As Northwestern prepares to open its season with a road triple-header this weekend, coach Claire Pollard hinted she is likely to tap freshman Margot Phanthala for her top lineup spot.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think she\u2019s a legit (No.) 1,\u201d Pollard told The Daily in her office Friday afternoon. \u201cI don\u2019t want to knock any of the previous No. 1s. But I feel like this is going to be a nice shot in the arm for the team.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pollard\u2019s bullish assessment of Phanthala figures to offer vital stability throughout the Wildcats\u2019 singles lineup, as inserting her at No. 1 would allow NU\u2019s four returning players who featured most last season to play at the same or even lower spots. Yet, it also marks a significant gamble for a team whose inexperience at the top positions cost it dearly in a disappointing previous campaign.<\/p>\n
Last season, then-freshmen Mika Dagan Fruchtman and Erica Jessel each spent time at the No. 1 role, finishing a combined 6-13 against other squads\u2019 top players. While early injuries and a loss of confidence derailed Dagan Fruchtman\u2019s season and sent her spiraling down the lineup, Pollard stuck with Jessel at No. 1, to limited success.<\/p>\n
Pollard sounded hopeful that history would not repeat itself with Phanthala, but she acknowledged she may have been too hesitant to make changes when her initial plans did not pan out.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think, truthfully, I may have stuck with some of the players in the lineup too high, too long,\u201d Pollard said. \u201cI pride myself on staying loyal to the players and having belief \u2026 I felt like last year that might have backfired a little bit on us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Phanthala, a Paris, France native, clocked in at No. 39 in the most recent ITA Rankings after a standout fall headlined by a top-10 win over Michigan\u2019s Piper Charney. During her high school career, the freshman competed in five junior grand slams and achieved a career-high ITF junior ranking of No. 63.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even if Phanthala hits the ground running, the \u2019Cats\u2019 chances of rebounding from Pollard\u2019s first losing Big Ten campaign in her 27 years at the helm will depend heavily on her sophomores taking a leap forward.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Dagan Fruchtman, who arrived as an experienced freshman after completing two years of mandatory military service in Israel, showed flashes of brilliance in the fall but was set back by injuries to both of her feet and later her right hamstring. Her season hit a nadir when she lost 20 consecutive matches between singles and doubles and was eventually pulled from the singles lineup altogether.<\/p>\n
\u201cLast year was really a tough year on Mika, results-wise, and just a lot of newness,\u201d Pollard said. \u201cI think I might have underestimated the adjustment period. I think I\u2019m really sensitive to that now for all freshmen coming in.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite singles difficulties last season, Dagan Fruchtman had success in doubles in the fall again, reaching the final at the ITA Midwest Regional alongside junior Neena Feldman and coming up just one win short of qualifying for the NCAA Doubles Tournament.<\/p>\n
However, Pollard said she was unsure about sticking with that pairing heading into the season.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know if they\u2019re going to even play together,\u201d Pollard said. \u201cAs I sit here today, if you saw what I prepared to play today, they\u2019re not listed together.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jessel, meanwhile, flashed potential with an awe-inspiring baseline power game, but struggled to put wins on the board. She did manage a top-5 win over Michigan\u2019s Julia Fleigner, but finished with a 6-13 singles record.<\/p>\n
Throughout last season, Pollard repeatedly spoke about wanting Jessel to improve her movement, add more variety to her game and come to the net more. When asked on Friday how Jessel was coming along in those departments, Pollard said her progress was \u201cslow.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u201cHer comfort zone is quite small, and so we\u2019re really sort of on her to try and expand that comfort zone and try and add some more into her game,\u201d Pollard said.<\/p>\n
NU\u2019s most reliable returner is Feldman, who boasted a near-perfect 12-1 singles record and went from fighting for a lineup spot at the beginning of the season to playing as high as No. 2. She figures to be at the center of Pollard\u2019s plans in both singles and doubles.<\/p>\n
Junior Autumn Rabjohns entered the fray last season and went 8-5 in singles while rarely playing doubles. Playing an unorthodox forehand-slice-reliant game, Rabjohns excelled at wearing down opponents in the lower lineup spots, but will likely face the challenge of her first significant doubles action this season.<\/p>\n
Rounding out the team is sophomore Maia Loureiro, who Pollard shouted out for strong development this fall, junior Katya Shepherd Johnson and freshman Marelie Raath.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Senior Jennifer Riester, planning to play her fourth season with NU, picked up an injury and was forced to medically retire.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s medically retired,\u201d Pollard said. \u201cShe just got an injury that she cannot participate this year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Last year, Pollard never settled on a consistent set of doubles pairings, playing eight unique duos throughout conference play. Heading into this year, she said she hoped to limit the amount of fluctuation in her teams.<\/p>\n
\u201cI do think there\u2019s something to be said for consistency and the continuity of playing with the same partner and just getting that little bit of understanding,\u201d Pollard said.<\/p>\n
The \u2019Cats\u2019 campaign kicks off in Richmond, Virginia, this weekend, as they face VCU on Friday, Temple on Saturday and Richmond on Sunday.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For Pollard, the new season brings an opportunity to assess her players\u2019 development, which she said hasn\u2019t always been smooth in recent years.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like we\u2019re really getting back to the idea of development and improvement, which has been one of the pillars of the program, but maybe haven\u2019t been quite as satisfied with that lately,\u201d Pollard said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Email: [email\u00a0protected]<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n X: @EliKronenberg<\/a><\/p>\n Email: [email\u00a0protected]<\/a><\/p>\n X: @mayaheyman<\/a><\/p>\n Related Stories:<\/p>\n \u2014\u00a0 Women\u2019s Tennis: Dagan Fruchtman and Feldman fall at ITA Central Sectional after top-20 win<\/a><\/p>\n