WACO, TEXAS – In an exhilarating display of skill and teamwork, Virginia women’s tennis seniors Elaine Chervinsky and Mélodie Collard seized the title of 2024-25 NCAA Doubles Champions on Sunday, November 24, at the prestigious Hurd Tennis Center in Waco, Texas, marking a historic achievement for their program.
The dynamic duo triumphed over an all-freshman team from UCLA, consisting of Olivia Center and Kate Fakih, in a thrilling final match that concluded with scores of 4-6, 6-3, and 10-5. This victory not only secures their place in history but is also a first for Virginia’s women’s tennis program, as they capture their inaugural NCAA Doubles title.
This year marked a significant shift in tournament structure, as the NCAA Individual championships were contested in the fall for the first time, rather than following the team championships in the spring. Against this backdrop, Chervinsky and Collard demonstrated remarkable resilience, winning all five of their tournament matches after pushing through intense third-set 10-point super tiebreakers.
𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒!!! pic.twitter.com/GYSmKo7GRg
— Virginia Women’s Tennis (@UVAWomensTennis) November 24, 2024
In the early rounds of the tournament, the UVA duo began their journey against No. 17 seed Reece Carter and Alexia Jacobs from Washington, battling to a close victory of 7-5, 2-6, 10-7. They continued their impressive form with a 6-2, 4-6, 10-7 victory over Georgia’s formidable pairing of Guillermina Grant and Aysegul Mert, before overcoming the 5-8 seeded duo of Carson Tanguilig and Susanna Maltby from UNC, which propelled them into the semifinals.
Saturday’s semifinal matchup against Florida’s Rachel Gailis and Alicia Dudeney presented a challenge when Chervinsky and Collard lost the first set. However, they rallied back to claim the second set 6-3, setting the stage for a dramatic tiebreaker. Trailing 5-0 in the decisive points, the Cavaliers demonstrated incredible tenacity by reversing their fate, ultimately winning two crucial points to secure an 8-7 lead before clinching the final points to move on to the championship match.
During the final showdown on Sunday, after facing an early break, Chervinsky and Collard broke back to level the score at 4-5, yet were unable to hold off the UCLA team as they ultimately dropped the first set 6-4. Refusing to give in, the Virginia team rebounded to take the second set 6-3, forcing a dramatic super tiebreaker where they seized early momentum with a 4-0 lead. Even after UCLA managed to reduce their deficit, Chervinsky and Collard remained steadfast, clinching victory when UCLA faltered on a double-fault, securing their place in history.
Despite being ranked No. 3 in the preseason doubles rankings, Collard and Chervinsky entered the tournament unseeded, while their UCLA competitors held a 5-8 seed. Remarkably, this marks a groundbreaking moment as they become the first UVA team to ever advance to the NCAA Doubles final. In 2023, Collard reached the semifinals alongside Julia Adams, whereas both athletes faced a disappointing first-round exit in last season’s championship.
𝒢𝒶𝓂𝑒, 𝒮𝑒𝓉, 𝑀𝒶𝓉𝒸𝒽!!
NCAA Doubles Champions 🏆🏆 #GoHoos pic.twitter.com/ZYMYnVFsGn— Virginia Women’s Tennis (@UVAWomensTennis) November 24, 2024
This remarkable championship achievement marks only the fourth individual title in the program’s illustrious history, joining the ranks of NCAA Singles titles won by Danielle Collins in 2014 and 2016, as well as by Emma Navarro in 2021. Notably, this victory contributes to UVA’s remarkable tally of 88 individual NCAA titles across all sports.
In addition to the doubles success, Chervinsky also had an impressive showing in the singles championship, battling her way to the quarterfinals after an astounding upset over tournament top-seed Mary Stoiana of Texas A&M, winning decisively with scores of 6-3, 6-0 in the Round of 16. She previously defeated the 9-16 seed Alexis Blokhina of Stanford in the Round of 32, earning her the distinction of ITA Singles All-America honors due to her quarterfinal performance.
This year, Virginia made history with a program-record five players competing in the individual championships. Junior Annabelle Xu advanced to the second round in both the singles and doubles draws, partnering with freshman Martina Genis Salas in doubles. Graduate student Sara Ziodato also represented the team in singles, though she fell in the first round of her match.
To qualify for the esteemed NCAA Individual Championships, players had to navigate through a series of rigorous qualifying tournaments throughout the fall, including the ITA All-American Championships, the ITA Regional Championships, and the ITA Sectionals. Chervinsky and Collard secured their spot in the doubles draw by triumphing at the ITA Atlantic Regional tournament held in Charlottesville in October.
How did being an unseeded team impact your performance and approach during the NCAA Doubles Championship?
**Interview with Elaine Chervinsky and Mélodie Collard: NCAA Doubles Champions**
**Interviewer:** Congratulations on your incredible victory at the NCAA Doubles Championship! How does it feel to be crowned champions?
**Elaine Chervinsky:** Thank you so much! It feels absolutely surreal. We’ve been working so hard, and to finally achieve this title, especially as the first UVA team to do so, is just amazing.
**Mélodie Collard:** Yes, it’s a dream come true! We’ve faced a lot of challenges along the way, but our journey made this victory even sweeter.
**Interviewer:** You faced some tough opponents throughout the tournament. Can you share a bit about your strategy going into the finals against UCLA?
**Elaine:** We focused on playing our game and staying composed. We knew UCLA was a strong team, but we leaned on our experiences from previous matches. We maintained our belief that we could come back if we fell behind.
**Mélodie:** Exactly. When we lost the first set, we reminded ourselves to stay positive and trust in our training. Our communication on the court really helped us adjust our strategies.
**Interviewer:** The semifinal match was quite a comeback, especially being down 5-0 in the super tiebreaker. What was going through your minds during that moment?
**Elaine:** It was definitely a nerve-wracking situation, but we kept telling ourselves to take it one point at a time. We had nothing to lose at that point, so we focused on making each point count.
**Mélodie:** Yes, we just dug deep! We knew if we could capture a few points, the momentum could shift in our favor, and thankfully, that’s exactly what happened!
**Interviewer:** You both entered the tournament unseeded, and it’s impressive that you overcame that. Do you think that gave you an edge?
**Mélodie:** For sure! Being unseeded meant we could surprise our opponents. We felt like we had something to prove, and that motivated us to play even better.
**Elaine:** It also took the pressure off. We just focused on enjoying the game and playing for each other. That mindset let us perform freely.
**Interviewer:** How do you plan to celebrate this historic achievement?
**Elaine:** We’re definitely going to take some time to enjoy this moment with our teammates and coaches. They’ve supported us every step of the way.
**Mélodie:** Yes, and maybe a little relaxation before heading back to practice! We know there’s always more work to do, but for now, we’ll revel in this victory.
**Interviewer:** Any final thoughts or messages to your fans and supporters?
**Elaine:** Just a huge thank you! Your support means everything to us. We couldn’t have done this without you.
**Mélodie:** Absolutely! We hope to continue making you all proud. Go Hoos!
**Interviewer:** Thank you both, and congratulations once again on your historic win!