In four of five matches this season Duke has won the doubles point. The Blue Devils have won those four, but lost the fifth.
No. 6 Blue Devils beat No. 12 Miami, No. 16 Texas A&M and No. 18 Tennessee, with two of those victories coming by only a single point. The only loss came against No. 14 Kentucky in the semifinals of the National Team Indoors Feb. 5 in Madison, Wis., 4-3.
The difference between the two 4-3 victories and the 4-3 loss was the doubles point.
“We should have won the doubles point,” head coach Jamie Ashworth said. “The doubles point is huge. It’s more the momentum than getting the point.”
If the Blue Devils are going to keep winning, they will need the early advantage.
Duke’s top singles player Jackie Carleton, a transfer from UCLA, is sidelined with an injury, putting even more pressure on the players at the bottom of the lineup to perform.
Katie Blaszak, who has returned from an injury that kept her out of action for most of last year, will likely replace Carleton at the top of the Blue Devil roster. The senior has compiled a 5-0 record playing primarily at the No. 2 singles spot so far.
Increased productivity from Tory Zawacki may also help the Blue Devils in Carleton’s absence. Many expected Zawacki to take over the No. 1 spot after Amanda Johnson graduated last spring, but the sophomore has been inconsistent in match play.
“She just needs match confidence,” said Ashworth.
Although Duke has four players in the top 115, the team has struggled at the top three singles positions.
The burden of carrying the team then falls at the four, five and six spots, where Saras Arasu, Clelia Deltour and Kristin Cargill have carried the Blue Devils in tight matches during the indoor season.
Arasu said she does not mind the pressure placed on the bottom of the lineup.
“No matter what spot I’m playing or what spot anyone else is playing, I’m just going out there and not putting pressure on myself,” Arasu said. “If I play my tennis... then I can win.”
In the coming weeks, Duke heads to No. 21 Notre Dame and No. 5 Northwestern for two of its most important matches before conference play begins.
“The ACC matches are really going to prepare us,” Ashworth said of the postseason tournaments. “The results will take care of themselves.”
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