ANN ARBOR, Mich & AUBURN, AL. - The Yale women's tennis team started off their 2019-20 season by competing in two events, the Wolverine Invitational in Ann Arbor and the Marliss Gruver Fall Invitational in Auburn.
Representing the Bulldogs in Ann Arbor was captain Caroline Dunleavy, Jessie Gong, Chelsea Kung and Samantha Martinelli. Over the three days, the quarter competed in eleven singles matches and six doubles matches. Martinelli won all three of her matches, each of which came against ranked opponents; she beat the No. 47, No. 75 and No. 116 players in the country while only dropping one set. Additionally, Gong and Kung both won two of their three singles matches; Kung's only loss came in a third set tiebreaker.
The Bulldogs were even more impressive on the doubles court, winning all six of their matches. Gong and Martinelli displayed the chemistry that makes them the No. 29 team in the nation, while Dunleavy and Kung provided a glimpse into what could be a new, dynamic doubles partnership.
Vivian Cheng, Raissa Lou, Lauren Gillinov, Rhea Shrivastava and Kathy Wang all traveled south to compete at the Marliss Gruver Fall Invitational. Cheng and Lou competed in the same singles bracket, Flight A, each winning two matches to reach the Consolation Finals opposite each other, though the final was not played. Gillinov won two matches to finish sixth in Flight B, while Shrivastava finished fourth after receiving a first round bye. Wang was dominant in Flight C, winning all three of her matches to win the group.
Doubles was an equally successful affair for the Bulldogs; Shrivastava and Lou won first place in their bracket, dropping just seven games across three matches. Cheng and Wang finished fifth in the same group after winning the consolation final.
Overall, it was a successful weekend for the Bulldogs, who reunite next week to host the Bulldog Invitational.
Full results are available below.
Wolverine Invitational
Friday, Sept. 20
Singles
No. 52 Martinelli (Yale) d. No. 116 Corse (Notre Dame), 6-2, 5-7, 6-4
Freeman (Notre Dame) d. Dunleavy (Yale), 6-2, 7-6
Kung (Yale) d. Lilien (Notre Dame), 6-3, 6-2
Gong (Yale) d. Waldram (Notre Dame), 6-0, 1-6, 6-3
Doubles
No. 29 Martinelli/Gong (Yale) d. Cerdan/Hammond (U-M), 7-5
Dunleavy/ Kung (Yale) d. Pairone/ Lorenzini (U-M), 6-2
Saturday, Sept. 21
Singles
No. 52 Martinelli (Yale) d. No. 47 Pairone (U-M), 6-3, 6-1
Cerdan (U-M) d. Kung (Yale), 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (5)
Hammond (U-M) d. Dunleavy (Yale), 6-3, 7-5
Gong (Yale) d. Lorenzini (U-M), 6-4, 6-4
Doubles
No. 29 Martinelli/Jessie Gong (Yale) d. Safont/ Maquet (Charlotte), 6-3
Dunleavy/ Kung (Yale) d. Imparato/ Dean (Charlotte), 6-2
Sunday, Sept. 22
Singles
No. 52 Martinelli (Yale) d. No. 75 Hattingh (Arizona State), 7-5, 7-6 (4)
Kung (Yale) d. Hampton (Arizona State), 6-4, 6-3
Slaysman (Arizona State) d. Gong (Yale), 6-3, 6-4
Doubles
No. 29 Martinelli/Gong (Yale) d. Tiraspolsky/ Ziegler (Western Michigan), 6-2
Dunleavy/Kung (Yale) d. Slavova/ Riegraf (Western Michigan), 6-1
Marliss Gruver Fall Invitational
SINGLES - Flight A (Blue)
Round 1
Meredith (AU) d. Lou (Yale), 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-4
Karvouni (KU) d. Cheng (Yale), 6-3, 6-3
Consolation QF
Lou (Yale) – BYE
Cheng (Yale) d. O'Gorman (PSU), 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
Consolation SF
Lou (Yale) d. Bojczuk (ND), 3-6 6-3, 6-4
Cheng (Yale) d. Manu (KU), 6-4, 6-3
SINGLES - Flight B (Orange)
Round 1
Gillinov (Yale) d. Rohrbacher (PSU), 7-6 (5), 6-0
Shrivastava (Yale) – BYE
Quarterfinals
Shrivastava (Yale) d. Svarre (PSU) – 7-5, 6-1
Axon (AU) d. Gillinov (Yale) – 6-1, 6-2
Semifinals
Axon (AU) d. Shrivastava (Yale), 6-4, 6-3
Back Draw
Gillinov (Yale) d. Svarre (PSU), 6-0, 4-6, 6-4
Final Round
3rd Place – Gheorghita (KSU) d. Shrivastava (Yale), 6-4, 6-4
5th Place – Russo (AU) d. Gillinov (Yale), 6-2, 6-3
SINGLES – Flight C (Round Robin)
Wang (Yale) d. Koscielski (ND) 7-5, 7-5
Wang (Yale) d. Zordani (WIS) – 6-2, 6-2
Wang (Yale) d. Jones (OM), 6-3, 6-1
DOUBLES – Flight B (Orange)
First Round
Shrivastava/Lou (Yale) d. Smith/Svarre (PSU), 6-2
De Jong/De Samucewicz (OM) d. Chang/Wang (Yale), 6-4
Second Round
Shrivastava/Lou (Yale) d. Maffei/Gheorghita (KSU), 6-2
Cheng/Wang (Yale) d. Markham/Tudor (WIS), 6-0
Final Round
Final – Shrivastava/Lou (Yale) d. Karvouni (KU)/Koscielski (ND), 6-3
Consolation Final –Cheng/Wang (Yale) d. Pick/Zordani (WIS), 7-6 (6)
