By Jeffrey Cohen | Sports Writer
Baylor men’s and women’s tennis have returned multiple key players, and both teams have also showcased some new faces this fall.
Whether this year’s NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships is a new experience or another shot at success, the drive to win goes beyond the athlete.
“There is always something to play for — playing for All-American, making the quarterfinals, getting the Challenger wildcards if you want to play pros after,” junior Devin Badenhorst said. “I want to do well, not just for myself, but for the university and everything they do for me.”
The two doubles pairs that are donning the green and gold in the tournament are stepping into new territory.
Men’s tennis is sending senior Zsombor Velcz and junior Connor Van Schalkwyk, who transferred from Old Dominion, to the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships. The women’s team is premiering senior Na Dong and junior Zuzanna Kubacha as a doubles pair and in the singles bracket.
In the singles bracket, Badenhorst serves as the lone participant. He returns after losing in the round of 32 last fall.
Velcz and Van Schalkwyk were initially paired in the ITA All-American Championships, where they lost their first-round match 6-4, 6-7 (7), 10-7.
“We just had to get used to our games,” Velcz said. “We won our second tournament … qwe played much better there, and we’re just looking to build off what we did there.”
They were back together for the Texas Regional Championships, running through six rounds to win the finals over Texas Tech’s Niksa Arsic and Thiago Guglieri 6-3, 7-6 (7).
Velcz, who had qualified for doubles the past three years with different partners, hopes to finish his final fall season with one last run.
“I’m also pretty excited for doubles with him … especially since it’s my last year,” Velcz said. “We’re going to have a chance to make a good run.”
Dong and Kubacha are representing Baylor’s women’s tennis in their first season as doubles partners. Head coach Joey Scrivano credited their selfless and team-first attitudes as the key to their success, two months after they were matched together for the first time.
“Their strength is that they’re truly a team,” Scrivano said. “If one of them is not playing as well, the other one will pick them up and vice versa.”
Scrivano has high praise for the two, comparing their talent and work ethic to some of the best players he has coached at Baylor.
“In my 23 years at Baylor, those are our best players,” Scrivano said. “They put the process ahead of whatever they’re feeling that day. So, I’m really not surprised that these two are in the position they are in, because they just put the work in.”
Scrivano has coached 29 All-Americans during his time in Waco, including five All-American honors earned by former Baylor stars Lenka Broosova and Zuzana Zemanova.
Similar to Velcz and Van Schalkwyk, Dong and Kubacha did not find much success in their first tournament together, losing in the second round of the All-American Championships.
“On the doubles court, we can’t doubt each other because we’re working as one,” Dong said. “Our strategy and our techniques are working very well because we’re sticking to Coach Joey’s plan, and we’re just being disciplined all the time.”
They found their stride in the Texas Regional Championships. The duo dominated their way to a 6-3, 6-3 finals victory over TCU’s Yu-Chin Tsai and Victoria Gomez O’Hayon.
Dong believes their quick connection is due to their relationship, which stretches beyond the court.
“Even though we didn’t play doubles together, we practiced a lot and we have a good relationship on and off the court,” Dong said. “That’s why we have good doubles [chemistry] together.”
The two are heading into the final tournament of the fall season with only two prior appearances. Dong and Kubacha are set on how they want to attack the upcoming competition and finish strong.
“We are both very determined, and we know what we want to do,” Kubacha said. “We have very strict plans with what we’re doing on the court.”
They are also competing in the singles bracket. Dong has played in three singles tournaments across the fall while winning her flight in the Big 12 Individuals. Kubacha has competed in two, including a spot in the semifinals of the Central Sectional Championships.
While the focus is on winning in the fall, the success and progress that come throughout the last two months contribute to their performance in the spring.
“Guys have to win throughout the fall to really have success in the spring,” men’s tennis head coach Michael Woodson said. “A lot of our guys have done that, and we’ve moved forward.”
The men’s team will be looking for its first Big 12 regular-season title since 2019, and the women’s team will be on the hunt for its first since 2015.
Velcz and Van Schalkwyk take on Auburn’s Billy and Freddy Blaydes in the first round Wednesday, while Badenhorst faces off against California’s Tiago Silva on Tuesday.
Dong and Kubacha will compete against Ole Miss’ Andrea Nova and Emily Welker in doubles on Wednesday. Dong faces No. 1 overall seed Valerie Glozman from Stanford, while Kubacha is matched with Duke’s Liv Hovde on Tuesday in singles.
Both men’s and women’s tournaments are held at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla. Matches will begin Tuesday and the tournament will conclude Sunday.
