DURHAM, N.C.– After a whirlwind weekend at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Regionals in Chapel Hill, two Duke tennis players – Eleana Yu and Irina Balus — have clinched their spots in the NCAA Individual Singles Championship.
For both student-athletes, it’s a significant moment in their young careers, as they prepare to compete at the prestigious tournament in Waco, Texas, from Nov. 18-24.
Balus, hailing from Banská Bystrica, Slovakia, won five singles matches over three days at regionals, which included the biggest victory of her short collegiate career with a 6-4, 6-4 win against 10th-ranked Sarah Hamner of South Carolina. Balus ended up securing the finals appearance with a commanding 6-1, 6-1 victory over Sara Suchankova of UNC Charlotte. Her performance earned her the NCAA invitation.
However, as a freshman competing in just her second college tournament, Balus admits she didn’t set high expectations, but her relentless improvement from match to match paved the way to an unexpected finals appearance.
“My goal for the tournament wasn’t like, ‘Oh, I’m getting to the finals’, because I didn’t believe in myself that much, but I just kept improving from match to match, and it somehow happened, and also it was my second college tournament, so I didn’t have any expectations from it,” Balus said. “As a freshman, I think it’s a pretty big accomplishment. So now I have a month to prepare. I don’t have to play the sectionals. So, it’s a really good result.”
In two tournaments at Duke, Balus has featured a quick start with a 7-1 singles ledger. She also teamed with Ellie Coleman over the weekend in doubles and advanced to the finals, nearly earning a NCAA Doubles invite as well.
The adjustment from Slovakia to Durham hasn’t been without its challenges for Balus.
Moving thousands of miles away from home has meant not only adapting to a new culture, but also navigating the emotional difficulty of being far from her family.
Add in the six-hour time difference, Balus has to coordinate her schedule around classes, practices and matches just to find time to talk to her parents.
“I’m very, very close with my family. So, we talk twice a day for like 20 minutes, so we have to figure out times in between classes and in between practice. When I’m free in the evening, it’s…
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