Upcoming Event: Women's Tennis versus ITA Sectional Championship on November 6, 2025
Women's Tennis
vs ITA Sectional Championship
Friday, February 21
Chestnut Hill, Mass.
3:00 PM
Duke University
at
Boston College
Photo by: Bri Shaw, Duke Athletics
Duke Heads North to Open ACC Action This Weekend
2/20/2025 2:33:00 PM | Women's Tennis
#10 Duke (6-2) at Boston College (3-5)
Friday, Feb. 21 at 3:00 p.m.
Weymouth, Mass. * Weymouth Club
Live Scoring
#10 Duke (6-2) at #32 Syracuse (7-0)
Sunday, Feb. 23 at 11:00 a.m.
Syracuse, N.Y. * Drumlins Country Club
Live Scoring l Watch - ACC Network Extra
DURHAM, N.C. – The 10th-ranked Duke women's tennis team (6-2) heads north this weekend as the 10th-ranked Blue Devils are set to open ACC play at Boston College and 32nd-ranked Syracuse. On Friday, Feb. 21 Duke will face Boston College at 3 p.m., followed by a Sunday, Feb. 23 contest against Syracuse at 11 a.m.
The Series with Boston College
Duke holds a 20-0 ledger against Boston College in program history. In matches played in Weymouth, Mass., the Blue Devils are 9-0.
Scouting Boston College
Boston College enters the weekend with a 3-5 ledger on the season under the direction of head coach Nigel Bentley.
The Series with Syracuse
Duke leads the series with Syracuse by a 14-0 mark and holds a 6-0 record in matches played in Syracuse, N.Y.
Scouting Syracuse
Syracuse owns a 7-0 record heading into the ACC opener this weekend. The Orange face North Carolina on Friday in the ACC opener before facing the Blue Devils Sunday. In the ITA rankings, Syracuse is ranked No. 32 nationally as a team. The Orange feature an impressive 33-8 ledger in singles on the season,
What is Next
Duke will have the week off before heading to Georgia Tech (March 7) and Clemson (March 9) for more ACC action.
ITA Rankings
In the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) rankings, Duke moved back into the top 10 nationally. Duke head coach Jamie Ashworth has led the Blue Devils into the top 10 of the ITA rankings in 21 out of the last 23 years.
In the latest singles rankings, Duke boasted four ranked student-athletes in singles -- Irina Balus (8), Emma Jackson (27), Eleana Yu (31), and Shavit Kimchi (76) – along with one ranked doubles team – Ellie Coleman and Balus (11).
Balus is just the eighth Blue Devil freshman to be ranked in the top 10 nationally and the first since Maria Mateas in 2019. In looking at the ITA rankings, Balus is the second-highest freshman ranked nationally behind Valerie Glozman of Stanford (6). Only three freshmen are ranked in the top 20 (Merna Refaat of Auburn).
ACC Opener
The Blue Devils will play their first four ACC matches on the road in 2025 at Boston College, Syracuse, Georgia Tech and Clemson. It actually starts a five-match overall road swing for Duke as the Blue Devils have a non-conference contest March 13 at San Diego State.
The ACC currently features three teams in the top 10 – Virginia (2), North Carolina (3) and Duke (10) – of the ITA rankings.
Balus Nets ACC Honor for Second Time
For the second time this season, Duke rookie Irina Balus has been tabbed the ACC Freshman of the Week, following her seventh win of the season against a ranked opponent over the weekend.
A native of Banská Bystrica, Slovakia, Balus defeated ninth-ranked Luciana Perry of Ohio State on Friday in singles action by a 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 ledger. After dropping the second set, Balus trailed Perry, 5-3, and fought off three match points en route to mounting an impressive comeback by winning four-straight games to take the match, 7-5. Balus now owns two wins against top 10 players and six versus top 50 opponents.
Balus teamed with Ellie Coleman in doubles and totaled a 6-1 victory over 27th-ranked Piper Charney and Jessica Bernales to help lead Duke to a 4-3 victory against sixth-ranked Michigan at home in Durham. Balus and Coleman are ranked No. 11 nationally.
On Sunday, Balus had her six-match winning streak in singles come to an end with a loss to fourth-ranked Julia Fliegner of Michigan. Balus owns a 13-3 overall singles and 12-6 doubles ledger on the year.
The Head Coach
Head coach Jamie Ashworth is in his 29th season with the Blue Devils and owns an impressive 618-160 ledger. Last season, Ashworth registered his 600th victory on Jan. 20 in a 4-2 win over Illinois. He accomplished this mark in only 747 matches becoming the quickest coach to 600 wins.
