Netters begin team practice Jovanovic and Franco ranked

FAYETTEVILLE— Fresh off signing his second tremendous recruiting class, University of Arkansas head women’s tennis coach Michael Hegarty and his Lady Razorbacks are anxious to begin team practice this week. “It’s exciting to get out there and start investing ourselves in this new season,” said head coach Michael Hegarty. “We have a great blend of youth and experience this season that should serve us well.” Up until this week, the Lady Razorbacks have endured long individual workouts as they prepare for the upcoming season. The workouts feature repetition drills on the court, endurance runs and weights. With the late summer heat wave, the Lady’Backs have been waking up early to work out before the worst heat arrives. The Lady’Backs open the 2005 season in split squad fashion as they travel to two separate tournaments on Sept. 16-18. Part of the squad competes at the William and Mary Classic in Williamsburg, Va., while others travel to SEC rival Ole Miss for the Lady Rebel Invitational in Oxford, Miss. Entering next weekend’s tournament, two Arkansas players find themselves ranked in singles on the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s preseason singles ranking. Senior Vlatka Jovanovic enters the fall schedule ranked 52nd in the country. Last year, she led the team on court one by tallying 12 wins in the spring of 2005. Sophomore Maryori Franco also enters the fall ranked by the ITA. Slated at No. 113, she opened the 2005 spring season with a blazing 9-1 record. “Vlatka and Maryori had a great impact on our program last season”, Hegarty said, “They will be relied upon even more this season.” Next weekends’ tournaments are the first of seven fall competitions for the Lady’Backs, continuing through early November. For up-to-the-minute details, scores and stats, please visit LADYBACKS.com.