University of North Georgia’s (UNG) men’s tennis team before transitioning to a coaching role. Benoit excelled as a student-athlete, earning 2022 ITA All-American honors in singles and securing a spot on the 2023 Peach Belt Conference (PBC) First Team All-Conference for singles. His athletic prowess was highlighted by a perfect 4-0 record (two singles, two doubles) against Emmanuel and Carson-Newman, earning him the PBC Men’s Tennis Player of the Week award in February 2023. Benoit also reached the quarterfinals of the 2022 ITA Cup, showcasing his competitive edge against top Division II talent like Alexander Leischner of Point Loma. Academically, Benoit was equally impressive, receiving the 2024 D2ADA Academic Achievement Award, 2023-24 ITA Scholar Athlete recognition, and PBC Presidential Honor Roll Gold Scholar status.

Keshav Chopra  
American tennis player from Marietta, Georgia, who has made a name for himself as a standout at Georgia Tech. A former blue-chip recruit, Chopra trained at IMG Academy, where he was named the 2019 Student Male Athlete of the Year. Ranked No. 1 in Georgia and top 5 nationally in the class of 2020 by TennisRecruiting.net, he graduated high school early to join Georgia Tech in 2019. His junior career highlights include winning the J3 San Jose ITF Tournament and reaching the semifinals of the 2018 National Boys’ 16s Kalamazoo. At Georgia Tech, Chopra has compiled an impressive collegiate record, including an 18-6 singles mark in the 2023-24 spring season, primarily at No. 2 singles, with four wins over ranked opponents, earning him a No. 87 ITA ranking.


Chopra’s collegiate accolades include All-ACC Third Team honors, CSC Academic All-District recognition, and ITA Scholar-Athlete status, reflecting his balance of athletic and academic excellence as a business major. In doubles, he has thrived alongside partners like Andres Martin and Marcus McDaniel, posting a 15-5 spring record in 2023-24 at No. 1 doubles and earning ACC Doubles Team of the Week honors. He made his ATP Tour debut in 2021 at the Atlanta Open doubles with Martin and continues to compete professionally. 

Sierra Sandy
Plays for Georgia State University, originally from Woodbridge, Virginia. After competing for three seasons at Florida A&M University, she transferred to GSU. A psychology major, Sierra comes from a family of elite athletes—her father is a two-time Olympian, and her brother plays professional soccer. Her background has helped shape a resilient and driven mindset both on and off the court.

At Georgia State, Sierra has become a key contributor in doubles, regularly partnering with Pragnya Kumar to earn crucial wins during the 2024–25 season. Notable victories include a 6–3 win over Georgia Southern’s top doubles team, showcasing her ability to perform under pressure. With her leadership, adaptability, and consistent effort, Sierra continues to be a valuable asset to the GSU women’s tennis program.

Abigail Rencheli
Moldovan‑born American tennis player who competes for North Carolina State University. As of July 14, 2025, Rencheli has compiled a career-high WTA doubles ranking of No. 230 after capturing nine ITF doubles titles, including a notable $60K tournament victory in Saskatoon, Canada, alongside Alana Smith.

At NC State, Rencheli has built an impressive collegiate career. In 2022 she became just the second player in program history to reach the NCAA Singles quarterfinals—earning 2022 ITA All-American honors and finishing the season ranked as high as No. 24 in singles and No. 22 in doubles nationally. Her sophomore campaign included a signature upset over defending NCAA champion Emma Navarro. As a senior in 2023‑24, she posted a 26‑19 singles record and 24‑15 in doubles, including a key win over Carson Tanguilig to help NC State beat top‑ranked UNC and firmly establish herself among the program’s top ten players in both formats.

Dalayna Hewitt
From Cleveland, OH. Played on the Week Two Challenge Team. Career-high singles ranking by the WTA of 383 and doubles ranking of 160. Trains in Atlanta. Her search for financial stability during Covid landed her at the Amazon warehouse where she was employed for nearly two years and was forced to stop training. She says the professional circuit can be lonely, with her family unable to take time off from work to travel, but also expensive. Played in the junior grand slams. Has traveled all over the world for tennis.


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