SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Denver’s James Davis and South Dakota’s Habiba Aly took home this week’s Summit League men’s and women’s tennis athlete of the week honors following performances that helped their respective teams to crucial victories in league play.
 
Davis went 5-1 on the weekend en route to helping the Pioneers secure three-straight league victories and the Summit League regular-season title. In the 6-1 victory over Omaha, after falling on the No. 1 court in doubles, Davis bounced back and matched up against Hugo Pules Ballester and defeated him 6-2, 6-1 on the No. 3 court.
 
The next day, Davis teamed up with Matt Summers on the top court of doubles and defeated Drake’s Markus Bolin and Matija Matic. Davis carried the momentum into his singles match up on the No. 3 court where he defeated Evan Fragistas 6-2, 6-3 to help the Pioneers to a 4-3 win over the Bulldogs.
 
In the final match of the weekend for Denver, Davis and Summers helped secure the doubles point for the Pios defeating North Dakota’s Gerhard Sullwald and Cian McDonnell 6-1. In singles, Davis pair up against Jonathan Parat on the No. 2 court and claimed a 6-2, 6-3 victory to help propel Denver to a 5-2 win over the Fighting Hawks.
 
Aly went 4-0 to help South Dakota earn dual wins over Omaha (4-3) and Oral Roberts (6-1). Against the Mavericks, Aly teamed up with Natka Kmoskova in doubles on the No. 2 court and defeated Colby Kelley and Brooke Covington. On the No. 2 singles court, Aly matched up against Ines Absisan and claimed a 6-3, 6-2.
 
Against Oral Roberts, she and Kmoskova met Rai Sengupta and Oleksandra Nahurska on the No. 2 court and defeated the duo 6-4. Aly carried the momentum onto the No. 2 single court where she defeated Aliksandra Lebedeva 6-1, 6-1.
 
James Davis, Denver
Sr | Barnstaple, England

• Earned his second career athlete of the week accolade
• Went a perfect 5-1 on the weekend
• Improved to 12-3 overall this season and has won his last four singles matches

Habiba Aly, South Dakota
Sr | Cairo, Egypt

• Earned her second career athlete of the week accolade
• Went a combined 4-0 en route to two league victories
• Owns a 6-3 singles record, a 7-2 doubles record and has won six straight doubles matches

Also nominated: Oleksandra Nahurska (Oral Roberts), Camille Verden-Anderson (Denver), Lorena Castellanos (Western Illinois), Thanushree Vale (Kansas City), Natalie Lorentz (Omaha)
 
2021 Tennis Athletes of the Week
January 26
M: Abdoul Ouattara, Omaha
W: Madison Gallegos, Omaha
 
February 2
M: Edmond Aynedjian, North Dakota
W: Adrea Jasson, North Dakota
 
February 9
M: Melker Isaakson, Illinois State
W: Anna Riedmiller, Denver
 
February 16
M: James Davis, Denver
W: Britt Pursell, Denver
 
February 23
M: Matt Summers, Denver
W: Taylor Melville, Denver
 
March 2
M: Evan Fragistas, Drake
W: Britt Pursell, Denver
 
March 9
M: None
W: Yana Grechkina, Kansas City
 
March 16
M: Cian McDonnell, North Dakota
W: Riddhi Sharma, Kansas City
 
March 23
M: Oliver Johansson, Drake
W: Anastassya Timofeyeva, Kansas City
 
March 30
M: Gerhard Sullwald, North Dakota
W: Sapir Sela, North Dakota
 
April 6
M: Gabriel Sardo, Drake
W: Camille Verden-Anderson, Denver
 
April 13
M: James Davis, Denver
W: Habiba Aly, South Dakota