The University of Denver women’s tennis team came into the weekend with an 11-7 record, showcasing consistent progress over the course of the season.
The Crimson and Gold have relied on strong doubles play and consistent singles performances to stay competitive.
In recent matches, they showed their ability to bounce back after slow starts and finish strong, which helped them in both of their matches this weekend against Oral Roberts and North Dakota.
On April 10, Denver faced off against Oral Roberts and started strong in doubles play. Senior Marley Lambert and freshman Yunfei Cai led the way on Court 1, working well together and controlling the match. After a close start, they pulled away and won 6-1, finishing with a clean point from Lambert.
On Court 3, senior Zoe Adkins and sophomore Natálie Cinková had a dominant performance, winning six straight games to secure a 6-0 victory. Their energy and teamwork stood out, especially during a game where they came back 0-40 without giving up a point.
Although senior Claudia Martinez de Velasco and senior Louise Wikander lost a close match on Court 2, Denver still won two out of three doubles matches to take the first team point.
Singles play is where Denver fully took control. Wikander recovered from an early loss to win her match, including a stretch where she won six straight games.
Lambert also bounced back after falling behind early, using advice from head coach Paul Wardlaw to turn things around and win in straight sets.
Cinkova showcased determination by fighting through a tough match and finishing strong to earn her point.
Cai played a steady match and won both sets with confidence, while Martinez de Velasco had one of the most exciting moments of the day. She came back from a late deficit to win her first set 7-5, with her teammates cheering her on from the sidelines.
Freshman Ruby Hansen added the final point with a solid performance. Denver won all six singles matches, completing a 7-0 sweep over Oral Roberts.
The next day, Denver faced North Dakota on senior day.
On the doubles side, Wikander and Martinez de Velasco secured a 6-3 win, while Cinková and Adkins matched that result with a 6-3 victory.
Lambert and Cai lost a close match and there was a delay as coaches and officials discussed whether the match should be finished. After discussion, the players were allowed to continue, and North Dakota’s teams held the serve to secure the 6-4 win.
Even with the loss on Court 1, Denver had already won the other two doubles matches, giving them the doubles point and a 1-0 lead.
On the singles side, Denver continued to play well. Wikander dominated her match, winning her second set without dropping a game.
Lambert had a tough second set but stayed focused and won 7-5. Cinková and Cai both had strong performances, and won their matches in straight sets with clear control.
Adikins fought hard on Court 4 and earned a 6-4 win, with her teammates cheering loudly as she finished.
Senior Hana Be?irovi? Novak was the only Denver player to lose her match, but it didn’t affect the overall result.
Denver won the match 6-1, finishing a successful weekend with two strong victories.
The Crimson and Gold will face off against Omaha on April 18 in their last regular season match.
