Well-rested Columbia rackets ready to swing back into action

While five other Ivy women’s tennis teams have been competing on the west coast in the ITA/Rivieria Women’s All-American Championships this past week, the Lions have stayed local. For the past two weeks, the Light Blue women’s tennis team has been preparing for its instate trip to Flushing, N.Y, for this weekend’s USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Women’s Collegiate Invitational.

Columbia is coming off a disappointing showing at last weekend’s Cissie Leary Invitational where no Lion advanced past the quarterfinals. With its strong freshman recruit Bianca Sanon absent due to injury, Columbia suffered in the Flight A singles bracket. With the possibility of Sanon’s return in this weekend’s invitational, the Lions anticipate better results. Last year in the same competition, Nicole Bartnik seized the championship title in the A singles bracket.

This year, the Lions hope to continue the trend. To do this, the Lions will need to face the Quakers’ freshman superstar Connie Hsu once more. The last time the Quakers and Lions met, Hsu blazed through competition at the Cissie Leary to capture both the singles and doubles championships, teaming up with senior Alexa Ely. This weekend’s competition will feature seven of the eight Ivies, with Princeton as the lone Ancient Eight rival missing from the invitational. The National Tennis Center Women’s Collegiate Invitational will take place this weekend in Flushing Meadows, N.Y., from Saturday, Oct. 9 to Monday, Oct. 11.