An impressive Duke squad headed into the weekend undefeated, but they had yet to be tested on the road. After two tough matches, they took the long trip home, no longer as an undefeated team.
It was a match that certainly could have come with lots of emotion for head coach Jamie Ashworth’s side, as UCLA eliminated his team in last year’s NCAA tournament. But the Blue Devils got the job done in impressive fashion.
Duke continued its impressive start to the new season with back-to-back 4-0 wins against No. 23 N.C. State and Middle Tennessee during the ITA Kickoff Weekend. With these dominant victories, the Blue Devils moved on to the National Team Indoor Champions in New York for the first time since 2018.
The 15th-ranked Blue Devils ultimately fell to Auburn 4-2 in the ITA Kickoff Weekend’s Championship match after advancing from their Friday slate.
After a historic 22-7 season featuring a trip to both the ACC championship and the Sweet 16 — losing to eventual national champion Virginia in both — Duke is primed for another deep postseason run. The eighth-ranked team by ITA has the majority of its squad returning, including the entire starting singles lineup.
As the Blue Devils prepare for the ITA Kickoff Weekend — their first marquee match series of the season — they look for a season with immense upside, but just as many questions.
After a lot of anticipation, the 2024 dual-match tennis season is officially underway for No. 8 Duke. The Blue Devils concluded their opening weekend on a positive note, defeating Princeton 4-3 and N.C. Central 7-0.
It was an exciting start of the season for Duke, as the team won its first match against a competitive VCU team Saturday. The Blue Devils managed to pull through 4-3 after junior Jake Krug won the tie-breaking game in a crucial third set.
In the newly renovated Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center and with a new face, the 15th-ranked Blue Devils opened their 2024 season with a 5-2 win against SMU Saturday afternoon.
The series in Chapel Hill was an uphill battle for the Blue Devils, but there were certainly signs of improvement, particularly from Jackson, who showcased her ability to rise to the occasion once again.
Duke’s men’s and women’s teams competed in the ITA All-American Championships last week, one of the biggest collegiate tournaments of the fall. The men played in Tulsa, Okla., and the women in Cary, N.C. The men impressed, making the quarterfinals in doubles and the round of 16 in singles while freshman Shavit Kimchi took down her third top-30 opponent in singles.
The fall tennis season is officially here, and the Blue Zone takes a look at the start for one of the top programs in the country.
Star Duke women’s tennis player Chloe Beck will not return to the team for her fifth year of eligibility, she announced on the podcast No-Ad, No Problem Sept. 18. Duke athletics later confirmed the news in an email to The Chronicle.
Senior Chloe Beck was the only Duke player to receive first-team honors, with Georgia Drummy and Emma Jackson receiving third-team honors. In doubles, Beck and Ellie Coleman were picked for the third team.
Freshman Pedro Rodenas remarkably advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Singles Championships, while senior Garrett Johns fell in the first round. They teamed up in doubles and advanced to the round of 16 as well.
Despite glimpses of hope and endurance shown by the Blue Devils, their season came to an end at the NCAA Singles Championships in a disappointing fashion and was mismatched with their strong regular season.
Duke struggled to gain any sense of momentum against the Cavaliers, losing 4-0 amid rain delays and thunderstorms.
Every week, the Blue Zone breaks down an outstanding spring athlete, looking at their weekly performance and their season as a whole. Up next is Pedro Rodenas.
The Blue Devils swept their weekend with confident wins against UNC Wilmington and Cornell for their first Sweet 16 berth since 2015.
After a quick sweep of William & Mary Friday evening at home to advance to round two of the NCAA tournament, the sixth-seeded Blue Devils ended their season in a heartbreaking loss to UCLA Saturday evening.
