The CardBoard
Women's Tennis: Fall Nationals/Stanford Invitational - Printable Version

+- The CardBoard (https://thecardboard.org/board)
+-- Forum: C-House! (https://thecardboard.org/board/forum-4.html)
+--- Forum: The CardBoard (https://thecardboard.org/board/forum-5.html)
+--- Thread: Women's Tennis: Fall Nationals/Stanford Invitational (/thread-22501.html)

Pages: 1 2 3

RE: Women's Tennis: Fall Nationals/Stanford Invitational - martyup - 11-05-2021

This team is going to go far this season.

RE: Women's Tennis: Fall Nationals/Stanford Invitational - ColoradoTree - 11-06-2021

Looks like Blake/Ma lost in the doubles R16, too, and Madurawe/Yepifanova lost in the consolation R16. Meanwhile, Yepifanova beat a Kansas State player handily to reach the consolation semifinals after the injury withdrawal by UNC’s Morra gave Yepifanova a free pass to the quarters. So, Yepifanova is our only player still active in any draw, and her task is a tall one: UVA’s Natasha Subhash, the preseason #8 player in the country. That match is at 11am today. 

Other than that, perhaps the other three of Ma/Blake/Madurawe get in some added matches, but otherwise their Fall Nationals is done. There will be other players who lost in the R16 or quarters who want the chance at another high-value win for the rankings, so we’ll see.

RE: Women's Tennis: Fall Nationals/Stanford Invitational - martyup - 11-06-2021

CT, how would you rate our performance in this tourney WRT expectations?

RE: Women's Tennis: Fall Nationals/Stanford Invitational - ColoradoTree - 11-06-2021

I’d give you an update on the invitational if I could, but Stanford seems dead set on not giving us any information on that. Nothing on social media, no online draws, no story on the website—just that ghastly “gameday” link that provides no new information. 

I’d love to know if Gordon or Mossmer is playing, and if so, how they played. Did one of our players match up against one of the ranked Princeton/UCSB players that’s not at Fall Nationals? How’d that go? Did one of our players unexpectedly struggle against a less talented opponent? 

Anyway, I think you get my point.
(11-06-2021, 08:07 AM)martyup Wrote:  CT, how would you rate our performance in this tourney WRT expectations?

Against the ITA’s expectations, an unqualified success. Against mine, still a good couple days. Ma steamrolled over the 7 seed before gutting out a great win over Fiona Crawley, who should be a top 20-25 fixture this year. Losing to 2nd-seeded Frayman 6-4, 6-4, looks like a great result on paper—I’m just a little frustrated because I know Ma is good enough to beat her. That said, that’s hardly a bad loss to take, and Frayman is a particularly difficult opponent to play, not because her skill or athleticism overwhelms you, but because she’s so darn consistent and the extreme grunt can take you out of your rhythm. You’re gonna play folks like that, and you have to learn how to deal with the distractions, so that’s a useful, low-cost lesson. But overall, the tournament confirmed what we hoped was true about Ma: she can beat anyone, it was laughable she wasn’t seeded, and she might still be playing if she had been.

As for Yepifanova, I was a bit frustrated at her loss to Cayetano, but again, not because it’s a bad loss (it’s most certainly not), but because she was absolutely good enough to beat her and didn’t play as well as we’ve seen her play. And heck, she gave Cayetano her toughest match so far, and now Cayetano is in the semis. I’m disappointed she didn’t get to match up against Morra in the consolation draw, but she blew past preseason #114 Karine Marion Job with ease, and she gets an established collegiate tennis powerhouse in Subhash next. What a learning experience this has been and will be for her. 

And the doubles? Meh, I dunno. We’ve been a relatively poor doubles team the last decade or so, so any doubles success is gravy to me. Blake/Ma got a win and competed against an excellent UNC pair, so that seems great to me. Madurawe/Yepifanova not getting a win is a bummer, but it’s not certain that’s a lasting pair anyway. 

