With the start of the Big Ten season, the Michigan women’s tennis team wanted to start the weekend with tough, consistent and smart tennis, and that’s exactly what happened.
Saturday, the ninth-ranked Wolverines dismantled Wisconsin, 6-1, and a day later, Michigan (3-0 Big Ten, 11-3 overall) beat Minnesota (2-1, 8-7) by the same score, stretching the Wolverines’ winning streak to six matches.
The Wolverines’ top doubles team of sophomore Emina Bektas and junior Brooke Bolender showed why it is the nation’s No. 2 pair. The duo took down their opponents and an 8-6 victory. Needing one more match to clinch the point, freshman Ronit Yurovsky and sophomore Sarah Lee defeated their opponents, 8-4.
Yurovsky and Lee have been winning regularly at the second spot and have moved up into a top-50 ranking. Having two top-50 doubles tandems will certainly help ease the hardships of Big Ten play.
Moving to singles play, Michigan’s lineup proved to have depth and consistency. As soon as Bektas crushed her opponent 6-0, 6-0, the Wolverines kept earning win-after-win.
“She played solid off the ground,” Bernstein said. “She came into the net a lot and that’s when I think she’s at her best. She just played a clean match and put a lot of pressure on the other girl. She got off the court really quick, which takes the pressure off the other girls, which is huge for us.”
Bolender went on to defeat her opponent 7-5, 6-2, while Lee earned a win of her own at the third spot, 6-4, 6-3. Even with the meet clinched, the Wolverines kept the wins coming. Freshman Amy Zhu and senior Mimi Nguyen defeated their opponents, widening the match victory over the Golden Gophers.
Saturday, the Wolverines shared the same result beating Wisconsin 6-1.
The Wolverines got off to a quick start at Wisconsin’s (0-2, 2-11) Nielsen Tennis Stadium, and with an established doubles lineup, Michigan was eager to earn the doubles point.
Bektas and Bolender continued their winning ways, taking down duo Hannah Berner and Lauren Chypyha, 8-1.
“They take over the net and are super aggressive,” said Michigan coach Ronni Bernstein. “They put tons of pressure on their opponents. They both serve well and move forward and become a wall at the net. They are probably the only team in the country that actually plays that way and executes the way they do.”
Added Bolender: “The style of game we play is one. We come into the net a lot, which is rare in women’s tennis, and girls aren’t used to. We have been extremely consistent, which helps us out.”
Up one match in the doubles, the Wolverines needed one more win to clinch the point. Seeing some early struggles in the third spot, Michigan’s second pair, Yurovsky and Lee, knew it had to win. After suffering some early breaks, the pair fought and grinded out points and was able to finish off the their opponents, 8-5.
With the doubles point clinched, the Wolverines looked to take their momentum into the singles play.
Michigan started off hot, winning four of six first sets. This dominance continued as the victories started rolling in for the Wolverines. Lee demolished her opponent 6-2, 6-2, and minutes later, Bektas earned a win of her own, winning 6-2, 6-4. Keeping the momentum in the Michigan’s favor, Bolender won 6-1, 6-3.
Even with the meet clinched, the Wolverines continued their winning ways. Sophomore Kristen Dodge cruised to victory, winning 6-4, 6-2. Rounding out Michigan’s 6-1 win was Yurovsky, who won in an electrifying fashion — putting the icing on the cake. Yurovsky finished her opponent in a super tiebreaker, winning 6-7, 6-4, (10-7).
“She did a really good job of fighting and never gave up,” Bolender said. “That’s one of the best things about her. She started to take control of the second (set) and took control from there.”
Added Bernstein: “She just hung in there. She got herself out of the second set and won the breaker. It’s about her being confident on the court.”
The Wolverines will play their last non-conference match of the year on Wednesday, when they take on Notre Dame.