After battling through two intense sets, seniors Melodie Collard and Elaine Chervinsky found themselves just a 10-point tiebreaker away from an NCAA doubles title. Having already prevailed in four three-set matches during the tournament, they knew exactly what to do — trust their fundamentals and each other. Collard and Chervinsky did just that Nov. 24, securing the first NCAA doubles title in Virginia women’s tennis history.
After being ranked No. 3 in doubles in the preseason rankings and later winning the ITA Atlantic Regional Oct. 22 to qualify for the national tournament, it was no secret the pair would contend for the NCAA title. They have relied all season on their chemistry, borne out of a strong friendship, to get them through key points.
“We just know that we're going to go out there and try to have a good time and really just trust in our plays,” Chervinsky said Thursday at the Boar’s Head Sports Club.
This type of mental toughness is what brought Collard and Chervinsky to another level of prowess. It also probably helped them navigate the unfamiliar territory of a fall season that looks different than it has in years past. The singles and doubles championships, which usually take place alongside the team championships in the spring, moved to the fall this season for the first time. The new schedule certainly took some adapting to, the players said, but they agreed that they preferred the new schedule. They felt they had more stamina and energy than previous years and were able to focus more because of the divided seasons.
“You can close out the fall with all of the individual stuff, and that way we can go into the spring fully committed,” Chervinsky said. “This personally has helped me as far as scheduling and staying healthy.”
Despite their high preseason ranking, Collard and Chervinsky entered the national tournament in Waco, Texas, unseeded. On the courts of the Hurd Tennis Center, their performance exceeded their reputation. They not only defeated multiple teams inside of the ITA top 10 rankings, but they did so by going 5-0 in third-set tiebreakers. In these extremely short deciding sets, pressure is high and margin for error is narrow, but the intensity did not seem to affect Collard and Chervinsky.
“Coach Sara [O’Leary] really emphasized taking everything as a dual match, every time we go out there,” Chervinsky said. “So I think that was also really important to us, to not think, ‘Oh, this is the semi finals. Oh, this is the quarterfinals.’”
It helped that both players have accumulated experience in tense moments as accomplished singles players. Collard ranks inside the top 100 in the ITA rankings and has toppled multiple highly ranked players this season. Chervinsky also ranks inside the top 100. Moreover, not only did Chervinsky qualify for the NCAA singles tournament, but she defeated the No. 1 seed to reach the quarterfinals.
Their collective play improved over the offseason. The pair lost in the first round of last season’s doubles tournament, but Collard insisted that nothing dramatic happened over the intervening year. Rather, they solidified the strengths that make them a good team. The pair grew more confident in their plays and strengthened crucial doubles skills, like serves and volleys, but their trust and friendship is what always created confidence in matches.
“I think it just helps knowing how your double partner reacts in different ways,” Collard said. “Because how you are outside of the court is also always going to reflect how you act on the court.”
Having won the NCAA championship, not only are Collard and Chervinsky members of the Virginia tennis legacy, they are responsible for growing it. They are following in the footsteps of legendary Cavaliers like Danielle Collins and Emma Navarro — the program’s only other NCAA individual champions.
With the fall season behind them and a national title in hand, Collard and Chervinsky are eager to channel their momentum into the spring. Their confidence is higher than ever, and they are ready to compete for the chance to add a team championship alongside the rest of the Cavaliers.
“I think after winning, I really feel like it's more real,” Collard said. “I feel like it's more possible. Like, okay, we just won a national championship. So why not do it as a team?”
Read More
Virginia adds six promising players in second week of the transfer period
By Peter Kriebel | 20 hours agoVirginia has reinforced several positions throughout its roster, and more additions may be on the way.
Reflecting on a year of incredible achievement by women’s sports at Virginia
By Eleanor Buchanan , Caroline Wulff and Cierra Lyles | YesterdayThree Cavalier Daily staff writers share their thoughts on 2024 highlights.
Late run pushes men’s basketball past American
By Thomas Baxter | 2 days agoVirginia squeezed out a win to end non-conference play.
