It’s been almost 8 and a half months since the then-ranked No. 1 Stanford women’s tennis team lost in the NCAA Championship to the then-ranked No. 2 Florida Gators. That loss snapped both the Cardinal’s hopes for a second straight national title and its NCAA-record streak of 184 consecutive home wins, which spanned 12 seasons. This Sunday, with the tables turned, No. 2 Stanford (2-0, 1-0 Pac-12) gets a chance at revenge against top-ranked Florida (4-0).

 

Last year’s championship came down to Stanford junior co-captain Mallory Burdette’s nail-biting three-setter against Lauren Embree. Tennis aficionados will be in for a treat, as Burdette will most likely face her familiar foe once again.

 

“I’ve played [Embree] countless times throughout our careers, so I know exactly what to expect from her,” Burdette pointed out. “I’m really excited for the matchup, and I think it will come down to how well I execute my aggressive game plan.”

 

Though the taste of defeat is still bitter in their mouths, Burdette and the rest of the squad have worked assiduously on improving and returning this season with a positive attitude.

 

“It was obviously a heartbreaker for us because we had been through so much as a team leading up to NCAAs and we still came so close winning another championship,” Burdette said. “But the opportunity to square off against the top team in the nation has been the light at the end of the tunnel for me. It’s still very early in the season, so whether we win or lose, there will be a lot to learn.”

 

One challenge the team faced leading up to last year’s final match was the loss of key player and current sophomore Kristie Ahn, who suffered an ankle injury and has yet to play in a dual match since facing Cal last April.

 

“Naturally I was bummed that I wasn’t able to play in front of the home crowd in the finals, but I was just as happy to root on my teammates,” Ahn said of last year’s match. “It was absolutely nerve-wracking, watching from the sidelines, and I think I finally understood what it’s like to be a ‘tennis parent.’ Although we didn’t come out with the win, I couldn’t be more proud of my team and the way we competed.”

 

Ahn has worked hard to rehab and return for this season, aided by the guidance of her coaches, her teammates and her trainers.

 

“The process was a bit tedious at times, inching my way forward, but I knew that in the long run it would pay off,” she explained. “I actually had to be fed balls for a while, and it felt like I was learning to play tennis again, but on crack. There was a lot of communication among many parties who constantly reassessed my situation so as not to lose track of my progress.”

 

While Coach Lele Forood and the players alike are excited about Ahn’s return, they realize that outstanding play from every member will be required to avenge their loss.

 

“[Florida] is definitely the team to beat,” Forood said, “but we want to see where we are at in only the second week of February, in the fourth match of our regular season.”

 

Though the other match of the weekend is less highlighted, Stanford first must pass a test on Saturday when they face No. 27 Pepperdine just one day before the Cardinal takes on the Gators. This will serve as another chance for the group’s still-shaping dynamic to become even stronger.

 

“We’re a small team this year with just eight girls, but it’s always different year to year” she said. “This team feels more like a circle and less like a pyramid.”

 

With the graduation of three seniors last year and the addition of sole freshman Ellen Tsay, she explained there’s naturally less of a hierarchy.

 

“We’ve got really experienced players despite being a young team, and they know how to get up for big matches,” Forood said. “Everyone knows how to prepare themselves. I do think it starts with the doubles though, and we have new doubles teams from last year, which we are still trying to gel. It’s important in the early season to see how our teams are playing together and to hope that we’ve got the right teams.”

 

One formidable pair to watch this weekend consists of sophomore Nicole Gibbs and Burdette. In their first two matches on court one, they’ve won both with ease, 8-1.

 

“We’re feeling great in doubles,” Burdette said. “Just like in singles, we’re still working on several things and just trying to improve with every match.”

 

Both matches take place at noon on the Taube Family Tennis Courts—Pepperdine on Saturday and Florida on Sunday.