CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard women's tennis will return to its home courts for the first time this season as it hosts its annual event, Harvard Fall Classic.
The matches will take place from Friday, October 2 to Sunday, October 4, where the Crimson will play student-athletes from Stony Brook, Boston University, and Boston College.
What to Know
- Harvard will welcome Stony Brook, Boston University, and Boston College to the Beren Tennis Center this weekend. Action will begin at 10:45 a.m. on Friday, 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, and 8:30 a.m. on Sunday.
- In the first tournament of the season, the Crimson had six student-athletes competing at the ITA All-American Championships. Natalie Block, Amina Zeghlouli, Kavya Karra, Anna Tabunshchyk, and Natasha Rajaram competed in the singles and doubles prequalifying draw.
- Additionally, Stephanie Yakoff received a bid to the singles main draw as well as the doubles main draw alongside Karra.
- Yakoff went 4-2 in singles, becoming the first player in program history to make it to the Round of 16 at the tournament.
- All four of Yakoff's wins came against higher ranked opponents including defeating No. 16 Emilija Tverigonaite (Arizona State) to advance to the Round of 16.
- In doubles, Karra and Yakoff defeated the No. 16 ranked duo of Mia Slama and Lavinia Tanasie (NC State) to advance to the Round of 16.
- The Crimson returns nearly its entire roster from last season and adds three first years ahead of the season.
- Last season, Karra led the team in singles and doubles wins with 20 and 26, respectively. Yakoff also tallied 18 singles wins and 20 doubles victories. Claire Shao tallied 16 singles wins in her first year in Cambridge.
- Karra and Yakoff were unstoppable in the dual season, accumulating an unblemished 11-0 recorded.
- Block and Rajaram were also a strong doubles pairing for Harvard, totaling 11 wins in the dual season.
Next Up
The Crimson will have another chance at NCAA Tournament bids during the ITA New England Regionals beginning Thursday, October 8 in New Haven, Conn.
