Doubles pair, Elianne Douglas-Miron and Riko Shimizu, have undoubtedly grabbed attention with their huge doubles win in the most recent dual match against the UCLA Bruins. The new and unranked doubles duo handily defeated the #12 team in the nation 8-3. Certainly, Douglas-Miron and Shimizu have proven themselves to be a team for fans to follow and for future opponents to fear.

Embracing the top doubles line-up spot for the Washington Huskies is no easy task, but Douglas-Miron and Shimizu are quickly coming into their own as a strategic, efficient, versatile, high-energy and electrifying team to look out for. On what it took to earn their big win this last Friday, Douglas-Miron voices a simple answer,

"Riko [Shimizu] and I did not think about the outcome. We concentrated on executing the plan we established with the coaches and the results followed." As for Shimizu, her answer stems from a realization they received from only a day prior,

"I think we felt more confident going into the UCLA match after our loss to the country's #1 doubles team from USC the day before. Instead of hanging our heads low after the loss, we recognized how well we competed."

However, Shimizu admits the biggest reason that pushed them for the great win that day was the fact that it was Douglas-Miron's birthday exclaiming, "We couldn't lose on her day!"

Aside from what the ladies felt took them to victory that day, there are many on-court factors that come into play with the formation of this talented team. Douglas-Miron and Shimizu share an eye for the doubles game and contribute their strengths well for a combined effort. Beyond that, they share an on-court chemistry that is undeniable and will surely take them where they aspire to go.  Any spectator will catch the smiles and laughter shared between the pair, no matter what situation they find themselves in. Shimizu provides the philosophy she shares with her partner,

"Many players have a tendency to focus on the outcome rather than the enjoyment of the competition. Elianne [Douglas-Miron] and I don't lose sight of what we are out there for and that is to have fun."

Douglas-Miron revealed that her way of keeping things lighthearted on the court is by singing to her partner!

This connection they possess in competition is strengthened by the friendship they have off the court. "We spend a lot of time together outside of tennis. We have become so close because of it; I tell her everything and I trust her 100%," Shimizu explains on what has bonded them.

As for Douglas-Miron, she claims that practicing and competing together in doubles is the best part of her day. Undoubtedly, all of this translates well into their on-court performance and there is nowhere for these two to go but up!

In the long term, the ladies aim to solidify a top national ranking, to secure a spot within the year-ending NCAA tournament, and to receive All-American status. We here at Washington have no doubt they will realize these goals!

This coming Friday and Saturday, the ladies and the rest of the Dawgs, are hard at work, preparing to extinguish the Arizona State Sun Devils and to defend the Dawg House from the Arizona Wildcats. Be sure to make your way over to watch this up-and-coming team compete on the Husky courts either indoors in the Lloyd Nordstrom Tennis Center or outdoors on the Bill Quillian Stadium Courts just across the way (weather dependent).  

Match-days and -times:

UW vs. ASU, March 29 (Fri.) @ 1:30

UW vs. Arizona, March 30 (Sat.) @ 12

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By, Samantha Smith

Volunteer Assistant Coach, University of Washington Women's Tennis

Often times, getting to know our Husky women outside of their role as a tennis player is hard to come by. So, in an attempt to help you learn a little about her off-the-court, Natali Coronel, sat down to answer some questions you may have been wondering...

Do you have a nickname?

Natali Coronel (NC): Yes, usually I am called, "Nati," by many people I know and within my team. It is a typical nickname for Natali, Natalia and Natacha in Argentine. I have also grown to like another nickname I have now, "Nat," which my coach, Jill, came up with... Only she can call me that!

What is your family life like?

NC: I have 2 younger siblings; sisters who I adore so much! There is Karen, who is 10 years old and Stephanie, who is 15. We all have a 5 year age difference which is sometimes tough but, mostly, we are so close and loving of one another. At home, we have 2 dogs, Boni and Kiara. My lovely mother is a school principal and a manager of another. She works extremely hard, is very supportive of our family and I am proud to have her!

What is something you did that not many people may know about?

NC: Well, when I was younger, I used to do diving. Actually, I was going to become competitive in that sport before I was introduced to tennis. In high school, for fun, I played handball and participated in ribbon dancing performances as well. 

What is your favorite day of the week?

NC: Before coming to school here, I would have always answered with 'Friday' because the weekend follows and I could relax and enjoy it. Now, Fridays, and the weekend that follows, usually includes competition, traveling, homework, presentations, studying and exams! I would say that now I do my best to find enjoyment in everyday, no matter how much is on my plate!

You are from South America, what is a big cultural difference that you encounter here in the States?

NC: Honestly, I don't know where to start! For me, the United States is just a different world from my own. In particular, I am amazed how critical thinking is encouraged. There are so many different perspectives out there! America has opened my eyes to many things: open-mindedness and the centrality of communication. All of this has made me more willing to share my personal thoughts and realize that I have a lot to contribute and offer.

If you met someone touring Seattle, where would you recommend them to eat?

NC: Blue C Sushi in University Village. I enjoy the variety of food and the colorful, refreshing environment that is there. It is a great place to be with friends or by yourself. 

Who are your favorite music artists? Most played songs on your iPod?

NC: My favorite music genre is Popular music so my favorite artists reflect that: Kelly Clarkson, Maroon 5, Bruno Mars, Katy Perry and Rihanna. I listen to so many songs constantly and there is so much out there. I will say right now my most played are, "Daylight" and "Payphone" by Maroon 5; "Stay" by Rihanna; "Try" by P!nk; and "When I Was Your Man" by Bruno Mars.

Who are your favorite actors?

Russell Crowe in, "Beautiful Mind," "Robin Hood," "The Next Three Days" and, of course, "Gladiator." He is so mysterious and intriguing. Another is, Haley Joel Osment from, "The Sixth Sense," "Artificial Intelligence," and "Pay it Forward." He has a great ability to connect with the audience and really draws on your emotions, even at such a young age! There's also, Natalie Portman, Kristin Stewart and Nina Dobrev whom I also enjoy.

What is a movie that you can watch over and over again?

NC: The first movie of the Twilight Saga. I have read the books and because I've been in an advanced digital video class, I really appreciate the cinematography of Katherine Hardwicke in this movie. The work she did is so fascinating. She created an atmosphere--with tone composition and unusual camera angles--that allowed me, as a viewer, to strongly connect with the story that was being told. 

Do you have a favorite professor here at the University?

NC: My favorite professor is Lee Osterhout in PSYCH 101. Although there was A LOT of course material, he made the it so interesting and fun that it wasn't hard to complete. His organization skills and teaching methods were amazing. I really appreciate the care, motivation and creativity he brought to every single class. I would take it again! 

If you were giving someone a "life tip," what would it be? And, can you explain why you might tell them that?

NC: The problem is not the problem itself, but our attitude to face it and courage to confront it. Someone once told me this in regards to how 'life,' in many ways, depends on our ability to solve the problems we encounter every day. No matter how well an individual might be doing in the many aspects of their life, problems will always arise. It is important to not give too much of our selves to those issues. Staying in the present and keeping in mind all of the good things that exist is enough to help a person separate the minor from the serious, and resolve problems in a positive way. Working towards your happiness is key!

What are you studying here at the UW?

NC: I will attempt to major in Psychology, not for the career opportunities, but mainly for personal growth and the critical life skills. Also, I am considering minoring in Public Health because I love helping and improving peoples' lives. 

Big thanks to Ms. Coronel for taking the time out of her busy schedule! Wish her luck as she competes in a pair of dual matches at home on Friday, Mar.22 @ 1:30p vs. USC and Saturday, Mar. 23 @ 12p vs UCLA! Be there! ~Go Purple. Be Gold~ 

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A day prior to their match-up against the University of Oregon, the Husky women were already on-point with an excellent hitting session under their belt. Every team member was incredibly focused, their ball timing was great, and you could feel the intensity that they, undoubtedly, took into today's Pac-12 dual match. The weather was perfect for tennis and the Husky ladies played accordingly winning 5-2 over the No. 55 Ducks.

