Freshman tennis player Audra Cohen had not lost a singles match the entire fall season.
Until last Friday.
And before last Friday, junior Cristelle Grier had not lost a match to anyone besides her Northwestern teammate Cohen. Both of these streaks ended at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Indoor Championships in Ann Arbor, Mich.
The defeats in the singles bracket did not affect the pair’s doubles play, as they beat Stanford’s Alice Barnes and Erin Burdette in Sunday’s championship match.
“We were disappointed in singles,” Grier said, “So it gave us even more incentive to do well in doubles. Audra and I had played well in qualifying and at Rice, so we knew we had a good chance for nationals.”
“Winning doubles was a lot of consolation,” Cohen said, “It was awesome to go out and win a national title.”
Cohen’s singles record stood at 20-0 before she fell in the second round of the tournament to Nicole Leimbach of Southern California. Cohen won the first set, 6-3, and had a match point at 5-3 in the second, but she failed to put away a forehand to seal the match.
“It was a shot I don’t usually make a mistake on,” Cohen said. “After that point, I mentally let her get back in the match.”
Cohen went on to lose the second set, 7-5, and the third set, 6-4.
Grier, the top-ranked player in the country, handled her second-round opponent, Erin Burdette of Stanford, in straight sets. Grier also won the first set of her quarterfinal match against Suzi Babos of California, but Babos rallied to win the last two sets, 6-3, 6-3.
“She really got on fire in the second set,” Grier said. “There was really nothing I could do.”
The weekend’s action improved their doubles record to 12-0 and added another title to the duo’s mantle, following wins at the Rice Invitational and the ITA Midwest Regional Championships.
“You’re going to lose your fair share, and you’re going to win your fair share,” coach Claire Pollard said. “We knew we played good matches against our opponents.”
Playing in only her second indoor tournament, Cohen found it difficult to adjust to the conditions different from playing outside.
“Outdoor surfaces usually play about the same anywhere,” Cohen said. “Indoor courts are different from site to site. They can be slick or fast, and the lighting is different.”
While Cohen and Grier competed in Ann Arbor, Mich., the rest of the team scorched the field at the Milwaukee Tennis Classic hosted by Marquette.
The semifinals and finals were all-NU affairs, with Wildcats occupying all spots in the singles and doubles draws.
Sophomore Alexis Prousis won the singles title over teammate Valerie Vladea in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6. Prousis also captured the doubles title with Vladea, defeating junior Feriel Esseghir and senior Andrea Yang.
“The truth is, we dominated the tournament,” Pollard said. “It shows that we have a very deep team, that we have more players than Cristelle and Audra.”
Even though their singles performances ended prematurely, Grier and Cohen said they still are confident in their abilities.
“I know I played my hardest,” Grier said, “I’m not disappointed in my playing.”
Cohen added: “I learned that I have to close out a match. It’s not really over until the last point.”
Reach David Morrison at [email protected].
