W. tennis bids farewell to Krishnamurthy with win

The women's tennis team ended its season with a bang last Friday as it demolished Cornell in a 7-0 sweep. Despite the overwhelming victory, it was a day of mixed emotions for the Tigers, who were overjoyed by the win but saddened by the loss of their sole senior and co-captain Kavitha Krishnamurthy.

"It was a great experience," Krishnamurthy said, reflecting on her four years as a Tiger. "I'm sad that I'm not going to be a part of it again."

Although emotions were running high, Princeton managed to channel that energy into strong play as they hit the courts.

The Big Red (2-13 overall, 0-7 Ivy League) never knew what hit them as the Tigers (10-8, 3-4) easily plowed through them to pick up all nine matches.

The Tigers began gaining momentum early as they picked up the doubles point.

The No. 1 doubles dynamic duo consisting of Krishnamurthy and freshman standout Neha Uberoi beat their opponent, 8-5.

Always a commanding presence in the lineup, Krishnamurthy has enjoyed the No. 1 doubles slot for the past three years.

"She has been our star this year," said Uberoi of her departing doubles partner. "I have never seen her give up in any match."

Her model of persistence was visibly carried over as juniors Avantika Bhargava and Mateya McCoy edged out their opponents, 9-7, for No. 2 doubles.

Junior co-captain Alex Kobishyn, who also won her doubles match with sophomore Stephanie Berg, 8-2, had nothing but praise for her fellow captain.

"Kavitha is such an intelligent player," Kobishyn said. "She picks apart the game of her opponent and at the same time plays her own game of powerful, deep groundstrokes."

After gaining momentum by winning all three doubles, Princeton took off like a freight train. Unstoppable, the Tigers won every single set thereafter.

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Uberoi, ranked No. 80 nationally according to College Tennis Online, had a stellar match at No. 2 singles as she shut out her Cornell counterpart, Laura Tallent, with brutal efficiency. Next season Uberoi will most likely be shifted up to the No. 1 singles slot that has been occupied by Krishnamurthy for the past four years.

The rest of the Tigers followed suit as freshman Alison Hashmall picked up a 6-1 , 6-3 win at No. 3 singles. Sophomore Stephanie Berg won at No. 4 singles, 7-6 (6), 6-2, and freshman Jessica Siebel and Susan Meng finsihed off a done-deal with 7-5, 6-1 wins.

Krishnamurthy, whose parents came down from Toronto for this momentous match, did not disappoint as she dominated in straight 6-1 sets for her final victory.

She attributes much of her success to head coach Louise Gengler and assistant coach Laura Glitz.

"They have always encouraged me to train harder and have always been so supportive of my personal goals for my tennis," she said.

Kavitha has left quite a legacy at Princeton. As a freshman, she was named both Ivy League Rookie and Player of the Year, making her the first tennis player and the second athlete in any sport to win both in the same season.

By her sophomore year, she was ranked as high as No. 30 nationally, and by junior year she had not only qualified for the NCAA singles tournament for the third straight season, but was also name first-team All-Ivy yet again.

Krishnamurthy moves on with a bit of sorrow.

"I am leaving behind the camaraderie and guidance of my coach and the strong support of Princeton fans which has made the four years really memorable," Krishnamurthy said.

It is unquestionable that she will leave large shoes to fill next season, but many of the players are optimistic about the upcoming recruited class.

After graduation, Krishnamurthy plans to play professional tennis.

"The team has always competed with the utmost dignity in both victory and defeat," she said. "That is something I will carry with me throughout my professional tennis career."