The Jackets women’s tennis team has enjoyed great success so far this season as they currently rank No. 3 in the nation, behind only Vanderbilt and North Carolina. Their overall record currently stands at 14-4, and they are 6-2 in the ACC. As a whole, the team in aggregate has a .602 win ratio in singles and .700 ratio in doubles.
The roster consists of seven players, so each member of the team has played a significant role in bringing home the wins, but some standout players include Kenya Jones, Nami Otsuka and Paige Hourigan. Jones, ranked No. 64 in the nation in singles, has an overall singles record of 20-4 in matches played, including a very impressive 8-0 record in singles matches played against ACC opponents.
Otsuka boasts a 19-7 record in singles matches and 17-8 record in doubles, and Hourigan has a 16-8 singles record and 19-6 doubles record and is ranked No. 19 in the nation in singles. Perhaps most impressive, the doubles team featuring Jones and Hourigan ranks No. 2 nationally. The numbers speak for themselves as to how well the team has performed thus far this season and why the team as a whole deserves such a high national rank.
This level of accomplishment, both on an individual and team basis, has many fans wondering about what they can expect from the team going forward, especially how they might perform at the NCAA national championship tournament. Historically, Tech’s women’s tennis team performs very well and received many accolades as a result.
These include consistent success in the NCAA tournament, four ACC titles and a national title in 2007, among many more. Last season, the women’s team finished with a similar record to what the Jackets are currently on track for (.682 record in singles and .735 record in doubles), and placed second in the ACC tournament (losing to North Carolina, who the Jackets have beat once this year already) and qualified to compete in the NCAA national championship tournament. This impressive start to the season brings hope that this team can replicate the achievement of Tech’s most successful past teams.
As the season starts to wrap up, the women’s tennis team only has a handful of matches left to compete, but they are pivotal to the team’s success. Matches against top-ranked teams like Duke and Wake Forest will truly test the team before they head to the ACC Tournament on April 25.
The Jackets are projected to do very well at the tournament, but the ACC is home to many powerhouse women’s tennis teams, so it is difficult to determine a winner beforehand. After the ACC tournament comes NCAA Regionals, which are important in determining the team’s eligibility to compete in the NCAA national championship tournament, the biggest contest of all. Although the tennis season is almost over, the next month of women’s tennis is sure to be the most exciting yet. And the Jackets are well-equipped to capitalize on the high-stakes matches to come.