Quickest to 600 Wins – 747 games by Jamie Ashworth (Duke), 749 by Jeff Wallace (Georgia), 779 by Brian Kalbas (William & Mary/North Carolina), and 785 by Lin Loring (UC Santa Barbara/Indiana).
Ashworth became the seventh NCAA Division I coach to reach the 600-win ledger – Loring (846), Wallace (818), Kalbas (748), Jay Louderback (703), Geoff MacDonald (631), Gualberto Escudero (Pepperdine) and Ashworth (600).
Among the winningest coaches of all time, Ashworth ranks 11th with a 79.4 winning percentage, seventh with 618 wins, fourth for winningest active coaches by percentage (79.4) and second for winningest active coaches by victories.
Big Sets for Little Hearts
The Duke men's and women's tennis programs announced a partnership with the Duke Children's Hospital Pediatric and Congenital Heart Center called Big Sets for Little Hearts this past fall.
Big Sets for Little Hearts pledges will be made based on the number of sets won by the men's and women's tennis programs. Last year, both tennis teams combined for 647 sets won.
If you are interested in supporting Blue Devil tennis' partnership with Duke Children's, you can pledge for each set won during the season or make a one-time donation. Pledges start at $0.10, $0.50, $1.00 and $2.50. Based on last year's results, the smallest pledged donation would be equal to $64.70. For more information or to donate, click here.
The Duke Children's Pediatric and Congenital Heart Center is the No. 2 ranked pediatric cardiology and heart surgery program in the United States for newborns and children with congenital and acquired heart disease. The Duke Pediatric and Congenital Heart Center strives to improve their patients' outcomes and the quality of their lives.
Noting the Blue Devils
To stay up to date with Blue Devils women's tennis, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWTEN".
#GoDuke
Friday, Feb. 21 at 3:00 p.m.
Weymouth, Mass. * Weymouth Club
Live Scoring
#10 Duke (6-2) at #32 Syracuse (7-0)
Sunday, Feb. 23 at 11:00 a.m.
Syracuse, N.Y. * Drumlins Country Club
Live Scoring l Watch - ACC Network Extra
DURHAM, N.C. – The 10th-ranked Duke women's tennis team (6-2) heads north this weekend as the 10th-ranked Blue Devils are set to open ACC play at Boston College and 32nd-ranked Syracuse. On Friday, Feb. 21 Duke will face Boston College at 3 p.m., followed by a Sunday, Feb. 23 contest against Syracuse at 11 a.m.
The Series with Boston College
Duke holds a 20-0 ledger against Boston College in program history. In matches played in Weymouth, Mass., the Blue Devils are 9-0.
Scouting Boston College
Boston College enters the weekend with a 3-5 ledger on the season under the direction of head coach Nigel Bentley.
The Series with Syracuse
Duke leads the series with Syracuse by a 14-0 mark and holds a 6-0 record in matches played in Syracuse, N.Y.
Scouting Syracuse
Syracuse owns a 7-0 record heading into the ACC opener this weekend. The Orange face North Carolina on Friday in the ACC opener before facing the Blue Devils Sunday. In the ITA rankings, Syracuse is ranked No. 32 nationally as a team. The Orange feature an impressive 33-8 ledger in singles on the season,
What is Next
Duke will have the week off before heading to Georgia Tech (March 7) and Clemson (March 9) for more ACC action.
ITA Rankings
In the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) rankings, Duke moved back into the top 10 nationally. Duke head coach Jamie Ashworth has led the Blue Devils into the top 10 of the ITA rankings in 21 out of the last 23 years.
In the latest singles rankings, Duke boasted four ranked student-athletes in singles -- Irina Balus (8), Emma Jackson (27), Eleana Yu (31), and Shavit Kimchi (76) – along with one ranked doubles team – Ellie Coleman and Balus (11).
Balus is just the eighth Blue Devil freshman to be ranked in the top 10 nationally and the first since Maria Mateas in 2019. In looking at the ITA rankings, Balus is the second-highest freshman ranked nationally behind Valerie Glozman of Stanford (6). Only three freshmen are ranked in the top 20 (Merna Refaat of Auburn).
ACC Opener
The Blue Devils will play their first four ACC matches on the road in 2025 at Boston College, Syracuse, Georgia Tech and Clemson. It actually starts a five-match overall road swing for Duke as the Blue Devils have a non-conference contest March 13 at San Diego State.
The ACC currently features three teams in the top 10 – Virginia (2), North Carolina (3) and Duke (10) – of the ITA rankings.
