Xavier's Suarez, Bergaoui earn first RRAC tennis weekly honors of 2025

WACO, Texas – Nereo Suarez of Xavier University (La.) was selected as the first RRAC Men's Tennis Player of the Week for the dates of Feb. 24-March 2, while Xavier's Amira Bergaoui earned the RRAC Women's Tennis Player of the Week honor for the same dates. This is the first set of weekly winners for the 2025 RRAC tennis season.

Suarez defeated Remus Hebhang-Balan of No. 25 Loyola University (La.), 7-6 (7-3), 6-2 at No. 1 singles. The junior from Santa Fe, Argentina, also teamed with Jacobi Bain to win at No. 1 doubles as the Gold Rush sank Loyola, 5-2. Xavier is ranked seventh nationally with a 2-4 record.

Bergaoui rallied to defeat seventh-ranked Lucy Carpenter of Loyola University (La.), 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 at No. 1 singles for the Gold Nuggets. The sophomore from Tunis, Tunisia outlasted Carpenter for the second time this season. She also lost at No. 2 doubles with Asadah Ma'at, 6-3 as Loyola won the team battle, 5-2. Both teams are in the top 10 of the NAIA Coaches Poll.

Additional RRAC tennis player of the week nominees: Craig Crookston (A&M-Texarkana), Adrianne Guanaco (A&M-Texarkana), Pierina Lescher (LSU Shreveport), Elizaveta Mikhailova (Louisiana Christian), Gianna Panaggio (LSU Alexandria).

Previous 2025 RRAC tennis weekly selections: