Quite the match. Show some grit and fight to come back with multiple third sets wins.
survive and advance!
survive and advance!
UNC Women’s Tennis 2025-2026
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That was a scary, scary match. Credit to Thea and Tatum for battling. Both have had so many issues with their serves in college but they found a way when we needed them
Reese and Maddy were bad. Really bad. Reese's opponent is ranked high but Reese couldnt keep 2 balls in the court from 3 all in the 1st set.
We were just a few points from losing that match in Evan's and Ratman's second sets. They fought hard and Evans got a gift on match points with a double fault (after what I thought was an ace on the first serve).
We were just a few points from losing that match in Evan's and Ratman's second sets. They fought hard and Evans got a gift on match points with a double fault (after what I thought was an ace on the first serve).
Escaped. Any time you make the quarters it’s a damn good year. So congrats to the team!
TAMU is next and we’re the underdog. They beat USC 5-1 today. Lost the doubles point won 5 singles. 2 easily, one tight 2-setter, and 2 tight 3-setters. They were up a break in the 3rd of the unfinished match. Will be tough but we have a great lineup. And one that seems like anyone can be the hero on a given day. Obviously Evans and Rabman winning those second sets was huge. But Frey was maybe the key. She got smoked in the second set, but found a way to totally turn the tables in the third.
TAMU is next and we’re the underdog. They beat USC 5-1 today. Lost the doubles point won 5 singles. 2 easily, one tight 2-setter, and 2 tight 3-setters. They were up a break in the 3rd of the unfinished match. Will be tough but we have a great lineup. And one that seems like anyone can be the hero on a given day. Obviously Evans and Rabman winning those second sets was huge. But Frey was maybe the key. She got smoked in the second set, but found a way to totally turn the tables in the third.
A&M's #1 is 26-0 in completed singles matches this spring. reese will need to bring a lot more than she brought last night.
I said the last 2 years that this team cannot win a match if Reese loses a point. The only exceptions to that so far are her injury retirement last year, SMU earlier this year, and last night. Hopefully this gives her the kick needed to push across the finish line next week.
#4 UNC Quarterfinals vs #5 aTm at 7PM today at UGA host site.
This match is a dead heat on paper (UTR in Parentheses)
We really need the doubles point:
#9 Reese Brantmeier/Alanis Hamilton vs #11 Perez 10.44 /Kupres 10.47 (A&M)
Tatum Evans/Oby Kajuru (UNC) vs #35 Martinez/Amariei (A&M)
Susanna Maltby/Maddy Zampardo 10.55 (UNC)s Smetannikov/Reed (A&M)
Note that our last two pairs basically switched partners, zeroing out their rankings. Kajuru/Maltby were ranked #5 and Evans used to play with Rabman and they were ranked in the fall.
The NCAA Championship page here
Live on ESPN+ here
Individual court streams here
Live scoring here
This match is a dead heat on paper (UTR in Parentheses)
- Brantmeier (11.20) vs Perez (11.37)
- Kajuru (10.96) vs Kupres (10.86)
- Evans (10.82) vs Amariei (10.79)
- Zampardo (10.44) vs Reed (10.59)
- Hamilton (10.44) vs Martinez (10.51)
- Frey (10.52) vs Smetannikov (10.49)
We really need the doubles point:
#9 Reese Brantmeier/Alanis Hamilton vs #11 Perez 10.44 /Kupres 10.47 (A&M)
Tatum Evans/Oby Kajuru (UNC) vs #35 Martinez/Amariei (A&M)
Susanna Maltby/Maddy Zampardo 10.55 (UNC)s Smetannikov/Reed (A&M)
Note that our last two pairs basically switched partners, zeroing out their rankings. Kajuru/Maltby were ranked #5 and Evans used to play with Rabman and they were ranked in the fall.
The NCAA Championship page here
Live on ESPN+ here
Individual court streams here
Live scoring here
Reese was wearing no wrap on her left wrist in the practice pictures from yesterday. That’s a good sign.
What a hard-fought doubles point. This is gonna be a fun night!
It's sad to see Reese go out like this. This is not player I have watched for 4 years.
Of course it would come down to the court with she smudged playsight lens. NIL opportunity for lens wipes?
Man that was one of the most epic matches I have ever seen, but heartbreaking for the Heels.
frey loses the tiebreaker 6-7 (5-7)
great season tho.
frey loses the tiebreaker 6-7 (5-7)
great season tho.
Anna Frey battled like crazy. What a match. Thought she had it when got it back to 5-5 in the tiebreak. The girl she played was really good. Never missed.
And what a win by Rabman.
unbelievable team match, these squads were neck and neck, just like the numbers showed.
And what a win by Rabman.
unbelievable team match, these squads were neck and neck, just like the numbers showed.
We needed Reese obviously. Our leader. With her as herself, we had a chance at the whole thing, given how well everyone else has been playing.
I’m really crushed for her. Clearly something physical must be bothering her. She has been such an incredible Tar Heel. Upper echelon across all sports.
I’m really crushed for her. Clearly something physical must be bothering her. She has been such an incredible Tar Heel. Upper echelon across all sports.
No clue what has happened to reese since the state loss in the acc tourney. Maybe that loss crushed her confidence. Not close to the same player.
I was there. Anna was either injured or cramping at the end. Fought back from 1-4 in the tb to 5 all. Her opponent was 5 feet tall on a good day but rarely missed.
Entire match last over 4 hours
I was there. Anna was either injured or cramping at the end. Fought back from 1-4 in the tb to 5 all. Her opponent was 5 feet tall on a good day but rarely missed.
Entire match last over 4 hours
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Her opponent last night was undefeated #1 27-0 on the season, having a junior Crawley kind of generational year.
while brantmeier has been off for a couple of weeks, likely injured, she was beat by a better tennis player last night.
It is not that she was beat, but how she was beat. She looked like she had 0 idea what to do. Just like against michigan. The match was not close.
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To be fair Brian was aggressive in Reese final season. He brought in Oby and Maddy to take us to another level. It didn't work out. Not Oby fault, she looked outstanding the last two matches.
Reality is American tennis is struggling against the win at all costs SEC. Watch the Reese/Tatum matches to confirm this.
Scotty, Reilly, Anika, Fiona were better players than Tatum, Anna, Thea, Claire and Alanis.
Can Alexis Nguyen or Paige Wygodzki take this program to another level? I have no idea; these are the top recruits for us the next two seasons. We're not getting dirty and going to Romania to find a player.
Reality is American tennis is struggling against the win at all costs SEC. Watch the Reese/Tatum matches to confirm this.
Scotty, Reilly, Anika, Fiona were better players than Tatum, Anna, Thea, Claire and Alanis.
Can Alexis Nguyen or Paige Wygodzki take this program to another level? I have no idea; these are the top recruits for us the next two seasons. We're not getting dirty and going to Romania to find a player.
Nothing "dirty" about getting players from Romania. You either do it or get left behind.
Yeah, Brian is going to have to change his thinking philosophy some. I know it is hard to do as we get older but if he wants to keep up and his program to continue to be relevant then he will have to start looking at recruiting a few players from across the pond. It took Dabo Swinney time to finally realize he was going to have to bring players in from the portal. He was reluctant to do that but this year he made a change.
A&M beat Uganda 4-3 last night. Insane match. Came down to court 1 and both players were cramping the entire 3rd set. 40+ moonball rallies.
And finals are tonight. At least it is at night. Guys have to play in the heat of the day.
So we lost to the champ in the closest match possible