UCLA women’s tennis opens 2026 dual-match season by defeating San Diego State 5-2 in Los Angeles

Bruins secure early points, then hold off late Aztec rallies in match-tiebreak finishes

UCLA women’s tennis opened its 2026 dual-match schedule with a 5-2 home victory over San Diego State on Jan. 18 at the Los Angeles Tennis Center. UCLA entered the match ranked No. 17 nationally and won the opening five points, building a margin that proved decisive even as San Diego State closed the day with two third-set match tiebreak wins.

College tennis dual matches are typically decided on a seven-point team format: one point awarded for winning two of three doubles matches, and one point for each of six singles matches. Teams clinch the overall match by reaching four points, though remaining matches may continue based on pre-match agreement and operational considerations. On Sunday, all completed matches were counted toward the final 5-2 score.

Doubles point sets the tone

San Diego State struck first in doubles, with Jayna Clemens and Ninon Martinache defeating Ahmani Guichard and Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer, 6-3. UCLA answered on the top court as Olivia Center and Kate Fakih defeated the No. 23-ranked San Diego State tandem of Jo-Yee Chan and Vessa Turley, 6-4. The doubles point was then secured when UCLA freshmen Kayla Chung and Mayu Crossley defeated Gloria Alogo and Liisa Varul, 6-4.

Singles: UCLA wins four, San Diego State takes two in match tiebreaks

In singles, UCLA extended its lead with three straight-set wins:

• Kate Fakih (No. 75) over Jayna Clemens, 6-2, 6-1
• Mayu Crossley over Ninon Martinache, 6-3, 6-2
• Olivia Center over Vesa Gjinaj, 6-1, 6-4

Lutkemeyer delivered a momentum swing at the top of the lineup, rebounding after losing the first set to defeat No. 88 Chan, 3-6, 6-1, 6-1.

San Diego State’s two points came via third-set match tiebreaks, recorded as 1-0 with the tiebreak score in parentheses. Alogo outlasted Guichard, 6-4, 4-6, 1-0(10-7), and Teja Tirunelveli defeated Chung, 6-7(4), 6-4, 1-0(10-4).

Final: UCLA 5, San Diego State 2 (Jan. 18, Los Angeles Tennis Center)

Context and what comes next

The result followed a recent shift in the series: San Diego State won 4-3 over UCLA on March 1, 2025, in San Diego. UCLA’s season-opening win in Los Angeles moved the Bruins to 1-0 in dual matches, while San Diego State left the weekend 1-1 overall.

UCLA’s next competition is scheduled for ITA Kickoff Weekend in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, beginning Jan. 24 against UCF, with an additional match slated for Jan. 25.