Take a look at some quotes from coaches, Jill Hultquist (Head) and Luke Shields (Assistant), regarding the match and their prospects for the upcoming weekend against USC and UCLA. Riko Shimizu, who clinched the winning point in today's competition (7-5, 6-4), gives her thoughts on today as well!

As coaches, how did you both feel about going into this match-up?

Jill Hultquist (JH): "I felt good about going into this match as our girls have been working really hard and playing well.  We knew it was going to be a tough match as Oregon was coming off of a ranked-win against Denver.  Oregon is always very feisty and competitive so we prepared the girls for that."

Luke Shields (LS): "We felt very confident as a team. We have had great practices and have consistently gotten better over the last 6 months. We have done a great job of focusing on our own games each match. Our mindset has been outstanding so coming into the match we felt very strong."

Tell me about the team's performance today. Also, what does it mean going forward into next week's challenges against USC and UCLA?

JH:  "Next week's matches are against the teams we have struggled against. They are top 10 teams and they are very polished.  To beat them we have to be on our game and take advantage of the opportunities that are given to us if we are going to beat them."

LS: "We did some things well and we can definitely build off of this weekend. We are more concerned about long term goals and getting better with each match. If we keep doing the right things and if we keep growing as a team the results will come."

What is something that you were particularly proud to see today that you have, as a team, made an effort to work on earlier this week (in preparation for Oregon)?

JH:  "We have had good success in doubles as we have been working really hard on it and adding new elements every couple of weeks so it is always fun to see them implement it in their games and see their success with it.  Singles we are working on being more aggressive and moving forward. The team did a great job with that today as well."

LS: "We stuck to our game plans well. Even if we lost a few points we stuck to what we do well. We played high percentage tennis."

What were the big factors that won this match today?

JH:  "Staying disciplined with their game plan.  Each match, I give them a challenge to work on and I love to see them work on that in their matches.  Also, teamwork has been important for them this year and they are very supportive of each other and that helps everyone out on while they are playing."

LS: "Energy!"

Riko Shimizu put on a brave performance today at the 6th singles position. Here are some of her thoughts from earlier today: 

How do you feel about your performance today?

Riko Shimizu (RS): "I have had a rough week regarding many things. Although I do not feel that I performed my best today, I am proud of the way I competed; I fought really hard in this match and that is what lead me to victory. Also, I think everyone competed well and fought hard too so I am really proud of them for that."

After taking losses last week from Stanford and Cal Berkeley, what does this team win mean to you personally?

RS: "We took our losses to Stanford and Cal very well in the first place. Although they were tough matches, we learned a lot and saw that we could compete with the top teams. I am very happy about this win against Oregon and that our hard work throughout this week paid off. Also, the team did not let the previous losses affect us negatively. Instead, everyone carried a positive mindset throughout this whole week and I definitely think that helped us with the win today too."

What will you take from today's win into next week, when you face opponents from USC and UCLA?

RS: "Definitely the energy, the fight and the team spirit. USC and UCLA are top schools that I am excited to compete against on our home court. I am confident we will do well."

Next Friday (Mar. 22), the ladies take on the USC Trojans. Then, on Saturday (Mar. 23), the women face the UCLA Bruins. Save those dates!

Samantha Smith

Volunteer Assistant Coach, University of Washington Women's Tennis

The Husky women will be off to Eugene, Oregon tomorrow morning to get settled and ready for their Friday match-up against the University of Oregon Ducks (at noon).

Last week, our ladies took a pair of losses on the road against Conference opponents, Stanford and California. Meanwhile, Oregon defeated Brigham Young University (5-2) and followed it up with their first ranked win of this tennis season, downing the No. 55 University of Denver (5-2).

Although the Huskies came up short a week ago, they have already shook it off and are looking to shut down the newly-ranked Ducks (#55) once again (Huskies topped Oregon 4-3 last season).

We will be sure to keep you updated on match-day with scores via Twitter,as well as provide you with post-match coverage here on the Tennis Blawg! WOOF! 

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By Samantha Smith

Volunteer Assistant Coach, UW Women's Tennis