Balus Nets ACC Honor for Second Time
For the second time this season, Duke rookie Irina Balus has been tabbed the ACC Freshman of the Week, following her seventh win of the season against a ranked opponent over the weekend.
A native of Banská Bystrica, Slovakia, Balus defeated ninth-ranked Luciana Perry of Ohio State on Friday in singles action by a 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 ledger. After dropping the second set, Balus trailed Perry, 5-3, and fought off three match points en route to mounting an impressive comeback by winning four-straight games to take the match, 7-5. Balus now owns two wins against top 10 players and six versus top 50 opponents.
Balus teamed with Ellie Coleman in doubles and totaled a 6-1 victory over 27th-ranked Piper Charney and Jessica Bernales to help lead Duke to a 4-3 victory against sixth-ranked Michigan at home in Durham. Balus and Coleman are ranked No. 11 nationally.
On Sunday, Balus had her six-match winning streak in singles come to an end with a loss to fourth-ranked Julia Fliegner of Michigan. Balus owns a 13-3 overall singles and 12-6 doubles ledger on the year.
The Head Coach
Head coach Jamie Ashworth is in his 29th season with the Blue Devils and owns an impressive 618-160 ledger. Last season, Ashworth registered his 600th victory on Jan. 20 in a 4-2 win over Illinois. He accomplished this mark in only 747 matches becoming the quickest coach to 600 wins.
Quickest to 600 Wins – 747 games by Jamie Ashworth (Duke), 749 by Jeff Wallace (Georgia), 779 by Brian Kalbas (William & Mary/North Carolina), and 785 by Lin Loring (UC Santa Barbara/Indiana).
Ashworth became the seventh NCAA Division I coach to reach the 600-win ledger – Loring (846), Wallace (818), Kalbas (748), Jay Louderback (703), Geoff MacDonald (631), Gualberto Escudero (Pepperdine) and Ashworth (600).
Among the winningest coaches of all time, Ashworth ranks 11th with a 79.4 winning percentage, seventh with 618 wins, fourth for winningest active coaches by percentage (79.4) and second for winningest active coaches by victories.
Big Sets for Little Hearts
The Duke men's and women's tennis programs announced a partnership with the Duke Children's Hospital Pediatric and Congenital Heart Center called Big Sets for Little Hearts this past fall.
Big Sets for Little Hearts pledges will be made based on the number of sets won by the men's and women's tennis programs. Last year, both tennis teams combined for 647 sets won.
If you are interested in supporting Blue Devil tennis' partnership with Duke Children's, you can pledge for each set won during the season or make a one-time donation. Pledges start at $0.10, $0.50, $1.00 and $2.50. Based on last year's results, the smallest pledged donation would be equal to $64.70. For more information or to donate, click here.
The Duke Children's Pediatric and Congenital Heart Center is the No. 2 ranked pediatric cardiology and heart surgery program in the United States for newborns and children with congenital and acquired heart disease. The Duke Pediatric and Congenital Heart Center strives to improve their patients' outcomes and the quality of their lives.
Noting the Blue Devils
- With the win against sixth-ranked Michigan, Duke collected its sixth-straight win over a top 10 ranked opponent at home and moved to 9-4 in Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center versus top 10 foes.
- Senior Ellie Coleman notched her 10th career match-clinching win with her victory against 66th-ranked Reese Miller of Michigan. It clinched Duke's 4-3 win versus the sixth-ranked Wolverines. Coleman posted her fourth win of the season against ranked opponents and is now 17-11 over her career in three-set matches.
- The Duke duo of Shavit Kimchi and Ava Krug paired together this past weekend in doubles for the first time in their career and picked up two wins to help the Blue Devils clinch the doubles points against 17th-ranked Ohio State and sixth-ranked Michigan.
- Emma Jackson posted her 14th career match-clinching point against 20th-ranked South Carolina to move her into 10th all-time on the Blue Devil record charts.
- Duke freshman Ava Krug has a couple of familiar faces around Durham this season as her brothers, Jake and Connor, are seniors on the Blue Devil men's tennis team.
- Duke has featured a stellar home court advantage over the years and have boasted a 112-6 ledger over the last 18 years. Since opening the Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center, the Blue Devils have posted a 143-10 record over 25 years.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils women's tennis, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWTEN".
#GoDuke
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
Eleana Yu Post Match vs. Auburn
Saturday, May 10
Jame Ashworth Post Match vs. Auburn
Saturday, May 10
Ellie Coleman Post Match vs. FAU
Saturday, May 03
Jamie Ashworth Post Match vs. FAU
Saturday, May 03
