Friday, March 8
Los Angeles, CA
1:30 PM
UCLA
vs
Washington State
Ahmani Guichard
Photo by: Nola Gallagher
No. 19 Women's Tennis Opens Pac-12 Play Friday at Home
March 07, 2024 | Women's Tennis
MATCH INFORMATION
Date/Time: Friday, March 8/1:30 PM PT
Saturday, March 9/12:00 PM PT
Live Stream: https://ucla.in/3R2WTGN
Live Stats: https://ucla.in/3R2WTGN
Series vs. Washington State: UCLA leads 29-2
Series vs. Washington: UCLA leads 31-5
Last Meeting vs. WSU: UCLA won 5-2 on March 5, 2023
Last Meeting vs. UW: UW won 4-0 on April 27, 2023
THIS WEEK
No. 19 UCLA begins Pac-12 play Friday, when it welcomes Washington State to Los Angeles Tennis Center. First serve in the teams' league opener is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. PT. The Bruins (5-3) have won three matches in a row, while the Cougars (8-2) have come out on top of four straight decisions. The homestand continues Saturday with a visit from No. 25 Washington. The Huskies (10-4) have prevailed in four of five entering conference play. The top-25 matchup starts at 12 p.m. PT.
FOLLOW LIVE
Fans unable to attend home UCLA women's tennis matches in person can still follow live. Point-by-point scores and live video will be available for all matches played at Los Angeles Tennis Center HERE.
LAST TIME OUT
UCLA earned its second top-10 win of the season March 1, beating eighth-ranked USC 5-2 in a non-conference rivalry match at Los Angeles Tennis Center. Each of the Bruins' top three singles players – Tian Fangran, Kimmi Hance and Bianca Fernandez – was victorious against a top-60 foe. Tian clinched the overall win. Ahmani Guichard also prevailed for UCLA, completing a two-win day. The Trojans got on the board thanks to the singles performances of Eryn Cayetano and Naomi Cheong.
UCLA VS. WASHINGTON STATE, WASHINGTON
UCLA has an all-time record of 29-2 against Washington State. The Bruins prevailed in their only 2023 meeting (March 5), beating the Cougars by a 5-2 score on the Simmelink Tennis Courts at Hollingbery Fieldhouse. UCLA collected the final three wins of the day, including Elise Wagle's straight-set clincher. Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer, Vanessa Ong and Fangran Tian were also victorious for the Bruins. Yura Nakagawa and Elyse Tse momentarily pulled WSU even on the singles courts. UCLA earned the doubles point after dropping just three total games in the completed contests. The Bruins will try to improve upon a 31-5 record held versus Washington. The Huskies took both 2023 meetings, including a 4-0 result to reach the Pac-12 Championships semifinal round (April 27). UCLA was moving toward straight-set wins on the first and fifth singles courts when the decision was clinched. Astrid Olsen, Melissa Sakar and clincher Jennifer Kerr won for UW in singles play.
IN THE RANKINGS
UCLA's win against No. 8 USC (March 1) helped improve both team and individual showings in the ITA's March 5 rankings. The Bruins rose 17 spots on the team list, coming in at No. 19. The most recent singles installment includes Tian Fangran (No. 62), Bianca Fernandez (career-high 65) and Kimmi Hance (91). Each player defeated a nationally-ranked Trojan in the non-conference victory. The doubles combination of Ahmani Guichard and Sasha Vagramov, meanwhile, debuted at No. 66. The pair knocked off No. 29 Parker Fry/Grace Piper 7-6(6) of USC to clinch the doubles point.
TIAN NAMED PAC-12 PLAYER OF THE WEEK FOR SECOND TIME THIS SEASON
Tian Fangran was voted Pac-12 Player of the Week for the week of Feb. 26-March 3, the conference announced Tuesday. Tian and the Bruins earned their second top-10 win of the season, beating eighth-ranked USC 5-2 in a non-conference matchup at Los Angeles Tennis Center (March 1). The Beijing, China native also received Pac-12 Player of the Week recognition following UCLA's season-opening victory against No. 6 Texas. It was Tian who clinched the Bruins' eighth victory in nine tries against their crosstown rival, beating No. 60 Snow Han by a 6-2, 6-4 margin on the top court. The Trojans pulled even at 2-2, but UCLA's frontcourt trio provided answers opposite nationally-ranked foes. With the only other remaining match destined for a third set, Tian sealed the decision at 4-2. The defending NCAA singles champion is now a three-time Pac-12 Player of the Week award winner for her career. UCLA has collected 42 of the honors in program history.
