The Blue Devils got a snow day of sorts Saturday afternoon, when California was unable to make its way to Durham due to the wintry weather.
Now, Duke is a win away from a berth in the ITA Indoor Championship.
The No. 23 Blue Devils will take on No. 19 San Diego Sunday at noon at Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center in the championship of the ITA Kick-Off Weekend. Duke enjoyed a respite from competition thanks to the Golden Bears' travel issues, but the Toreros played their semifinal match Saturday afternoon, taking down Vanderbilt 4-0 to advance to the championship match.
After a 6-1 win against Elon in their spring debut, Duke fell to Kentucky Jan. 17 after finishing on the wrong end of a third-set tiebreaker in singles.
“It really came down to a point or two in doubles and a point or two in singles, and we could be 2-0,” Duke head coach Ramsey Smith said. “It was a good learning experience, and it’s going to prepare us for this weekend.”
The Blue Devils (1-1) need to learn quickly with five of its starters still adjusting to dual match competition, but they have shown no signs of tentativeness early on this spring.
“The freshmen overall were 11-1 singles and doubles combined [through the first two matches],” Smith said. “Overall, the freshmen look great, so we’re just trying to make some adjustments and some small improvements and keep working hard.”
Junior T.J. Pura and sophomore Nicolas Alvarez—who occupies the top singles position for the Blue Devils—have teamed up to serve as this season’s captains. The junior and sophomore are two of just three Blue Devils with a sizable dual match resume under their belts.
“The two of them actually complement each other very well,” Smith said. “Nico’s very mature for his age, and he’s been a leader by example… and [Pura] has a lot of natural leadership qualities, and he brings a lot of energy.”
A win against San Diego would punch Duke's ticket to the ITA Indoor Championships in mid-February for the sixth straight season.
Smith said that maintaining focus in dual match play will be crucial for his young team as the freshmen continue to adapt to the new atmosphere.
“There was a little bit of scoreboard watching [against Kentucky], and it’s important to stay focused on your court,” Smith said. “They’re starting to figure it out, and I’m excited with how they’re looking.”
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