UNC women's tennis forced to adapt after Reese Brantmeier's season-ending injury
UNC senior Anika Yarlagadda hits the ball during a singles match against Boston College at Chewing Tennis Center on Saturday, March 2, 2024. UNC won 7-0.
While seniors Fiona Crawley and Anika Yarlagadda faced a battle for the second set in their singles matches, sophomore Reese Brantmeier watched on. She sat in a plastic lawn chair with blue crutches beside her.
UNC senior Anika Yarlagadda congratulates senior Fiona Crawley for winning her singles match against Boston College at Chewing Tennis Center on Saturday, March 2, 2024. UNC won 7-0.
Brantmeier, the No. 2 singles player in the country and a member of the No. 1 doubles team, is out for the season after tearing her meniscus at the ITA National Team Indoor Championship, according to head coach Brian Kalbas.
UNC women's tennis head coach Brian Kalbas before the match against Boston College at Chewing Tennis Center on Saturday, March 2, 2024. UNC won 7-0.
In Brantmeier's absence, Yarlagadda said the North Carolina women’s tennis team is adapting a different mentality: do it for Brantmeier.
“We’re trying our best to hold the standard that she set for us,” the senior said.
Brantmeier’s injury has caused a mental adjustment for the Tar Heels, but it has also required a rework of their starting lineup. Utilizing new doubles pairings and a modified singles order, No. 4 UNC defeated No. 55 Boston College 7-0 on Saturday at the Chewning Tennis Center.
One new addition to the lineup is first-year Tatum Evans, who originally intended to redshirt for the 2024 season. Evans said she and the coaching staff made a last-minute decision to compete with the team this year, following Brantmeier’s season-ending injury.
UNC first-year Tatum Evans prepares to hit the ball during a singles match against Boston College at Chewing Tennis Center on Saturday, March 2, 2024. UNC won 7-0.
On Saturday, the Virginia native joined graduate student Abbey Forbes in doubles to help the Tar Heels grab the first team point with a 6-1 victory. She also earned her first collegiate singles win, defeating BC’s Stephanie Sanchez in a perfect 6-0, 6-0 sweep.
UNC first-year Tatum Evans and graduate student Abby Forbes celebrate a point during a doubles match against Boston College at Chewing Tennis Center on Saturday, March 2, 2024. UNC won 7-0.
She said the key to her dominant victory was maintaining her focus and playing smart tennis. Not overdoing it. Not acting too aggressively. Instead, by targeting the deep corners of the court and strategically slicing the ball, the first-year refused to drop a single set point and put up the first singles win of the day.
As the No. 7 recruit in her class, Evans is a “key ingredient” for the Tar Heels this year, according to Kalbas.
“To be able to have her in this year’s team to learn from our seniors is a huge bonus for our team and for her,” the head coach said.
Kalbas said he's also looked to Yarlagadda to step up for the team and play in a new spot. The senior moved to the No. 3 position of the singles lineup this season — a significant jump from primarily competing at the No. 5 and 6 spot last year.
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UNC senior Anika Yarlagadda hits the ball during a singles match against Boston College at Chewing Tennis Center on Saturday, March 2, 2024. UNC won 7-0.
“It’s been a little tough,” she said. “There’s no room for error higher in the lineup. I think it’s a fantastic opportunity for me to play these really great players [and] get some really good matches.”
The head coach said the change has required Yarlagadda to implement a new approach to singles. Instead of solely focusing on consistency and competing to stay on court, she has to be more aggressive and utilize her weapons to counteract the talent of higher-level opponents.
UNC women's tennis head coach Brian Kalbas speaks with senior Anika Yarlagadda during the match against Boston College at Chewing Tennis Center on Saturday, March 2, 2024. UNC won 7-0.
Against Boston College, Yarlagadda dominated her first set 6-1, but lagged behind at 2-4 in the second — primarily, Kalbas said, because she started letting Muskan Mahajan dictate the pace. Once Yarlagadda started controlling from the baseline with powerful returns and using the whole court, she won four straight set points.
The senior said she only felt relief. It had started getting hotter outside, and Yarlagadda did not want to play a third set.
“I was like, ‘Thank God,’” she said. “I was fighting."
Saturday’s match was a test for a UNC team trying to fill the gap left by Brantmeier. For a squad that's boasted a lot of depth in the past, Kalbas said losing one of their best players — not only on the team, but in the country — has created an adjustment period for everyone.
But if this victory is any indication, the Tar Heels are figuring it out. Or, at least, they're on their way.
“[We’re] putting them in the positions mentally that they have to understand they’re going to play really good opponents every time,” Kalbas said. “And they can do it.”