All in all, I’m pleased. A slight tinge of disappointment that Ma isn’t in the semis today, but she got pretty far not playing her best tennis. “Pleased” will turn to “pumped” if Yepifanova can beat Subhash today.

Yepifanova’s two collegiate losses so far are to Ma and Cayetano. That’s not a bad start for the freshman. And with how this team is rarely a fall juggernaut but is often a spring one with how much we improve over the course of the year compared to other teams, this was an exciting tournament for realizing we don’t have to tamp down expectations.

Another thought: because of school and her family’s commitment to a normal life for a junior tennis player, Connie Ma has never played as many matches in a 3-month period as she will this spring. Just think of how much she can improve with as much as she’ll be practicing and playing!

RE: Women's Tennis: Fall Nationals/Stanford Invitational - ColoradoTree - 11-06-2021

So, slide that scale up to pumped because Yepifanova dispatched Subhash 6-3, 6-3. Yepifanova will face Pepperdine’s Lisa Zaar, the fourth seed, for the consolation title. That’s a great win for Sasha.

RE: Women's Tennis: Fall Nationals/Stanford Invitational - martyup - 11-06-2021

(11-06-2021, 02:40 PM)ColoradoTree Wrote:  So, slide that scale up to pumped because Yepifanova dispatched Subhash 6-3, 6-3. Yepifanova will face Pepperdine’s Lisa Zaar, the fourth seed, for the consolation title. That’s a great win for Sasha.

[Image: ?u=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia3.giphy.com%2Fmedi...f=1&nofb=1]

RE: Women's Tennis: Fall Nationals/Stanford Invitational - ColoradoTree - 11-06-2021

The main draw final is Cayetano vs. Frayman, so at least our losses are pretty respectable, right? Cayetano beat preseason #12 Alexa Noel of Iowa 7-5, 6-2, so no one has played Cayetano close than Yepifanova did, at least. And no one won more games against Frayman that Ma did, either.

RE: Women's Tennis: Fall Nationals/Stanford Invitational - ColoradoTree - 11-06-2021

Not sure yet when that consolation final is tomorrow, but here are a few details about Zaar:

* ranked #53 in the preseason rankings, but the next batch of rankings will show a decent jump from there on account of her successful fall season
* she won the Southwest Regionals (though she didn’t have to face the heaviest hitters from UCLA, USC, or Pepperdine, but all she can do is play who’s next), beating USC’s Snow Han in three sets before easily beating USD’s Abigail Desiatnikov in the final. 
* she mostly played #5 for Pepperdine last year, and before this tournament I would’ve expected her to slot in there again this year; she had a couple of great battles with Sara Choy at that spot last year.

I’ll be candid—I don’t see the rationale for seeding her fourth here, but she’s justified it with her run through the consolation bracket. She’s beaten the preseason #29, #31, and #38 players after dropping her opener to highly touted Georgia freshman Mell Reasco.

If this is last year’s Zaar, I take Yepifanova all day long. But this doesn’t appear to be last year’s Zaar.

RE: Women's Tennis: Fall Nationals/Stanford Invitational - ColoradoTree - 11-06-2021

Looks like Yepifanova’s match is at 10:00am. Good luck, Sasha!

RE: Women's Tennis: Fall Nationals/Stanford Invitational - Lorcan - 11-07-2021

Yepifanova is level with Zaar 4-4 in the first set. You can watch the action here:

https://web.track.tennis/events/watch?key=399.vk5Rs5nRINI#/
Yepifanova this set has stormed back from a 2-4 deficit to break Zaar twice, and now will serve out for the set at 5-4. Yepifanova seems to be frustrated by her backhand going AWOL at times, but thus far is holding it together.

RE: Women's Tennis: Fall Nationals/Stanford Invitational - magnus - 11-07-2021

Apologies for the hijack, but one of our men's players (Fery) is in the Finals.  Good luck!

