University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Bruin freshmen celebrate US Open victory.
Photo by: USTA
UCLA Duo Takes US Open Girls' Doubles Crown
September 10, 2016 | Women's Tennis
UCLA freshmen Jada Hart and Ena Shibahara captured the Junior Girls' Doubles crown at the U.S. Open on Saturday evening when they edged fellow Americansย Kayla Day and Caroline Dolehide in a super tiebreaker. Hart and Shibaharaย dropped just two sets en route to the title and upset the No. 1 seeds in the first round of play.
After a brief back-and-forth battle early in the second set, the Bruin duo kicked it into high gear and never looked back. ย Hart and Shibahara closed out the set with four straight wins to force a super tiebreaker. ย
"The tiebreaker was extremely close, and we were all so nervous," said Shibahara. ย "But I think we were able to handle our emotions and stay loose. Anything can happen in a 10-point tiebreaker."
The pairs traded point for point in the breaker. ย With the score tied at 11-11, Day and Dolehide dropped two straight points at the net on unforced errors. The UCLA freshmen won the breaker, 13-11, to take the championship match,ย 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 (11).
"We couldn't be more proud of our two Bruin freshmen winning the U.S. Open Junior Girls' Doubles title," said UCLA head women's tennis coach Stella Sampras Webster. ย "Having Ena and Jada battle the best junior doubles teams from around the world and take home the trophy is really special. ย We can't wait to have them on the court competing for UCLA."
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"That was definitely a huge confidence booster for us," Hart said. "And just having the experience of playing in the main draw, and then beatingย the top seeds. We knew we could beat anyone after that."
The Bruin pair held a 3-1 advantage in the first set, but Day and Dolehide battled back to knot the score at 3-3. ย Hart and Shibahara regained the lead with a forehand smash winner. ย This lead was short-lived, however, as Day and Dolehide won three straight to take the set, 6-4. ยAfter a brief back-and-forth battle early in the second set, the Bruin duo kicked it into high gear and never looked back. ย Hart and Shibahara closed out the set with four straight wins to force a super tiebreaker. ย
"The tiebreaker was extremely close, and we were all so nervous," said Shibahara. ย "But I think we were able to handle our emotions and stay loose. Anything can happen in a 10-point tiebreaker."
The pairs traded point for point in the breaker. ย With the score tied at 11-11, Day and Dolehide dropped two straight points at the net on unforced errors. The UCLA freshmen won the breaker, 13-11, to take the championship match,ย 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 (11).
"We couldn't be more proud of our two Bruin freshmen winning the U.S. Open Junior Girls' Doubles title," said UCLA head women's tennis coach Stella Sampras Webster. ย "Having Ena and Jada battle the best junior doubles teams from around the world and take home the trophy is really special. ย We can't wait to have them on the court competing for UCLA."
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