One point can be the difference in collegiate tennis.
The beginning of each dual match is doubles play, and the one point that goes to the team that wins two out of the three matches is significant. But in many cases, that doubles point can be the difference between a win and a loss.
The No. 2 Gators have emphasized doubles play all season, but for a large part of the beginning of the year, they struggled to find consistency. Florida (11-1, 4-0 Southeastern Conference) has lost just one doubles point all year, coming in a match against Stanford. They would go on to lose 5-2.
But against Duke last week, coach Roland Thornqvist saw his team rebound in doubles. In the rain-shortened contest, the Gators swept the three doubles matches.
“Our doubles play was fantastic,” Thornqvist said. “Perhaps the greatest thing about the Duke match was the play of our No. 3 doubles team.”
That team, comprised of sophomores Alex Cercone and Olivia Janowicz, picked up their fifth win in seven matches playing at that slot during dual match play. While that record may not suggest any sort of struggled, Thornqvist said that the Duke match really sold him on the ability of that doubles team.
“They played a really good team, and I thought Alex and Olivia did a fantastic job,” he said. “They communicated well, made good decisions, and that’s what we’re looking for. I thought we handled momentum swings very well.”
While Cercone and Janowicz have started playing to their potential, the top two doubles teams have continued to dominate competition. The No. 1 doubles team of Allie Will and Sofie Oyen, ranked third in the nation, is 10-0 on the year. At the No. 2 spot, the 11th-ranked team of Joanna Mather and Lauren Embree is also a perfect 10-0.
Having the comfort of three effective doubles teams will give Florida great confidence moving forward through the remainder of their schedule.
Because doubles are the first component of a dual match, winning the point not only gives a team a competitive advantage, but also a mental edge. Thornqvist said that, for example, winning the point against Duke essentially ended the match.
“Winning the doubles point really set the tone,” he said. “It didn’t give them a chance in singles.”
