Colorado tennis players Lera Alexin and Ema Bubalo advanced to the doubles semifinals at the Battle in the Bay Classic on Friday at the California Tennis Club, according to cubuffs.com. The duo secured their spot by edging USC’s Simone Kay and Kiara Zabkova 8-7 (6) in a tight quarterfinal tiebreaker.
Doubles Semifinal Push in San Francisco
Alexin and Bubalo opened tournament play with a win over Pepperdine’s third-seeded team before facing the Trojans in the quarterfinals. The match stayed close deep into the pro set, forcing a tiebreaker at 7-7. The Buffaloes claimed the tiebreaker 8-6 to advance to the next round.
“Doubles was an up-and-down affair today,” CU Head Coach Anthony Pham said, as reported by cubuffs.com. “We created a lot of opportunities early on but weren’t able to capitalize. To Lera and Ema’s credit, they competed hard and trusted themselves when in crucial moments and that ended up being the difference against a touch team from USC.”
Consolation Singles Runs for Bubalo and Alexin
Bubalo continued her success in the singles consolation round of 16 by overcoming Purdue’s Nehir Dogan. After dropping the first set 6-1, Bubalo rallied to win an extended second-set tiebreaker 12-10 and secured the match with a 10-8 tiebreaker victory.
Alexin also pushed her singles match to a deciding tiebreaker against Loyola Marymount’s Ada Piestrzynska. Following a 6-1 first-set loss, Alexin bounced back to take the second set 7-5 in a tiebreaker. Piestrzynska ultimately won the final match tiebreaker 10-7 in a contest that wrapped up past 10 p.m. local time.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Battle in the Bay Classic
Who did Alexin and Bubalo defeat to reach the doubles semifinals?
The Colorado duo defeated USC’s Simone Kay and Kiara Zabkova 8-7 (6) in the quarterfinals.
What were the scores of Ema Bubalo’s singles match against Nehir Dogan?
Bubalo lost the first set 6-1, won the second-set tiebreaker 12-10, and took the final match tiebreaker 10-8.
Where is the Battle in the Bay Classic taking place?
The tournament is being held at the California Tennis Club in San Francisco.
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