RE: Women's Tennis: Fall Nationals/Stanford Invitational - Lorcan - 11-07-2021

It's not to be as a few unforced errors from Yepifanova's backhand allow Zaar to break to love. 5-5.
(11-07-2021, 11:51 AM)magnus Wrote:  Apologies for the hijack, but one of our men's players (Fery) is in the Finals.  Good luck!

That's correct! Fery was the 2nd seed, and by the looks of it has made it through some tough three set matches on his march towards the title. I'm keeping an eye on the match as we wait to see how this set finishes for Yepifanova.
Yepifanova breaks again to have a chance to serve it out at 6-5, but gets broken to love.....6-6. Tiebreaker up next.

RE: Women's Tennis: Fall Nationals/Stanford Invitational - ColoradoTree - 11-07-2021

And Yepifanova takes the first, 7-2 in the tiebreaker!
And not only is Fery in the men's singles final, but Fery/Rotsaert are in the men's doubles final. 

An interesting note for the women's doubles finals: the team that beat Ma/Blake (UNC's Crawley/Scotty) is in the final, while the team they beat (UVA's Collard/Shaikh) is in the consolation final. 

A good tournament for both Stanford teams--that's pretty darn cool.

RE: Women's Tennis: Fall Nationals/Stanford Invitational - magnus - 11-07-2021

Random note.  The between the legs bounce as Zaar preps to serve is pretty neat.   Almost makes me want to find my tennis racket to try it out.   Thought I watched her play against Choy last year but don't recall that move.

RE: Women's Tennis: Fall Nationals/Stanford Invitational - Lorcan - 11-07-2021

It's worth noting that Cayetano, who beat Yepifanova R1 is absolutely hammering Frayman from Princeton. She bulldozed through the first serving up a bagel. The second is on serve thus far.

RE: Women's Tennis: Fall Nationals/Stanford Invitational - ColoradoTree - 11-07-2021

Yepifanova was serving up a break at 4-2, but instead of putting the match nearly on ice, it's back on serve, with Zaar serving up next down 3-4.
Oh, dear. Then Yepifanova has a break point on a deciding point but Zaar holds for 4-4, and then Yepifanova is broken again, and Zaar will serve for the second set. Not an ideal stretch there from 4-2 up to 5-4 down....
Of course, a break and a hold can cure what ails you. Now Yepifanova up 6-5 in the second with Zaar to serve to force a tiebreak.
And she does it! 7-6, 7-5, and the consolation title is hers!

RE: Women's Tennis: Fall Nationals/Stanford Invitational - ColoradoTree - 11-07-2021

Frayman showing some toughness, winning the second 7-5 after eating that bagel in the first. That is a hard thing to shake off.

RE: Women's Tennis: Fall Nationals/Stanford Invitational - ColoradoTree - 11-07-2021

We should feel excited. Winning the consolation bracket at a tournament like this is a legit accomplishment. These 32 women are all talented and sometimes a matchup is more favorable than others, but winning a few and losing just one, no matter in what order that comes, is a great weekend, plain and simple.

It's been a while since we've had two legit players on the national scene. People that go to national tournaments and do damage. For all her success, Gordon hasn't really done that--she's had great regional success but that hasn't translated to doing well in national tournaments. Maybe Gibbs and Ahn in 2010-11? Lord and Lampl had success as freshmen, but at the 5 and 6 singles lines, not at the top, and while they had amazing team success, they never had much in the way of individual NCAA success. 

Well, we have two now. And they're both freshmen. Buckle up.

RE: Women's Tennis: Fall Nationals/Stanford Invitational - BostonCard - 11-07-2021

If Gordon came back, is there any chance she would play as our #3?

BC

RE: Women's Tennis: Fall Nationals/Stanford Invitational - ColoradoTree - 11-07-2021

(11-07-2021, 05:04 PM)BostonCard Wrote:  If Gordon came back, is there any chance she would play as our #3?

BC

I mean, it would be a possibility. Probably some challenge matches to determine the internal order, but while I’d be surprised, I wouldn’t be shocked. 

Right now, maybe Ma > Gordon > Yepifanova?