It might not be time to sing “We Are the Champions” just yet, but for No. 3 Duke women’s tennis, it could be the song of the season.
The Blue Devils extended their win streak to 15 matches over the weekend with a 4-0 victory over Florida State and a 4-1 win over Miami, claiming the ACC regular-season title to head into the ACC Tournament Friday as the No. 1 seed.
Saturday vs. Florida State
With two singles matches headed for tiebreakers, all eyes fell on freshman Liv Hovde on court two and senior Emma Jackson on court three to clinch. Having won the doubles point, the Blue Devils appeared set for the victory as they tried to conclude the match.
Hovde had begun her second-set tiebreaker shortly before Jackson, with both players taking their first sets 6-4.
“I think point by point, so whether it's a tiebreak or just a game, I'm playing the same way, and I'm going out there and just fighting for every shot,” Hovde said.
Hovde leapt out to a 3-1 lead against the Seminoles’ Millie Bissett, who had proven a resilient opponent throughout their battle. With a gasp of exertion, Bissett hit the ball straight down the sideline to send a clear message: this win wasn’t going to come so easily. Pausing between serves, the Daniel Island, S.C., native stuck to her guns, playing smoothly from the baseline and setting up her opponent to open up space and notch a 5-3 edge. Hovde took control of the match, making her opponent run across the court to command a 7-6 (7-3) win.
“[Hovde] comes in here with a lot of international experience,” head coach Jamie Ashworth said. “She’s still learning the ins and outs of dual match play, because she's not out there just for herself.”
Hovde and Jackson’s resilient doubles partnership was another highlight of the proceedings. Sophomore Shavit Kimchi and freshman Ava Krug drew first blood, dominating their matchup 6-2. Freshman Irina Balus and senior Ellie Coleman lost theirs 6-2, leaving Jackson and Hovde as the last pair standing.
The La Grange Park, Ill., native dominated from the baseline with her fearsome forehand, while Hovde intercepted their opponents’ counterattacks closer to the net. Their communication was clear from the outset as they denied Florida State space to return the ball, notching a 6-3 win to clinch the doubles point for the Blue Devils.
“Obviously, she came in January, so we had to work together quickly,” said Jackson of being paired with Hovde. “My strong forehand and backhand at the baseline is really powerful for our game, because she's really good at closing the net and finishing the points up there.”
The duo’s consistency and balance have proven crucial to Duke’s ability to improve on initial struggles in doubles. On Saturday, they notched their 10th straight win this season.
“It took them a little while to get going and get used to each other's games, but they’ve blended really well,” Ashworth commented on the duo. “Now they've figured out how each other plays and can anticipate what the other one's doing.”
Singles got off to a rocky start, though Hovde settled in quickly, at times just touching the ball to earn the point. Her rallies remained lengthy throughout the first set, as both players pushed each other along the baseline. Staying patient and attentive, Hovde pushed through mid-set struggles to take her first set 6-4. Sophomore Eleana Yu never trailed in her matchup, securing a 2-0 lead for the Blue Devils as other courts dragged on through the afternoon.
Balus struggled, dropping the first set 6-0. Following a pep talk from Ashworth, she came back strongly in the second set 6-4 and was well into her third set as the match drew to a conclusion. Coleman dominated her first set with a combination of flight-like footwork and rapid reflexes, giving Duke a 3-0 lead with a 6-0, 6-4 performance.
With the Blue Devils on the edge of a win, it all came down to Jackson and Hovde. Jackson only narrowly trailed her doubles partner, staying characteristically aggressive to stage a second-set comeback and tie the set 6-6. With Jackson bogged down in a dogfight of forceful shots, trailing 5-1, Hovde’s persistence pulled through for Duke.
Sunday vs. Miami
Under the glaring sun in Ambler Tennis Stadium, the Blue Devils brought the heat to secure their place as ACC regular season champions, taking down the Hurricanes. Duke remained undefeated in the ACC, but in comparison to Saturday’s 4-0 finish, Miami forced the Blue Devils to work for their very last win in conference play, tallying one point, resulting in a 4-1 finish.
“Coming back up to back-to-back matches; we haven’t been great in that situation. And I thought we came out today with a lot of energy, a lot of purpose, and so I was proud of them for that.” Ashworth said.
All eyes were also on seniors Jackson and Coleman, as Sunday marked senior day for Duke. Jackson’s strong backhand from the baseline, combined with Hovde’s patience at the net for powerful drop shots, clinched the doubles point for the Blue Devils, winning 6-2. In No. 3 singles, Jackson’s match went unfinished due to her opponent’s exhausting defense, but her ability to force them to switch hands across the baseline, stood out and resulted in a hard-fought 7-5 set win.
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“Emma didn't get to finish there, but she played a good doubles match and was doing the right things in singles to get that victory,” said Ashworth.
Coleman, in classic senior day fashion, clinched the match for Duke, with a commanding 6-3, 6-2 victory on court six. She was strengthened by her powerful serves, dominant forehand and precise low play, leaving Miami unable to respond.
“They just won a ton of matches for us and [have] been really the heart and soul of our team over the last four years,” Ashworth said about Jackson and Coleman.
Freshman Irina Balus, paired with Coleman, cruised to the first doubles win of the day, tallying a 6-1 win. Relentlessly forcing the backhand on Raquel Gonzalez early in the first set and returning the ball from everywhere on the court, Balus also secured a commanding singles victory, winning 6-1, 6-1 in straight sets.
Although Hovde fell on court one, Duke did not fail to capitalize on its remaining opportunities.
On court five, sophomore Shavit Kimchi took an early lead in the first set, winning the first four games, and maintained her momentum against the Hurricanes to secure a 6-3, 6-1 victory, earning the Blue Devils’ third point.
Soon after, Yu’s victorious tiebreak amassed immense applause, tallying a 7-6 first set win, while Coleman clinched the match.
After a perfect run and achieving the No. 1 seed in the ACC, the Blue Devils have their sights set on a victorious tournament run starting next week, but not without difficulty.
“There's no easy day in that tournament. So, we just have to be prepared and focused for each match, and then hopefully we have a chance to play on the second day,” Ashworth said about the upcoming ACC Tournament.
Samanyu Gangappa is a Trinity sophomore and local/national news editor for the news department.