Pittsburgh’s Claudia Bartolome and Gabriela Rezende celebrated with fist bumps and a high five when Gabriela Knutson’s backhand went too long. This gave the Panthers a 6-2 win, ultimately culminating into Pittsburgh’s first Atlantic Coast Conference doubles point this season.

Knutson looked to the ceiling. Although No. 30 Syracuse (12-8, 5-6 Atlantic Coast) would go on to defeat Pittsburgh (4-14, 0-11) 5-2, the loss added up to their fifth straight. Just one court over, a banner hung celebrating Knutson and Ramirez’s All-American doubles honors in 2018, the first in program history. This year, the pair, while still receiving a national ranking at No. 90, is 10-8 and hasn’t found the same success that allowed them to finish at No. 8 last season.

“They know that they’re a very good team,” head coach Younes Limam said. “And they just need to go and commit to their shots and play with a lot of energy, obviously. But also when you’re returning, when you’re serving, you gotta go and get it and commit to your shots.”

The pair was broken early as Pittsburgh gained a 1-0 lead on a Ramirez shot into the net. The Panthers held serve easily. Down 2-0, Knutson shook her hand after a serve that went weak into the net. She shook her head and squinted in a bit of pain.

Limam had been aware her right arm had been bothering her even before today’s match and decided to rest her after doubles. Knutson said Thursday her health might be one of the reasons for the slip in the rankings. Between laryngitis and colds, she said she’s had “one, max two weeks” of full being fully healthy.

“I was hoping that we’d shoot up quicker,” Knutson said Thursday “… I don’t really know what’s missing. It’s kind of up and down.”

After being broken again, Knutson and Ramirez got one back. A powerful backhand winner down the line from Knutson made it 30-30. She swung through the next serve, but the Orange pair was able to force a deuce and then win the next.

On Ramirez’s serve the pair was up 40-30, but a forehand by Ramirez into the net forced a deuce. This time Pittsburgh came through.

“They were playing really good at net,” Ramirez said. “They knew when to poach, when to stay back so it was really tough to get it by them.”

Down 4-1, the Orange badly needed a break. Pittsburgh wouldn’t cede it, though, and miscommunication between the Knutson and Ramirez resulted in the final point. A shot fell between them as Ramirez started reaching back but didn’t commit and Knutson didn’t have enough time to then react.

The chemistry between the pair has rarely faded, however. Knutson and Ramirez strive to play a mens’ doubles style, staying more aggressive at the net.

“Sometimes, even when we had bad matches, we know who we are as a team and what we’re capable of,” Knutson said. “That even if we’re not playing that good, I would not want to choose anyone else.”

Syracuse would get one more game back, holding serve, but then failed to break Pittsburgh. Throughout the Orange’s losing streak they played a handful of nationally ranked duos but only one player on the Panther’s roster is currently ranked: Bartolome at No. 125 in singles.

Limam knows what his top singles pair is capable of. Confidence, he said, could be playing a role after their recent stretch.

“You win a few matches and all of a sudden, you’re rolling, you’re playing with more authority, you’re playing on your terms,” Limam said. “And you lose some matches and everything that you do, you start thinking twice, and the last thing you want to do in tennis, or in any sport is to overthink things.”

The pair’s season may not end up as banner worthy as the prior season. But Knutson and Ramirez still serve as the backbone of the team. When they win in doubles, the team is 8-2. The Orange haven’t won a doubles point this season when Ramirez and Knutson fall.

“I don’t think we’ve been blown off the court once,” Ramirez said. “So we’re still right there, we’re still a great team and we know that, everyone knows that. So yeah, we’re still doing well.”

Published on April 5, 2019 at 8:21 pm

Contact Eric: estorms@syr.edu