Freshman Zeynep Erman played her first game as a member of SU’s tennis team just 12 days after signing with Syracuse. The former International Tennis Federation
(ITF) No. 156-ranked junior came almost 5,000 miles from Istanbul to central New York.

Three matches into her career, Erman has yet to lose at the sixth singles position. Of the 40 singles games she has played in her Syracuse (3-0) career, she’s only lost 12 of them — her serve and powerful forehands controlling the court. In doubles, though, success hasn’t come as easily. Erman’s lost all three doubles matches, including her and partner Sofya Golubovskaya’s 6-1 defeat to VCU on Jan. 20. She’s forced to share the court with unfamiliar players and game styles.

“When you play doubles you have to see at least a few matches to like know your partner, or she can know you,” said Erman. “How do you do when you hit the ball or play aggressive.”

In the season-opener, Erman and Golubovskaya were the only doubles pair to lose against Richmond, falling 6-4. Head coach Younes Limam said he wasn’t worried about the pair’s lack of early success, and it takes time for new partnerships to learn each other’s tendencies.

But it’s even harder for Erman to form a connection with her doubles partner when Golubovskaya is on the sideline, as she was on Jan. 26 against Cornell with a shoulder injury. That forced Erman to play with Polina Kozyreva.

Knowing the difficulty the unfamiliar pair would have, Limam paid special attention to their match Sunday. From the sideline, he called out adjustments, gave pointers during switches and even went on the court multiple times between points.

“Z, move up a little,” Erman instructed Kozyreva before a Cornell serve.

As the game losses piled up for Erman and Kozyreva, the duo repeatedly looked toward their coach in frustration. First, neither player moved to return a shot hit down the middle. Then an ill-timed volley that Erman should have left for Kozyreva. Kozyreva sighed and looked at her coach after double-faulting into the net.

Even if she’s still looking for her first doubles win, Erman’s most important contribution comes from singles. Against Cornell’s Khary Pryce, Erman returned waist-high shots with her line-drive forehands to the back corners. Combined with her first serve, Erman dominated at the sixth singles slot.

“Zeynep is somebody who’s got two big weapons,” said Limam. “Her forehand and her serve are huge.”

In Turkey, Erman competed with the U12, U16 and U18 national teams. She’s won more than 60 singles matches in the last four years, including three ITF tournaments in 2016.

Despite losing four players from last year’s squad to graduation, Syracuse has gotten off to an undefeated start thanks to Erman’s singles success. As opponents become more challenging, and Atlantic Coast Conference play begins, the doubles point will become more important. While the other two SU doubles pairs have won all but one of the matches, Syracuse is still waiting on doubles success from Erman.

“Tennis typically is like an individual sport and they’re used to playing just for themselves,” Limam said. “Now they’re playing for something that is bigger than themselves.”

Published on January 29, 2020 at 11:57 pm

Contact Thomas: tgshults@syr.edu | @ThomasShults_