Ahead is a challenge not seen in over two decades.
The stoicism of coach Stella Sampras Webster on the matter, though, might suggest it’s no more than another day at the office.
“We’re always trying to schedule non-conference opponents, and it just so happened that this was the best time that they could come out here,” said Sampras Webster.
Commencing the dual-match season on familiar grounds, No. 16 UCLA women’s tennis will host No. 6 Texas on Friday, followed by a matchup with UC Santa Barbara on Saturday. The Longhorns’ visit will mark the Bruins’ first season opener against a top 10 opponent since 2001 and their first such contest featuring a Power Five foe since 2021.
On the brink of defeat against then-No. 7 Arizona State over 20 years ago, then-No. 9 UCLA stormed back from a 3-1 deficit for a 4-3 victory. It marked a signature moment in an otherwise forgettable 9-18 campaign.
Not that any of the Bruins’ currently-rostered players were around to witness it – none of them had been born yet, much less picked up a tennis racket.
But, as UCLA jumps from the frying pan of the fall season into the fire of dual-match play, a seventh-ranked team will again be its introductory test.
“It’d be nice to have a few matches under our belt, but I think we’re both in the same boat, so it really doesn’t make a difference,” Sampras Webster said. “It’s early in the season, so it’s really going to be information about where we’re both at right now.”
The Longhorns – two years removed from back-to-back NCAA titles – enter Westwood coming off of an Elite Eight finish in 2023 and return four of their six singles starters, including three who appeared in the lineup for the 2022 championship squad.
Trophies aside, Texas possesses a wealth of experience. Six members of its 10-deep roster are either seniors or graduate students, and just one freshman is among them.
“It doesn’t matter who we play, what their ranking is,” said freshman Bianca Fernandez. “It’s always a new season, and sometimes the underdogs are just the better players.”
The Bruins – a comparatively younger group – share the upside of in-house championship pedigree.
Friday will mark the first step in sophomore Tian Fangran’s title defense, having lifted last season’s NCAA singles trophy and becoming just the second player in program history to do so. She’ll take the top court for a Bruin team that’s added more than it lost from last year’s Sweet 16 run.
Entering the picture are freshmen Ahmani Guichard, Mia Jovic and Fernandez – a blue-chip, four-star and international recruit, respectively. In a twist of fortune, redshirt senior Sasha Vagramov is back in the fold for a fifth year after initially planning to move on after 2023.
The only key departure is Ava Catanzarite, who, despite appearing regularly in the starting lineup for UCLA last year, transferred to Oklahoma for her junior campaign.
“We have a really deep team. Everyone’s a really good player, so we have a solid chance to get a good season going,” said sophomore Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer.
UCSB represents the kind of mid-major program UCLA traditionally schedules for a home opener, in this case, one which it’s never lost to and, across eight all-time meetings, only allowed two points to.
But, before that will be a chance to make an opening statement – and recapture some magic of the past in doing so.
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