Screeches and fist pumps are synonymous with Tian Fangran.
Often a package deal, such expressions of emotion have come to signify a moment of triumph for the sophomore.
She channeled both actions Friday afternoon to celebrate not only her own outcome but something larger than herself.
UCLA women’s tennis (5-3) knocked off No. 8 USC (7-4) at the Los Angeles Tennis Center by a 5-2 score, capping nonconference play with its second top-10 victory of the season and first over a full-strength team. Back in its season opener, the squad was aided by two singles walkovers en route to upsetting then-No. 6 Texas.
This time around, the Bruins had to earn all of what became their seventh win in their last eight meetings with the Trojans. And in none of those preceding matchups was USC as highly ranked as it was entering Friday.
“They’re overall better this year, but so are we,” Tian said. “I feel like everyone today just came out with really good, positive attitude and good energy. I think we deserve the win.”
It hadn’t been too long before Tian’s clinching decision that the Trojans got on the board, and in a flash, knotted the score. UCLA’s 2-0 lead fell into a tie following straight-setters from No. 90 Eryn Cayetano and Naomi Cheong, both completed in less than a minute, over sophomore Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer and No. 124 junior Elise Wagle, respectively.
In delivering USC’s first point, Cayetano only extended her scorching start to the campaign, moving to 9-0 in dual-singles play. And she wasn’t the only undefeated Trojan in that regard coming into the LATC – No. 43 Grace Piper was an identical 8-0.
But that streak would not be sustained.
Piper was pitted against No. 87 freshman Bianca Fernandez and rode an early break to a 3-1 advantage in the first set. Fernandez fought her way back to 3-3, and the two traded blows to a 6-6 standoff.
With opening frames already secured – courtesy of Tian, junior Kimmi Hance and freshman Ahmani Guichard – the ensuing tiebreaker on court three meant the difference between some breathing room or more pressure on the Bruins.
Fernandez chose the easier path, outlasting Piper 7-5 in the tiebreaker as her sister – 2021 US Open singles finalist Leylah Fernandez – sprang out of her seat with cries of “C’mon!”
“She (Bianca) hits such a flat ball and it just really takes so much time away from her opponents,” said coach Stella Sampras Webster. “And if she’s moving well and she’s getting to the ball, she can hit the ball anywhere she wants with a lot of momentum going behind it.”
Bianca gave no reason for Leylah to sit back down, cruising through a 6-2 second set and handing the clinching opportunity to Tian.
The reigning NCAA singles champion had little trouble with No. 60 Snow Han in the first frame, twice breaking the top Trojan’s serve. But that dominance dissolved.
“In the second set, I was thinking a little bit more,” Tian said. “I lost a couple of deuce points and I was a little more tight, so I wasn’t swinging as free.”
Still, the sophomore fought her way to a 5-4 advantage and put the pressure on Han to keep USC alive with her serve.
The Trojan yanked a forehand into the left alley at 40-40, becoming the latest victim in Tian’s all-time 12-0 spree in dual-singles play on home asphalt.
“Anytime you beat USC, it’s a huge win,” Sampras Webster said. “I don’t care what their ranking is or anything. They could be (No.) 30 in the country – it’s always a good day.”
Clutch finishes by Tian and Fernandez were preceded by doubles drama.
Last season’s court one duo of Hance and Wagle – at one point reaching No. 4 nationally – were separated once more despite last weekend’s reunion, giving way to budding partnerships elsewhere.
First-time tandem Hance and Lutkemeyer delivered a 6-2 decision, shifting the focus to court three, where Guichard and redshirt senior Sasha Vagramov recovered from an early 2-4 deficit to force a tiebreaker.
For a moment, USC held the upper hand, leading 6-5 and on serve following a double fault from Vagramov. But with a backhand that sent the ball into the corner and out of reach, she spurred what became three straight points for UCLA, claiming the 1-0 match advantage.
“Sasha’s positivity really fed off on me,” Guichard said. “It was really cool playing with her because we just had great energy the whole time, and I think both of us kind of brought each other up at the right moments today.”
And in an uncommon sight for the crosstown rivalry, the eventual clinch didn’t signal the close. Hance’s match was played out, in which she executed a major turnaround to defeat No. 24 Emma Charney 6-4, 1-6, 6-1.
Her teammates, unburdened by the stress of an undecided contest, got to stand and watch as she twisted the knife.
Comments are closed.