MADISON, Wisc. – Despite a gutsy comeback effort, the Purdue women's tennis team's 2021 season concluded on Thursday in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament. The Boilermakers fell short in a thrilling matchup against Illinois by a final score of 4-3.
Following a doubles loss at No. 3, the No. 1 pairing of Ena Babic and Csilla Fodor earned their 12th overall doubles victory in dominating fashion against Sasha Beyala and Emilee Duong 6-2. The Illinois No. 2 pairing Asuka Kawai and Kate Duong narrowly edged Zala Dovnik and Nathalia Wolf Gasparin in a back-and-forth slugfest at No. 2, clinching the doubles point.
After Illinois garnered their second point with a win in straight sets at No. 6, Seira Shimizu sealed the first point for the Boilermakers with a two set win at No. 4 against Ashley Yeah 6-2, 6-4.
With their season on the brink of a conclusion after a loss at No. 5, Purdue roared back in the three remaining singles matches at No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3, taking all three to a third set to decide the match.
Zala Dovnik evened up the match at No. 3 with a second set victory after dropping the first to Emilee Duong. The senior came out victorious with a third set victory by a final score of 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.
In her first career Big Ten Tournament match, Csilla Fodor battled back from a narrow loss in the first set to take an electrifying second set 7-5 against Kate Duong at No. 2. The sophomore won the third set 6-4, tying the match score at 3, and leaving it to the match at No. 1.
Ena Babic split the first two sets with Illinois No. 1 Asuka Kawai. After trading points for the majority of the third set, the match came down to a third set tiebreaker to decide the winner. Down 5-0, the Purdue senior stormed back in a voracious comeback effort to tie it up at 5 apiece. Again, the duo matched each other point for point, but Kawai outlasted by a narrow margin, clinching the Illinois victory with a final match score of 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(10-8) at No. 1.
Purdue bids farewell to their two graduating seniors, Ena Babic and Zala Dovnik. Babic finished with a career overall singles record of 55-52, including a 16-14 record at No. 1. Dovnik concludes her career with a 49-48 overall singles record, with her first victory against a ranked opponent coming this year against the 84th ranked singles player from Maryland.
PURDUE (6-11, 6-11) – 3, ILLINOIS (9-8, 9-8) – 4
SINGLES
1. Asuka Kawai (ILL) def. Ena Babic (PUR) – 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(10-8)
2. Csilla Fodor (PUR) def. Kate Duong (ILL) – 4-6, 7-5, 6-4
3. Zala Dovnik (PUR) def. Emilee Duong (ILL) – 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
4. Seira Shimizu (PUR) def. Ashley Yeah (ILL) – 6-2, 6-4
5. Josie Frazier (ILL) def. Nathalia Wolf Gasparin (PUR) – 6-3, 6-3
6. Sasha Beyala (ILL) def. Zeynep Naz Ozturk (PUR) – 6-3, 6-2
DOUBLES
1. Ena Babic/Csilla Fodor (PUR) def. Sasha Beyala/Emilee Duong (ILL) – 6-2
2. Asuka Kawai/Josie Frazier (ILL) def. Zala Dovnik/Nathalia Wolf Gasaprin (PUR) – 7-5
3. Ashley Yeah/Kate Duong (ILL) def. Zeynep Naz Ozturk/Seira Shimizu (PUR) – 6-3
Order of Finish
Singles: 6,4,5,3,2,1
Doubles: 3,1,2
FOLLOW ALONG
For all the latest scores, stats and stories surrounding Purdue Women's Tennis, follow the team on Facebook (/PurdueWomensTennis), Twitter (@PurdueWTennis) and Instagram (@PurdueWTennis).
Following a doubles loss at No. 3, the No. 1 pairing of Ena Babic and Csilla Fodor earned their 12th overall doubles victory in dominating fashion against Sasha Beyala and Emilee Duong 6-2. The Illinois No. 2 pairing Asuka Kawai and Kate Duong narrowly edged Zala Dovnik and Nathalia Wolf Gasparin in a back-and-forth slugfest at No. 2, clinching the doubles point.
After Illinois garnered their second point with a win in straight sets at No. 6, Seira Shimizu sealed the first point for the Boilermakers with a two set win at No. 4 against Ashley Yeah 6-2, 6-4.
With their season on the brink of a conclusion after a loss at No. 5, Purdue roared back in the three remaining singles matches at No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3, taking all three to a third set to decide the match.
Zala Dovnik evened up the match at No. 3 with a second set victory after dropping the first to Emilee Duong. The senior came out victorious with a third set victory by a final score of 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.
In her first career Big Ten Tournament match, Csilla Fodor battled back from a narrow loss in the first set to take an electrifying second set 7-5 against Kate Duong at No. 2. The sophomore won the third set 6-4, tying the match score at 3, and leaving it to the match at No. 1.
Ena Babic split the first two sets with Illinois No. 1 Asuka Kawai. After trading points for the majority of the third set, the match came down to a third set tiebreaker to decide the winner. Down 5-0, the Purdue senior stormed back in a voracious comeback effort to tie it up at 5 apiece. Again, the duo matched each other point for point, but Kawai outlasted by a narrow margin, clinching the Illinois victory with a final match score of 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(10-8) at No. 1.
Purdue bids farewell to their two graduating seniors, Ena Babic and Zala Dovnik. Babic finished with a career overall singles record of 55-52, including a 16-14 record at No. 1. Dovnik concludes her career with a 49-48 overall singles record, with her first victory against a ranked opponent coming this year against the 84th ranked singles player from Maryland.
PURDUE (6-11, 6-11) – 3, ILLINOIS (9-8, 9-8) – 4
SINGLES
1. Asuka Kawai (ILL) def. Ena Babic (PUR) – 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(10-8)
2. Csilla Fodor (PUR) def. Kate Duong (ILL) – 4-6, 7-5, 6-4
3. Zala Dovnik (PUR) def. Emilee Duong (ILL) – 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
4. Seira Shimizu (PUR) def. Ashley Yeah (ILL) – 6-2, 6-4
5. Josie Frazier (ILL) def. Nathalia Wolf Gasparin (PUR) – 6-3, 6-3
6. Sasha Beyala (ILL) def. Zeynep Naz Ozturk (PUR) – 6-3, 6-2
DOUBLES
1. Ena Babic/Csilla Fodor (PUR) def. Sasha Beyala/Emilee Duong (ILL) – 6-2
2. Asuka Kawai/Josie Frazier (ILL) def. Zala Dovnik/Nathalia Wolf Gasaprin (PUR) – 7-5
3. Ashley Yeah/Kate Duong (ILL) def. Zeynep Naz Ozturk/Seira Shimizu (PUR) – 6-3
Order of Finish
Singles: 6,4,5,3,2,1
Doubles: 3,1,2
FOLLOW ALONG
For all the latest scores, stats and stories surrounding Purdue Women's Tennis, follow the team on Facebook (/PurdueWomensTennis), Twitter (@PurdueWTennis) and Instagram (@PurdueWTennis).