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Balus & Yu: Duke's Dynamic Duo Secure NCAA Bids
10/24/2024 9:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
DURHAM, N.C.-- After a whirlwind weekend at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Regionals in Chapel Hill, two Duke tennis players – Eleana Yu and Irina Balus -- have clinched their spots in the NCAA Individual Singles Championship.
For both student-athletes, it's a significant moment in their young careers, as they prepare to compete at the prestigious tournament in Waco, Texas, from Nov. 18-24.
Balus, hailing from Banská Bystrica, Slovakia, won five singles matches over three days at regionals, which included the biggest victory of her short collegiate career with a 6-4, 6-4 win against 10th-ranked Sarah Hamner of South Carolina. Balus ended up securing the finals appearance with a commanding 6-1, 6-1 victory over Sara Suchankova of UNC Charlotte. Her performance earned her the NCAA invitation.
However, as a freshman competing in just her second college tournament, Balus admits she didn't set high expectations, but her relentless improvement from match to match paved the way to an unexpected finals appearance.
"My goal for the tournament wasn't like, 'Oh, I'm getting to the finals', because I didn't believe in myself that much, but I just kept improving from match to match, and it somehow happened, and also it was my second college tournament, so I didn't have any expectations from it," Balus said. "As a freshman, I think it's a pretty big accomplishment. So now I have a month to prepare. I don't have to play the sectionals. So, it's a really good result."
In two tournaments at Duke, Balus has featured a quick start with a 7-1 singles ledger. She also teamed with Ellie Coleman over the weekend in doubles and advanced to the finals, nearly earning a NCAA Doubles invite as well.
The adjustment from Slovakia to Durham hasn't been without its challenges for Balus.
Moving thousands of miles away from home has meant not only adapting to a new culture, but also navigating the emotional difficulty of being far from her family.
Add in the six-hour time difference, Balus has to coordinate her schedule around classes, practices and matches just to find time to talk to her parents.
"I'm very, very close with my family. So, we talk twice a day for like 20 minutes, so we have to figure out times in between classes and in between practice. When I'm free in the evening, it's the middle of the night there, so I can't call them. So, it's been really hard, but I think I'm managing pretty well."
Managing well is truly an understatement, especially when considering the strength of her support system. Her Duke family, who shares the same drive and determination, has been a constant source of encouragement and motivation.
"Being away from my family and school being a totally different education system than what we have back home and the practice being much different, the first two or three weeks were very challenging. But now, I'm starting to enjoy it," Balus shared. "Tennis has become especially fun -- having teammates to play and compete with has been such a positive experience. I think that's part of why I've played so well, because everyone was supporting me, and I was just having fun on the court."
Despite the challenges, Balus believes her game has improved since joining Duke, crediting her success to the regular practice matches and the competitive atmosphere.
On the other side, Yu's path to the NCAA Championship has been one of resilience. After transferring to Duke from Stanford in June, Yu spent the summer honing her game with the Duke coaching staff, winning a pair of tournaments, and building her confidence.
A native of Mason, Ohio, Yu also collected five singles wins over the weekend and capped the event with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over North Carolina's 26th-ranked Carson Tanguilig, which secured her spot in the NCAA Tournament.
Yu has also turned in an impressive singles record early on with a 7-2 ledger, while also posting a 5-2 doubles mark. She was ranked No. 73 nationally in the preseason ITA rankings in singles.
For Yu, the transition to Duke has been smooth, thanks to her summer on campus and the welcoming team atmosphere.
Like Balus, she's excited about what the future holds -- especially the possibility of competing in doubles alongside her teammates.
"I feel like staying here over the summer and training with the coaches helped my game a lot. I feel like winning those summer tournaments built up a lot of confidence in my game and I feel like that showed through this past weekend and all the training, just knowing that it's all going towards something," Yu reflected pridefully.
Both Yu and Balus are energized by the prospect of making their NCAA debuts in November. With a month to prepare, they're looking forward to representing Duke on the national stage and pushing each other to greater heights.
They share similar mindsets when it comes to their coaching staff, being that the support that they have felt in their transitions to Durham has been as welcoming as it is because of them.
"All their support in my off-court life helps because it relieves the amount of pressure that I feel when I'm on the court. It just makes tennis more fun and I feel like the more fun it is, the better I get to perform," Yu said.
For both student-athletes, this is just the beginning of what promises to be an exciting journey.
With a successful fall season so far and the unwavering support of their teammates and coaches, Yu and Balus have laid a solid foundation for the future.
As they prepare for their highly anticipated NCAA debuts as Blue Devils, their confidence and skills are steadily building, their hard work, determination, and passion will undoubtedly drive them to make significant contributions to their team and continue elevating their game as they step into the national spotlight.
Other members of the Duke women's tennis team will have their next chance to qualify for the NCAA Championship at the ITA Sectional Championship in Chapel Hill Nov. 7-10. Both Balus and Yu will also competing for a spot in the doubles event as well.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils women's tennis, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWTEN".
