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Last season, then-sophomore Polina Kozyreva played doubles and singles matches for the Orange, with most of her success coming in the No. 5 singles spot. In the Orange’s season opener this year, Kozyreva returned to her usual position in the lineup, slated against highly-sought freshman Jenna Sabile, who was ranked 34th nationally coming out of high school.

Kozyreva dominated on Saturday, winning her sets 6-0 and 6-1 versus Sabile. She was the first player to finish her match for the Orange.

“She had a clear idea of what style of game she wanted to play, she committed to her shots, and that was one of her goals before stepping into her match today,” Syracuse head coach Younes Limam said.

In Syracuse’s (1-0, 0-0 Atlantic Coast) 6-1 win over Army (0-2), Kozyreva had the most complete game out of any singles player or doubles tandem. Dropping just one game, Kozyreva continued her success from last season at the No. 5 spot, when she won five consecutive matches, four of which came in straight sets. She also won her matchup in the No. 1 doubles spot, winning 6-4 alongside her partner Sofya Treshcheva.

Treshcheva and Kozyreva emerged as one of Syracuse’s top doubles tandems last season, earning four wins. Kozyreva posted a 10-9 singles record last season playing out of the No. 5 and No. 6 spots, but she has the ability to move up that list and emerge as a dominant singles player this season, Limam said.

Kozyreva had a stretch of five straight wins last year plus a singles triumph over then-No. 11 Georgia Tech and a doubles victory against then-No. 13 Ohio State. She has shown the ability to dominate over small stretches but will need more consistency in her record to enter the ranked singles pool.

Kozyreva understands that her most efficient play comes when she uses controlled aggression, Limam said, finding a good balance between belligerence and hesitancy which she displayed that knowledge against the Black Knights on Saturday.

“Polina plays her best tennis when she’s using controlled aggression and not rushing too much, but at the same time she’s not too passive,” Limam said.

Kozyreva is one of just three upperclassmen on this year’s squad of only seven players. Her and Treshcheva start this season as SU’s undisputed No. 1 doubles pair, after the pair switched off between the No. 1 and No. 2 slots last season.

The ACC currently has seven nationally ranked teams, the most of any Power Five conference, so Kozyreva will have a tough task going up against some of the country’s best players and pairings.

“Obviously, we play a very, very tough schedule,” Limam said. “Our conference is one of the best, if not the best, tennis conference in the country. … So, the big thing for us is building that confidence and momentum and keep being motivated and hungry to improve your game.”

The Orange only secured the doubles point five times in 16 matches last season, winning four. When Syracuse didn’t win in doubles, it lost 81.8% of its matchups. But against the Black Knights, SU was able to secure that vital point. The doubles point will be a big point of emphasis for Limam this season, which he said starts with the Kozyreva and Treshcheva pairing.

Going into the first match of the season, Limam told his team to treat this as just another match while sticking to their strengths and gameplan. He also talked about trying to avoid being a perfectionist, yet still encouraging his players to control whatever they could in the match.

“There is no such thing as perfection in sports,” Limam said. “We talk to all of them, and Polina specifically, about controlling what you can control, being consistent with their preparation, and take in every single match,” Limam said.

Limam added that he wants Kozyreva especially to focus on making in-match adjustments to find a balance between ferocity and hesitation, which she exhibited well today. If Kozyreva is able to make those adjustments and use her power advantageously, she will be able to build on her success in this opening match during conference play later in the year.

“I was very proud of the team,” Limam said. “Army is a tough team, they compete hard, and they’re disciplined. We were lucky to get this one.”

Published on January 15, 2022 at 6:32 pm

Contact Wyatt: wbmiller@syr.edu