It is hard to find two players with more divergent individual credentials than Maria Mosolova and Keri Robison.
Mosolova, a sophomore from Moscow, is the No. 2 singles player in the nation. Robison, a senior from Decatur, Ill., plays the No. 6 singles spot for Northwestern.
Mosolova has thrived since stepping onto campus, winning Big Ten Player of the Year honors as a freshman. Robison, who transferred from Florida after her freshman year, is in her first season as a full-time starter for the Wildcats.
But together on the doubles court, the players bring out the best in each other.
In their first season as doubles partners, Robison and Mosolova are 12-2 in dual meets and have risen to No. 28 in the latest rankings, jumping 24 spots in the last two weeks.
The players’ differing styles allow each to play to her strengths.
“We really complement each other’s games really well,” Robison said. “She really likes to stay in the cross-court rallies at the back of the court, and I prefer to be up at the net.”
The differences in their games were part of the reason coach Claire Pollard thought Robison and Mosolova would make a good pair. Pollard said she also thought the players’ personalities would allow them to communicate effectively during matches.
“Keri does a great job of getting Maria to be positive,” Pollard said. “Maria gives Keri the confidence to let Keri play her game. Maria’s so stable and steady in her game style that it allows Keri the freedom to play a little bigger and take a few more chances.”
After deciding that Georgia Rose and Lauren Lui, now No. 14 in the nation, would be playing as the Cats’ top doubles pair this year, Pollard experimented with using Robison and Mosolova together during the fall season. When the duo went 3-1 and reached the quarterfinals of the ITA Midwest Regionals, the pairing became permanent.
“It’s working out great so far,” Mosolova said. “We understand who needs to take certain balls, who needs to set up who. Doubles are a lot different than singles. You have to understand your partner.”
Since Mosolova had limited doubles experience when she first arrived at NU, Robison has shared her knowledge with Mosolova. At Florida, Robison went 18-5 in doubles play.
Playing with Robison has allowed Mosolova to see how doubles tennis can translate throughout her game.
“When I first got here, I didn’t really enjoy playing doubles,” Mosolova said. “I was more of a singles player. But now I feel like doubles helps me with my singles matches. When you win a great doubles match, you have so much confidence during the singles match.”
The duo’s best win of the year may have come a week ago against Fresno State. Playing then-No. 16 Melanie Gloria and Tinesta Rowe, the NU pair fought to a 9-8 victory that allowed the Cats to take the doubles point.
NU will need more of the same from the two this weekend, when No. 3 Notre Dame and Big Ten-rival Purdue travel to Evanston.
The Cats earned a 4-1 victory against the Fighting Irish in the semifinals of the ITA Indoor Team Championships this February. In that match, Mosolova and Robison fought back from a 6-3 deficit to pick up a 9-7 victory over Notre Dame’s second doubles pair, helping NU grab the doubles point.
The Irish are known for their strong doubles play, making those matches a point of emphasis this weekend.
“Notre Dame is very confident in doubles,” Pollard said. “So I think it kind of puts a stake in their heart a little bit when they don’t get that point.”
