Princeton (1-2) began the year by hitting the road for three matches. The Tigers appeared rusty at the ouset, losing their first match 7-0 to Virginia Commonwealth (7-2) and their second match 5-2 to Old Dominion (2-1). Later in the week, however, the team showed improvement, winning every singles and doubles match in its 7-0 defeat of Richmond, which was its final match of the trip.
“We played our first three matches there [in Virginia], and our performance was pretty good given that we just got out of final exams. There is a space for improvement, but in my opinion, we played two great matches,” 2008 Ivy League Player of the Year and senior co-captain Peter Capkovic said. “As for the [match against Virginia Commonwealth], if we can avoid missteps and off days like that one, we will have a great season.”
Capkovic is one of four seniors on the squad, and he possesses a wealth of experience competing against the world’s best tennis players. He is currently ranked 6th in doubles in the region by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA).
Senior co-captain Alex Vukovic, who earned wins in both singles and doubles play against Richmond, has been a standout since his freshman year and also brings experience and confidence to the squad.
“Being a senior, I have a lot of experience that some of the younger guys don’t,” Vuckovic said. “Basically, I just try to make sure they don’t make some of the same mistakes I made earlier in my Princeton career.”
Looking to not only develop younger players but also maintain a winning record, the Tigers will have to rely on the experience of the team’s upperclassmen as well as their skills and talents.
Unfortunately for the Tigers, the team suffered a major blow when one of its top veteran players, senior Alex Krueger-Wyman, went down with a shoulder injury. Krueger-Wyman enjoyed a solid start to the season, posting a combined 5-4 record in singles and doubles against tough competitors. The doubles combo of Krueger-Wyman and junior George Carpeni defeated two of the top five doubles teams in the Northeast, and Krueger-Wyman defeated the third-ranked player in the Northeast during the ITA Regional Tournament.
Despite injuries, the Tigers have shown promise and progress through their fall tournaments and recent spring performances.
“As for the team, I hope that we all stay healthy for the majority of the spring season, and with a little bit of luck we will battle for the Ivy title and bring it to Princeton,” Capkovic said. “As for me individually, I would like to defend my Ivy League Player of the Year title and have a good performance in the NCAA individual championship.”
Krueger-Wyman, Vuckovic and Capkovic were part of a freshman class loaded with potential. The team, however, has yet to bring home the coveted Ivy League championship during their careers. In fact, the Tigers have endured a lengthy 20-year championship drought: Princeton last won the Ivy title in 1988.
The Tigers will have to endure a barrage of Ivy League competitors, including talented teams from Columbia, Cornell, Harvard and Penn, who have a combined 15 of the top 30 singles players in the Northeast. Princeton’s Capkovic and Carpeni are the only two Tigers currently on that list.
Princeton’s doubles pair of Capkovic and Vuckovic is ranked 6th behind two Harvard pairs and duos from Columbia and Brown. The current rankings appear to foretell a season of talented opponents for the Tigers, but the team is hopeful for what they can accomplish.
The Orange and Black will resume play at the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championships, which begin on Feb. 13 in Cambridge, Mass. The Tigers will look to use the momentum they gained in the convincing victory over Richmond to perform well at the tournament.
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