The Intercollegiate Tennis Association has named five University of Georgia tennis players ITA All-Americans for the 2020 season.
Junior Katarina Jokic and senior Elena Christofi were named ITA All-Americans in singles and doubles, respectively. A trio of Georgia men’s tennis players — Trent Bryde, Philip Henning and Tyler Zink—were named ITA All-Americans.
The 2020 ITA Division I Women’s All-Americans were named after a shortened season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Twenty singles players and 10 doubles pairs were awarded the prestigious honor.
This is the third time in as many years that Jokic has received All-American honors for singles, fourth All-American honors all time, this is the second for Christofi for doubles.
Jokic entered the 2020 spring season after a 5-1 fall record, competing in only a handful of collegiate matches. She would go on to enter in the WTA Oracle Challenger Series and defeated American Professional Kayla Day. In spring play, she competed at both No. 1 spots in singles and doubles and was 5-2 in singles with a ranking of 26 and 7-1 in doubles with partner Anna Hertel with a ranking of 30. She was named Liz Murphy Athlete of the Year which is given to a female student-athlete for uncommon achievement in her varsity sport, who brings national and/or international recognition to the individual, team and the University of Georgia. Also, they exemplify the standards of “The Georgia Way.”
Christofi entering the 2020 season had a fall record of 6-3 in singles and doubles record of 13-7. Her fall season was capped off by capturing the ITA Fall Consolation Championship title and finishing at No. 7, just one shy of her career high best ranking of No. 6 with Morgan Coppoc. In spring play, she was 5-1 in singles action with a ranking of 122 and 3-3 in doubles. She was awarded the Boyd McWhorter Post-Graduate Scholarship, as well as Marilyn Vincent Scholar-Athlete Award which is given to the graduating female senior with the highest GPA.
For men’s tennis, the ITA awarded All-America status based on the top 20 singles players and top 10 doubles teams from its final unpublished rankings. In the last published marks of 2020, Henning was ranked No. 11 in singles, followed by Bryde at No. 12. Bryde and Zink were ranked No. 15 nationally in doubles.
This is the first career All-America honor for each of the Georgia student-athletes. All three were underclassmen this past season and will return for the 2020-2021 campaign.
Bryde, who played both No. 1 singles and doubles, put together an impressive sophomore season. The Suwanee, Georgia., native went 8-1 at the top singles court and compiled a remarkable seven wins against ranked foes.
Henning paced Georgia with a 19-7 overall singles record, including a 7-2 mark in dual-match play. Down 0-5 in the second set against then No. 7-ranked John McNally from Ohio State, Henning stormed back to clinch the match, giving him six wins against ranked opponents. Henning also led the Bulldogs with a 10-1 doubles record this spring.
Zink, from Bradenton, Florida, had an impressive freshman season in Athens. He came to Georgia as one of the highest-ranked prospects in the nation, and he did not disappoint. He played at the No. 2 and 3 singles spots and was twice named SEC Freshman of the Week. He delivered the crucial match-clinching win against No. 10 Tennessee and finished with an 8-2 record in doubles.