Wisconsin Tennis Posts Best Season Start Since 1992 After Sweeping Two Rivals

Wisconsin women's tennis recorded its best start to a season in 34 years on Saturday, reaching a 6-0 mark by winning both matches of a doubleheader by identical 7-0 scores. The Badgers defeated Bradley in the first contest and then shut out Green Bay in the second.

The 6-0 opening stretch surpasses the program's previous record for the start of a season, which dates back to 1992. Green Bay entered the second match with a reduced roster, fielding only five players. Despite the disparity in numbers, the Badgers maintained a consistent level of play that left the visitors without a set victory in either encounter.

Doubles play set the trajectory for both wins. Freshman MaryAnn Rompf and senior Kelsey Grambeau won the opening match against Theresa Tebon and Tallie Piaskowski, 6-1. Sophomore Melissa Pick and freshman Lexi Keberle followed with a 6-0 victory over Maria Neff and Samm Pedersen. No Wisconsin player dropped a set in the singles portion of the day.

Keberle, playing at first singles, defeated Tebon with straight-set scores of 6-1 and 6-1. Her performance extends her personal streak to 7-0 in both singles and doubles combined. Rompf won the second singles match against Piaskowski, 6-3, 6-1. Michelle Linden secured a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Sterre Tijssens at third singles, while Pick defeated Neff, 6-0, 6-0. Christina Zordani closed out the day with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Pedersen, improving her season singles record to 5-0.

Head coach Kelcy McKenna attributed the result to the team's management of controllable factors. "They did a great job with the controlables: their attitude, their effort and their energy," McKenna said. "Those three things are extremely important to our success."

McKenna identified specific technical areas for improvement, particularly in doubles. She noted the need to improve serves and returns and to be more aggressive on service plays. "We have to make sure as we move into singles, if we do have the doubles point, that we carry the momentum with us and try to be gritty and not give away free points," McKenna said. The team will focus on these details in practice and match simulations to prepare for the upcoming schedule.

Wisconsin's next match is scheduled for Feb. 9-12, when the Badgers host the National Team Indoor Championship. The team will attempt to extend its unbeaten record at that event.