AUCKLAND, New Zealand — Incoming Tiger Jade Lewis put on a stellar performance at the Pascoes New Zealand Tennis Championships, winning the women’s singles competition at the ASB Tennis Centre Saturday.
Lewis had a pair of impressive wins over ITA Top-25 players, defeating No. 18 Erin Routliffe of Alabama 6-3, 6-3 in the semifinals before moving on to the final match where she took down No. 24 Paige Hourigan of Georgia Tech 5-7, 6-3, 6-1.
Her victory at the New Zealand Tennis Championships earned Lewis a qualifying singles wildcard draw in the WTA-ASB Classic pro tournament beginning Jan. 2, where she will compete against some of the top professional women’s players in the world.
Lewis, who was born and raised in New Zealand before moving to Hilton Head Island, S.C., is part of the heralded No. 1 recruiting class signed by co-head coaches Julia Sell and Michael Sell last season and will join the Tigers in the spring.
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