Duke Centennial
In 2024, Duke celebrates its Centennial, marking one hundred years since Trinity College became Duke University. Duke will use this historic milestone to deepen the understanding of its history, inspire pride and strengthen bonds and partnerships, and prepare for a second century of continued excellence and impactful leadership. To learn more, please visit 100.duke.edu
#GoDuke
For both student-athletes, it's a significant moment in their young careers, as they prepare to compete at the prestigious tournament in Waco, Texas, from Nov. 18-24.
Balus, hailing from Banská Bystrica, Slovakia, won five singles matches over three days at regionals, which included the biggest victory of her short collegiate career with a 6-4, 6-4 win against 10th-ranked Sarah Hamner of South Carolina. Balus ended up securing the finals appearance with a commanding 6-1, 6-1 victory over Sara Suchankova of UNC Charlotte. Her performance earned her the NCAA invitation.
However, as a freshman competing in just her second college tournament, Balus admits she didn't set high expectations, but her relentless improvement from match to match paved the way to an unexpected finals appearance.
"My goal for the tournament wasn't like, 'Oh, I'm getting to the finals', because I didn't believe in myself that much, but I just kept improving from match to match, and it somehow happened, and also it was my second college tournament, so I didn't have any expectations from it," Balus said. "As a freshman, I think it's a pretty big accomplishment. So now I have a month to prepare. I don't have to play the sectionals. So, it's a really good result."
In two tournaments at Duke, Balus has featured a quick start with a 7-1 singles ledger. She also teamed with Ellie Coleman over the weekend in doubles and advanced to the finals, nearly earning a NCAA Doubles invite as well.
The adjustment from Slovakia to Durham hasn't been without its challenges for Balus.
Moving thousands of miles away from home has meant not only adapting to a new culture, but also navigating the emotional difficulty of being far from her family.
Add in the six-hour time difference, Balus has to coordinate her schedule around classes, practices and matches just to find time to talk to her parents.
"I'm very, very close with my family. So, we talk twice a day for like 20 minutes, so we have to figure out times in between classes and in between practice. When I'm free in the evening, it's the middle of the night there, so I can't call them. So, it's been really hard, but I think I'm managing pretty well."
Managing well is truly an understatement, especially when considering the strength of her support system. Her Duke family, who shares the same drive and determination, has been a constant source of encouragement and motivation.
"Being away from my family and school being a totally different education system than what we have back home and the practice being much different, the first two or three weeks were very challenging. But now, I'm starting to enjoy it," Balus shared. "Tennis has become especially fun -- having teammates to play and compete with has been such a positive experience. I think that's part of why I've played so well, because everyone was supporting me, and I was just having fun on the court."
Despite the challenges, Balus believes her game has improved since joining Duke, crediting her success to the regular practice matches and the competitive atmosphere.
On the other side, Yu's path to the NCAA Championship has been one of resilience. After transferring to Duke from Stanford in June, Yu spent the summer honing her game with the Duke coaching staff, winning a pair of tournaments, and building her confidence.
A native of Mason, Ohio, Yu also collected five singles wins over the weekend and capped the event with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over North Carolina's 26th-ranked Carson Tanguilig, which secured her spot in the NCAA Tournament.
Yu has also turned in an impressive singles record early on with a 7-2 ledger, while also posting a 5-2 doubles mark. She was ranked No. 73 nationally in the preseason ITA rankings in singles.
For Yu, the transition to Duke has been smooth, thanks to her summer on campus and the welcoming team atmosphere.
Like Balus, she's excited about what the future holds -- especially the possibility of competing in doubles alongside her teammates.
"I feel like staying here over the summer and training with the coaches helped my game a lot. I feel like winning those summer tournaments built up a lot of confidence in my game and I feel like that showed through this past weekend and all the training, just knowing that it's all going towards something," Yu reflected pridefully.
Both Yu and Balus are energized by the prospect of making their NCAA debuts in November. With a month to prepare, they're looking forward to representing Duke on the national stage and pushing each other to greater heights.
They share similar mindsets when it comes to their coaching staff, being that the support that they have felt in their transitions to Durham has been as welcoming as it is because of them.
"All their support in my off-court life helps because it relieves the amount of pressure that I feel when I'm on the court. It just makes tennis more fun and I feel like the more fun it is, the better I get to perform," Yu said.
For both student-athletes, this is just the beginning of what promises to be an exciting journey.
With a successful fall season so far and the unwavering support of their teammates and coaches, Yu and Balus have laid a solid foundation for the future.
As they prepare for their highly anticipated NCAA debuts as Blue Devils, their confidence and skills are steadily building, their hard work, determination, and passion will undoubtedly drive them to make significant contributions to their team and continue elevating their game as they step into the national spotlight.
Other members of the Duke women's tennis team will have their next chance to qualify for the NCAA Championship at the ITA Sectional Championship in Chapel Hill Nov. 7-10. Both Balus and Yu will also competing for a spot in the doubles event as well.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils women's tennis, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWTEN".
Duke Centennial
In 2024, Duke celebrates its Centennial, marking one hundred years since Trinity College became Duke University. Duke will use this historic milestone to deepen the understanding of its history, inspire pride and strengthen bonds and partnerships, and prepare for a second century of continued excellence and impactful leadership. To learn more, please visit 100.duke.edu
#GoDuke
Players Mentioned
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
