The UW women's tennis team will play host to No. 54 Illinois (4-2 Big Ten, 10-7 overall) and No. 50 Purdue (4-2, 7-10) this Saturday and Sunday at Nielsen Tennis Stadium. The No. 33 Badgers will play their final home matches of the season this weekend. The team aims to sweep the matches and keep up its winning ways heading into the post-season, which begins in two weeks.
The Badgers (4-3, 12-6) have won eight of their last 10 matches coming into this weekend, and at one point during the stretch won seven straight.
\I think we've learned that everybody on our team is capable of stepping up,"" UW head coach Patti Henderson said of their current run. ""That's a very important aspect [of the team].""
However, in their last 10 matches, the team has only taken five doubles points and lost its doubles point in each of their two losses.
""We need to make sure to be as competitive as we can at our doubles point,"" Henderson said. ""It sets the tone for the entire match.""
Senior and No. 1 singles player Katie McGaffigan also stressed the importance of the doubles point.
""The main thing we're trying to do for the next couple of matches is win the doubles point,"" she said. ""We've been pretty strong in singles, but we need to get that doubles point for our confidence.""
The Badgers have also been forced to deal with the transition from playing indoors to playing outdoors. After playing indoor matches for the majority of the spring season, the team will now have to battle the elements outdoors. Due to the warmer temperatures, the team will likely play its matches outside this weekend.
""I think we're still adjusting to the outdoors,"" sophomore and No. 2 singles player Caitlin Burke said. ""We're all transitioning pretty well.""
In addition, the team has been participating in a yoga session every two weeks. Each session is an hour and a half long, about the length of a singles match. The yoga helps the players not just physically, but mentally as well, through focus and concentration. Coach Henderson loves the yoga, but the players said they feel a little differently about it.
""It's not my favorite thing,"" Burke admits, ""but it will definitely help with flexibility and injury prevention.""
McGaffigan expressed similar feelings toward yoga, but added. ""It helps with concentration.""
This weekend's matches will be the last at home for seniors Katie McGaffigan and Lindsey Martin.
""We want to send off our seniors, [No. 3 singles player] Lindsey Martin and Katie McGaffigan, on a great note,"" Henderson said. ""They have had great careers here at the University of Wisconsin.""
Following this weekend's matches, the Badgers will head to Ohio State for a dual meet on Sunday, April 24. They look to gather steam heading into the Big Ten Championship, from April 28 to May 1 in East Lansing, Mich.
Men travel to Purdue and Illinois this weekend
After recording its first Big Ten dual victory last weekend in Minnesota, the Wisconsin men's tennis team looks to keep things rolling this weekend as it travels to No. 75 Purdue (0-6 Big Ten, 3-12 overall) Saturday and No. 2 Illinois (6-0, 16-3) Sunday.
""Getting the win [against Minnesota] was really important,"" head coach Pat Klingelhoets said. ""It will give us some momentum heading into this weekend, going up against Illinois.""
The Badgers (1-6, 7-11) face stiff conference competition in the Illini-Illinois owns a 44-game Big Ten win streak. After a tough 4-3 loss to Penn State at home April 2 and a 5-2 loss to Indiana April 3, Wisconsin blanked Minnesota 7-0 and had a good showing against No. 30 Rice, despite losing 4-2.
Alex Kasarov-the Badgers' lone senior-came back from a doubles defeat to upset Rice junior Robert Searle, the 25th ranked singles player in the nation. Kasarov is confident-not only in his own play, but in the overall play of the team.
""I'm playing really well,"" Kasarov said. ""When I'm at the top of my game, not many people in the country can beat me. The first Big Ten win was really important, we have a lot of confidence going into this weekend.""
Doubles play has been solid of late for Wisconsin, as the Badgers have taken won the doubles point in four of their last five matches. Yet, Klingelhoets knows the team must improve heading toward the Big Ten tournament.
""We're playing really well at No. 1 and No. 2 [doubles], but we need to work on our doubles more. We need to pick up a few wins, because the seedings are important for the Big Ten tournament.""
-Justin Dreyfuss and Clint Robus contributed to this report.
