Women's Tennis Players Wrap up All American Championships

Updated: 10/7 1:10 a.m.

The Harvard women’s tennis team is sent some of its players to the 2010 Riviera/ITA Women's All American Championships this week in Pacific Palisades, Calif. Facing some tough competition, Harvard players found some wins and some losses but the early tournament has helped the team assess how it matches up with other squads across the country.

“It’s a privilege for our squad to make this tournament,” Harvard coach Traci Green said. “It’s a privilege to play against top opponents. We are taking each match very seriously, and our goal is to improve with every match.”

The tournament was divided into three separate brackets for each of the singles and doubles competitors. Players who were invited to the pre-qualifying or qualifying draws are given a chance to play into the main draw through a series of wins in the single elimination opening draws.

First there was a pre-qualifying round with 64 singles players and 32 doubles teams. Those who made it through three rounds succeeded in making the qualifying round, which has brackets equal in size to the pre-qualifying one. The eight singles players and four doubles teams that advance in the qualifying round enter the main draw to fill out brackets already containing top-ranked singles players and duos.

In the pre-qualifying singles bracket, sophomore No. 114 Hideko Tachibana lost on Saturday to Florida’s Alex Cercone, 6-4, 7-6 (2).

“I’m proud of the way [Tachibana] competed,” Green said.

Classmate Kristin Norton defeated Lamar’s Kaitrina Harbuzi, 2-6, 6-2, 6-2, on Saturday before losing to another Gator, Sofie Oyen, 6-0, 6-3, later in the day.

“[Norton] puts everything into every point,” Green said.

In the doubles pre-qualifying draw, Tachibana and Norton teamed up to defeat the Texas duo of Krista Damico and Cierra Gaytan-Leach, 8-4, on Saturday. But on Sunday they met defeat at the hands of Southern California’s Alison Ramos and Valeria Pulido, 8-5.

Also in the draw, freshmen Natalie Blosser and Hannah Morrill lost to Pepperdine’s Ali Walters and Khunpak Issara, 8-1.

The qualifying singles draw featured No. 56 junior co-captain Holly Cao against North Carolina State’s Sanaa Bhambri, who advanced from the pre-qualifying round. On Tuesday, Cao lost a tight match to Bhambi. After winning the first set, 6-4, Cao dropped the next, 6-1. In the deciding set, Bhambi, a senior from New Delhi, outplayed Cao to take the set, 6-4.

“She was a tricky opponent, very deceptive,” Cao said. “I didn’t play a great match, but I’m kind of disappointed. She was very fast and hits a lot of balls back, so winning every point was pretty hard.”

Following the loss, Cao defeated the Waves’ No. 66 Arianna Colffer in the consolation draw later in the day, 6-3, 6-2.

“She hits the ball pretty hard, but wasn’t that consistent,” Cao said. “I tried to be solid and keep the balls deep. I’m glad I came away with a win.”

“She wasn’t playing her best tennis, but she showed she can compete with top players,” Green said.

The doubles bracket placed Cao and fellow co-captain Samantha Rosekrans, ranked No. 40 in the nation, against a tough field from across the country. On Tuesday, they fell, 8-5, to the No. 42 ranked Trojan duo of Maria Sanchez and Kaitlyn Christian.  Sanchez is the No. 3 ranked singles player in the country.

“[Cao and Rosekrans] played fairly well,” Green said. “The USC team played the big points better. If they get tougher on the big points, they’ll be fine.”

Cao, who was originally scheduled to play more matches in the singles consolation draw that was made optional Wednesday due to rainy weather, decided to withdraw. Also due to weather, the consolation doubles draw, in which Cao and Rosekrans were scheduled to play, was cancelled.