FALL RECAP
Bruins appeared at three tournaments during the fall. Freshman Ahmani Guichard made her debut on a national scale, logging two of her team-high six fall singles wins at the ITA All-American Championships in Cary, N.C. Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer and Elise Wagle each recorded three singles victories at the ITA Southwest Regional Championships in San Diego. Guichard and Lutkemeyer teamed to collect two wins at ITA Regionals and added another during Thunderbird Invitational play in Tempe, Ariz. Guichard added two more singles wins in the desert.
2022-23 IN REVIEW
The 2022-23 UCLA women's tennis team advanced to the super-regional round of the NCAA Championships, upsetting host and No. 6-seed Duke to get there. The Bruins rallied from a 3-1 deficit and Sasha Vagramov provided the heroics with all eyes on her court. UCLA went 15-8 for the season. Kimmi Hance (doubles), Tian Fangran (singles) and Elise Wagle (doubles) each received All-America recognition. Hance and Wagle qualified for the NCAA doubles draw, while Tian claimed the second NCAA singles title in program history. Tian was also a finalist for the Honda Sport Award for Tennis and voted ITA Rookie of the Year and Pac-12 Freshman/Newcomer of the Year. Hance and Wagle made up the Pac-12's Doubles Team of the Year. Tian earned a spot on the All-Conference First Team, Hance made the Second Team and Wagle was an Honorable Mention pick.
T IS FOR TITLE
Freshman Tian Fangran completed a sparkling run through the 2023 NCAA Championships singles tournament at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla., defeating Layne Sleeth of Oklahoma 6-4, 6-2 for the second NCAA singles title in program history. The No. 9-16-seeded Tian joined UCLA Athletic Hall of Famer Keri Phebus as the only Bruins to lift the trophy at the season-ending event. En route to the title, Tian won six matches without dropping a single set. She completed her debut college season with a singles record of 30-7, including a 17-6 mark against nationally-ranked opponents. The NCAA singles championship represents the first in the career of head coach Stella Sampras Webster, who was on staff as an assistant coach under Bill Zaima when Phebus collected hers.
WHO'S NEW?
Freshmen Bianca Fernandez (Montreal, QC, Canada/International Virtual Learning Academy), Ahmani Guichard (Seminole, Fla./Florida Virtual School) and Mia Jovic (Torrance, Calif./South HS) joined the Bruins in 2023-24. Fernandez, a veteran of ITF events who earned her first WTA points at the age of 15, reached the doubles second round alongside her sister and partner Leylah Fernandez at the 2022 National Bank Open in Toronto. Guichard, regarded as a Blue Chip prospect by TennisRecruiting.net, reached the singles second round at the 2022 US Open Junior Championships and also earned berths into the 2023 Australian Open Junior Championships and 2022 Roland-Garros Junior Championships. Jovic helped her high school to four consecutive CIF Southern Section Championships appearances and captured the Pioneer League singles title in 2019.
BRUINS ON TOUR
Ena Shibahara earned her first Grand Slam championship in 2022, teaming with Wesley Koolhof to seize the mixed doubles title at Roland-Garros. She made her first major women's doubles final round alongside Shuko Aoyama at the 2023 Australian Open. Shibahara/Aoyama was the last pair standing at the 2023 National Bank Open in Toronto, giving each player her second WTA 1000 championship. Shibahara climbed to a career-best No. 4 position in the WTA's doubles rankings in March 2022 and entered 2024 at No. 14. Catherine Harrison also had a standout 2022, competing at Roland-Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open. She reached the singles second round at the All England Club and earned a main-draw win in doubles at each event. Harrison added the Australian Open to her résumé in 2023 and made a return trip earlier this year. She also collected her first WTA title in 2022, partnering with Sabrina Santamaria to prevail at the Monterrey Open in Mexico. Harrison posted career-high WTA rankings of 214 singles and 69 doubles in 2022. Robin Anderson also had a stellar 2022, making career-high appearances of 137 singles and 181 doubles. She made her Grand Slam main-draw debut at the 2022 Australian Open. Jennifer Brady achieved the highest singles ranking of any former UCLA standout when she climbed to No. 13 in 2021. Elysia Bolton (167) and Jada Hart (296) earned the highest doubles rankings of their careers thus far in 2023.
STELLA'S STERLING RÉSUMÉ
Head coach Stella Sampras Webster is in her 28th season at the helm of the UCLA women's tennis program, compiling an impressive overall record of 508-189 (.729). She is the second-longest-tenured active coach at UCLA, behind men's tennis head coach Billy Martin. Sampras Webster collected the 500th win of her illustrious career when the Bruins defeated UC San Diego on April 18, 2023. She has guided her alma mater to NCAA championships in 2008 and 2014, the first two in program history. Sampras Webster's teams have finished top-10 nationally in 22 of her 26 completed seasons and in the top five 15 times. Four NCAA individual championships have been won under her watch: Tian Fangran in 2023, Gabby Andrews/Ayan Broomfield in 2019, Tracy Lin/Riza Zalameda in 2008 and Daniela Bercek/Lauren Fisher in 2004.
