UCLA redshirt freshman Jada Hart and incoming freshman Ena Shibahara are slated to play in the U.S. Open Junior Girls' Doubles championship match on Saturday afternoon. Hart and Shibahara will face fellow Americans Kayla Day and Caroline Dolehide.
"Ena and I are excited to get to the finals here," said Hart. "It's going to be an all American final which is awesome for our country. We played Kayla and Caroline at hard courts, so we are very familiar with their game style. They both have strong serves and they hit pretty big from the baseline. I think what this match is going to come down to is who is going to take more risks and be more aggressive at the net."
The UCLA duo advanced to the final after dispatching the fifth-seeded pair of Kaja Juvan and Iga Swiatek in the semis. After taking the first set 6-3, the Bruins fell 4-6 in the second. Hart and Shibahara went on to take the match in the super tiebreaker, 10-4.
Prior to the semis, Hart and Shibahara coasted through the bracket without dropping a set. In the first round, they ousted top-seeded Olesya Pervushina and Anastasia Potapova in straights, winning five of seven break points. The Bruin pair took their second round match against I-Hsuan Cho and Yuki Naito in a second set tiebreaker, 6-3, 7-6(5). In the quarterfinals, Hart and Shibahara defeated fellow Americans Morgan Coppoc and Taylor Johnson, 6-2, 6-3.
For more information on the U.S. Open and for a match schedule, click here.
"Ena and I are excited to get to the finals here," said Hart. "It's going to be an all American final which is awesome for our country. We played Kayla and Caroline at hard courts, so we are very familiar with their game style. They both have strong serves and they hit pretty big from the baseline. I think what this match is going to come down to is who is going to take more risks and be more aggressive at the net."
The UCLA duo advanced to the final after dispatching the fifth-seeded pair of Kaja Juvan and Iga Swiatek in the semis. After taking the first set 6-3, the Bruins fell 4-6 in the second. Hart and Shibahara went on to take the match in the super tiebreaker, 10-4.
Prior to the semis, Hart and Shibahara coasted through the bracket without dropping a set. In the first round, they ousted top-seeded Olesya Pervushina and Anastasia Potapova in straights, winning five of seven break points. The Bruin pair took their second round match against I-Hsuan Cho and Yuki Naito in a second set tiebreaker, 6-3, 7-6(5). In the quarterfinals, Hart and Shibahara defeated fellow Americans Morgan Coppoc and Taylor Johnson, 6-2, 6-3.
For more information on the U.S. Open and for a match schedule, click here.