Luke Jensen is not afraid to switch his doubles pairings around, especially when they’re not producing. Although Emily Harman and Komal Safdar struggled mightily against Texas Christian two weeks ago, the Syracuse head coach liked the way they handled the setback.

So he stuck with them.

‘At TCU they were getting pushed around bad,’ Jensen said. ‘Komal wasn’t having a good day, but Harman didn’t get down on her and stuck with her. That cemented the team.’

Jensen’s intuition paid off as Harman and Safdar won both their matches last weekend at No. 1 doubles, helping the Orange (2-2, 1-1 Big East) to a weekend sweep of St. John’s and Buffalo. SU goes on the road to take on Ohio State on Saturday at noon and Cincinnati on Sunday at 11 a.m.

The Orange head coach said the duo has the potential to be special this season. With similar on-court strengths and personalities, the battle-tested senior Harman and talented freshman Safdar complement each other’s games as partners.

‘They both have explosive all-court games, and their temperaments are very even-keeled,’ Jensen said. ‘They’re not too up or too down. They’re all business. That’s a very special team right there.’

Harman has played No. 1 doubles, as well as No. 1 singles, her entire career. Last year, she teamed with sophomore Maddie Kobelt in doubles, and the duo became nationally ranked at one point. Kobelt is now paired with Aleah Marrow as the No. 2 doubles team.

Like Harman and Safdar, Jensen feels the No. 2 pairing feeds off each other well. Jensen refers to Kobelt and Marrow as the ‘bruisers’ because both play with similar styles of power and aggression.

The top duo of Harman and Safdar has quickly found a comfort zone playing together this season.

Safdar finds she is more comfortable and calm with Harman as her partner, attributing it to Harman’s knowledge of the game and her demeanor.

‘We both like to attack the net, and we’re comfortable with a variety of shots,’ Safdar said. ‘She knows the court, she knows what to play when and she calms me down. Her being a senior and captain, she makes me more confident.’

As Jensen said, the team was cemented after responding to the TCU defeat with two victories the next weekend. Rather than getting discouraged or let down, Harman and Safdar used the match as a learning experience. After losing 8-2 to the nationally ranked Horned Frogs doubles team of Millie Nichols and Olivia Smith, they realized what they needed to work on and improve.

Two victories later, the lessons paid off.

‘The TCU match wasn’t a letdown at all,’ Safdar said. ‘It was good competition. It made us more motivated to work, to find ways to win.’

After only three matches together, Harman feels that the team has already achieved chemistry on the court. Harman said they can sense where the other is without speaking, knowing where to put the ball to win.

Harman recognizes her importance to Safdar’s development, as a team leader and now her partner. She knows she has to help Safdar with the learning curve for a freshman in college tennis. However, Harman finds that she learns from Safdar as well, especially her attitude.

‘Komal doesn’t get upset about anything,’ Harman said. ‘She lightens me up and keeps me moving forward. Nothing will get her down, that’s the best part about her. She’s always looking ahead.’

Back in Safdar’s home state of Ohio this weekend, in front of her friends and family, the team looks to continue its winning ways. And Jensen has no doubt the Harman-Safdar team will continue to play well together.

He said that good doubles teams think as one and move as one. Some doubles teams take time to get in sync. But not this one.

‘This team jelled right away,’ Jensen said. ‘They stick together like peas and carrots.’

kmprisei@syr.edu

 

Published on February 1, 2012 at 12:00 pm

Contact Kevin: kmprisei@syr.edu