UCLA women’s tennis individual championship brings new opportunities and redemption
Fangran Tian prepares for a backhand dig. The freshman for UCLA women’s tennis appears in the NCAA singles tournament for the first time starting Monday. (Julia Zhou/Daily Bruin)
By Elise Oliver
May 21, 2023 5:07 p.m.
The Bruins will depend on their underclassmen to serve up redemption as they vie for individual championships.
After bidding farewell to the NCAA team tournament in the Sweet 16, a trio of Bruins will represent UCLA women’s tennis in Orlando, Florida for the singles and doubles tournaments beginning Monday. Sophomore Elise Wagle bears experience from last year’s individuals, while sophomore Kimmi Hance and freshman Fangran Tian step onto this stage for the very first time.
“It’s a whole new tournament and another great opportunity to make a run,” said coach Stella Sampras Webster. “We just have to get them fired up for that, … and we’ll let them do their thing.”
Last season, Wagle and then-teammate Elysia Bolton were eliminated in the first round of the doubles tournament in the former’s debut. This year, Wagle will pair with Hance, who she teamed up with for nearly every match this season en route to a 15-5 dual-doubles record.
Though the duo dropped their first two matches in the NCAA team tournament by scores of 7-6 (9-7) and 7-6 (7-4), the pair managed to deliver a bagel in UCLA’s season-ending loss to Iowa State.
“I think these last three matches were really insightful,” Wagle said. “We just (need to) fine-tune what we need to work on, and it honestly comes back to practicing and doing our best for the upcoming tournament.”
Tian’s 16-2 dual-singles record ensured her sole representation in the singles bracket. The Pac-12 Freshman of the Year had a breakout campaign, clinching a perfect regular-season singles record. But she struggled in the NCAA team tournament, losing her last two matches by scores of 6-3, 6-4, and 7-6 (7-3), 6-0.
Tian, however, said she will not let these results discourage her as she moves forward.
“Everyone is telling me to use this (Iowa State) loss as motivation for the upcoming tournament,” Tian said. “I have nothing to lose. I just need to swing every shot.”
Ultimately, the encouragement of her teammates provides Tian with the drive needed to forge ahead.
“Elise says everyone has my back,” Tian said. “Everyone from UCLA is behind me, and they’re all supporting me. So I’m just going to play like I am playing for them.”
No. 5-8 seed Hance and Wagle open play against Wake Forest’s Anna Brylin and Brooke Killingsworth, while No. 9-16 seed Tian takes on Thasaporn Naklo of Iowa State – the very player she lost to in UCLA’s final dual match.