Date/Time: Friday, March 8/1:30 PM PT
Saturday, March 9/12:00 PM PT
Live Stream: https://ucla.in/3R2WTGN
Live Stats: https://ucla.in/3R2WTGN
Series vs. Washington State: UCLA leads 29-2
Series vs. Washington: UCLA leads 31-5
Last Meeting vs. WSU: UCLA won 5-2 on March 5, 2023
Last Meeting vs. UW: UW won 4-0 on April 27, 2023
THIS WEEK
No. 19 UCLA begins Pac-12 play Friday, when it welcomes Washington State to Los Angeles Tennis Center. First serve in the teams' league opener is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. PT. The Bruins (5-3) have won three matches in a row, while the Cougars (8-2) have come out on top of four straight decisions. The homestand continues Saturday with a visit from No. 25 Washington. The Huskies (10-4) have prevailed in four of five entering conference play. The top-25 matchup starts at 12 p.m. PT.
FOLLOW LIVE
Fans unable to attend home UCLA women's tennis matches in person can still follow live. Point-by-point scores and live video will be available for all matches played at Los Angeles Tennis Center HERE.
LAST TIME OUT
UCLA earned its second top-10 win of the season March 1, beating eighth-ranked USC 5-2 in a non-conference rivalry match at Los Angeles Tennis Center. Each of the Bruins' top three singles players – Tian Fangran, Kimmi Hance and Bianca Fernandez – was victorious against a top-60 foe. Tian clinched the overall win. Ahmani Guichard also prevailed for UCLA, completing a two-win day. The Trojans got on the board thanks to the singles performances of Eryn Cayetano and Naomi Cheong.
UCLA VS. WASHINGTON STATE, WASHINGTON
UCLA has an all-time record of 29-2 against Washington State. The Bruins prevailed in their only 2023 meeting (March 5), beating the Cougars by a 5-2 score on the Simmelink Tennis Courts at Hollingbery Fieldhouse. UCLA collected the final three wins of the day, including Elise Wagle's straight-set clincher. Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer, Vanessa Ong and Fangran Tian were also victorious for the Bruins. Yura Nakagawa and Elyse Tse momentarily pulled WSU even on the singles courts. UCLA earned the doubles point after dropping just three total games in the completed contests. The Bruins will try to improve upon a 31-5 record held versus Washington. The Huskies took both 2023 meetings, including a 4-0 result to reach the Pac-12 Championships semifinal round (April 27). UCLA was moving toward straight-set wins on the first and fifth singles courts when the decision was clinched. Astrid Olsen, Melissa Sakar and clincher Jennifer Kerr won for UW in singles play.
IN THE RANKINGS
UCLA's win against No. 8 USC (March 1) helped improve both team and individual showings in the ITA's March 5 rankings. The Bruins rose 17 spots on the team list, coming in at No. 19. The most recent singles installment includes Tian Fangran (No. 62), Bianca Fernandez (career-high 65) and Kimmi Hance (91). Each player defeated a nationally-ranked Trojan in the non-conference victory. The doubles combination of Ahmani Guichard and Sasha Vagramov, meanwhile, debuted at No. 66. The pair knocked off No. 29 Parker Fry/Grace Piper 7-6(6) of USC to clinch the doubles point.
TIAN NAMED PAC-12 PLAYER OF THE WEEK FOR SECOND TIME THIS SEASON
Tian Fangran was voted Pac-12 Player of the Week for the week of Feb. 26-March 3, the conference announced Tuesday. Tian and the Bruins earned their second top-10 win of the season, beating eighth-ranked USC 5-2 in a non-conference matchup at Los Angeles Tennis Center (March 1). The Beijing, China native also received Pac-12 Player of the Week recognition following UCLA's season-opening victory against No. 6 Texas. It was Tian who clinched the Bruins' eighth victory in nine tries against their crosstown rival, beating No. 60 Snow Han by a 6-2, 6-4 margin on the top court. The Trojans pulled even at 2-2, but UCLA's frontcourt trio provided answers opposite nationally-ranked foes. With the only other remaining match destined for a third set, Tian sealed the decision at 4-2. The defending NCAA singles champion is now a three-time Pac-12 Player of the Week award winner for her career. UCLA has collected 42 of the honors in program history.
FALL RECAP
Bruins appeared at three tournaments during the fall. Freshman Ahmani Guichard made her debut on a national scale, logging two of her team-high six fall singles wins at the ITA All-American Championships in Cary, N.C. Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer and Elise Wagle each recorded three singles victories at the ITA Southwest Regional Championships in San Diego. Guichard and Lutkemeyer teamed to collect two wins at ITA Regionals and added another during Thunderbird Invitational play in Tempe, Ariz. Guichard added two more singles wins in the desert.
2022-23 IN REVIEW
The 2022-23 UCLA women's tennis team advanced to the super-regional round of the NCAA Championships, upsetting host and No. 6-seed Duke to get there. The Bruins rallied from a 3-1 deficit and Sasha Vagramov provided the heroics with all eyes on her court. UCLA went 15-8 for the season. Kimmi Hance (doubles), Tian Fangran (singles) and Elise Wagle (doubles) each received All-America recognition. Hance and Wagle qualified for the NCAA doubles draw, while Tian claimed the second NCAA singles title in program history. Tian was also a finalist for the Honda Sport Award for Tennis and voted ITA Rookie of the Year and Pac-12 Freshman/Newcomer of the Year. Hance and Wagle made up the Pac-12's Doubles Team of the Year. Tian earned a spot on the All-Conference First Team, Hance made the Second Team and Wagle was an Honorable Mention pick.
T IS FOR TITLE
Freshman Tian Fangran completed a sparkling run through the 2023 NCAA Championships singles tournament at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla., defeating Layne Sleeth of Oklahoma 6-4, 6-2 for the second NCAA singles title in program history. The No. 9-16-seeded Tian joined UCLA Athletic Hall of Famer Keri Phebus as the only Bruins to lift the trophy at the season-ending event. En route to the title, Tian won six matches without dropping a single set. She completed her debut college season with a singles record of 30-7, including a 17-6 mark against nationally-ranked opponents. The NCAA singles championship represents the first in the career of head coach Stella Sampras Webster, who was on staff as an assistant coach under Bill Zaima when Phebus collected hers.
WHO'S NEW?
Freshmen Bianca Fernandez (Montreal, QC, Canada/International Virtual Learning Academy), Ahmani Guichard (Seminole, Fla./Florida Virtual School) and Mia Jovic (Torrance, Calif./South HS) joined the Bruins in 2023-24. Fernandez, a veteran of ITF events who earned her first WTA points at the age of 15, reached the doubles second round alongside her sister and partner Leylah Fernandez at the 2022 National Bank Open in Toronto. Guichard, regarded as a Blue Chip prospect by TennisRecruiting.net, reached the singles second round at the 2022 US Open Junior Championships and also earned berths into the 2023 Australian Open Junior Championships and 2022 Roland-Garros Junior Championships. Jovic helped her high school to four consecutive CIF Southern Section Championships appearances and captured the Pioneer League singles title in 2019.
BRUINS ON TOUR
Ena Shibahara earned her first Grand Slam championship in 2022, teaming with Wesley Koolhof to seize the mixed doubles title at Roland-Garros. She made her first major women's doubles final round alongside Shuko Aoyama at the 2023 Australian Open. Shibahara/Aoyama was the last pair standing at the 2023 National Bank Open in Toronto, giving each player her second WTA 1000 championship. Shibahara climbed to a career-best No. 4 position in the WTA's doubles rankings in March 2022 and entered 2024 at No. 14. Catherine Harrison also had a standout 2022, competing at Roland-Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open. She reached the singles second round at the All England Club and earned a main-draw win in doubles at each event. Harrison added the Australian Open to her résumé in 2023 and made a return trip earlier this year. She also collected her first WTA title in 2022, partnering with Sabrina Santamaria to prevail at the Monterrey Open in Mexico. Harrison posted career-high WTA rankings of 214 singles and 69 doubles in 2022. Robin Anderson also had a stellar 2022, making career-high appearances of 137 singles and 181 doubles. She made her Grand Slam main-draw debut at the 2022 Australian Open. Jennifer Brady achieved the highest singles ranking of any former UCLA standout when she climbed to No. 13 in 2021. Elysia Bolton (167) and Jada Hart (296) earned the highest doubles rankings of their careers thus far in 2023.
STELLA'S STERLING RÉSUMÉ
Head coach Stella Sampras Webster is in her 28th season at the helm of the UCLA women's tennis program, compiling an impressive overall record of 508-189 (.729). She is the second-longest-tenured active coach at UCLA, behind men's tennis head coach Billy Martin. Sampras Webster collected the 500th win of her illustrious career when the Bruins defeated UC San Diego on April 18, 2023. She has guided her alma mater to NCAA championships in 2008 and 2014, the first two in program history. Sampras Webster's teams have finished top-10 nationally in 22 of her 26 completed seasons and in the top five 15 times. Four NCAA individual championships have been won under her watch: Tian Fangran in 2023, Gabby Andrews/Ayan Broomfield in 2019, Tracy Lin/Riza Zalameda in 2008 and Daniela Bercek/Lauren Fisher in 2004.