SE: Decker, Turco Taking Doubles Ranking and Experienced Confidence into ITA Kickoff Weekend
Jan 24, 2020 | Tennis, Sports Extra
By Corbin McGuire
K-State tennis junior Margot Decker remembers strongly disliking playing doubles. It felt unnatural. Fellow Wildcat junior Anna Turco started in a similar position at K-State. Simply, she said it was "just not my thing."
Now, the Wildcat duo is ranked No. 54 in the ITA Top 60 doubles rankings — the first K-State double team to be ranked since 2014 — and holds a much different outlook.
Part of the change is their heads are no longer spinning, which is often the case for international players who grow up predominantly playing singles. They understand the game much better. Doubles strategy and formations are now something they use to their advantage, not something they're trying to figure out.
"I feel like I've made a lot of improvement. I was not used to playing doubles and I didn't really like it (at first), and now I really enjoy playing doubles, especially with Anna," Decker said. "I feel like I really see the game and how it works, the tactics behind it — a lot of improvement."
Turco, in a separate interview, echoed her doubles partner's answer.
"I think I've improved a lot. I've gained a lot of confidence. It was also a lot of confusion (early on), but last year was a good transition," Turco said. "It made me realize I could actually (do) fine in doubles. Then, with Margot, we have a good chemistry, so I think that helps. I feel like this year we can do better."
That's the plan, at least.
The two Wildcats started the spring season with a 6-4 win against Penn State's No. 1 doubles team on Monday in a 5-0 team victory. This weekend, Decker and Turco will likely face an even tougher test as K-State takes on No. 5 Duke in the opening round of the ITA Kickoff Weekend in Durham, North Carolina on Saturday.
Duke's doubles team of Chloe Beck and Meible Chi is ranked No. 35 in the ITA rankings. If Decker and Turco match up against them, it will be a doubles squad they are familiar with — and had success against. The Wildcat pair beat the Duke duo at the ITA All-American Championships last fall in convincing fashion, 8-1.
"We didn't miss a thing, literally. Some days you're just in the zone and that day we were there," Decker said of that win. "It's going to be a real challenge this weekend to see what we can do and if we can win one more time."
That win made Turco and Decker the first K-State doubles team to reach the qualifying draw of the ITA All-American Championships. They finished one win shy of the 32-team main draw.
"That was a pretty good match. We didn't make any mistakes. It was a clean match, we did the simple things, the right things. I think that helped," Turco said of the Duke win. "The run we had at All-Americans boosted our confidence."
So have a few other factors.
To start, Decker and Turco played at the No. 1 spot all of last season. So, theoretically, they faced every team's top doubles pair. They finished the 2019 spring season 10-11 together that included a 3-3 mark in Big 12 play — some conference matches went unfinished, which happens when the team doubles point is claimed while another match going on.
"I think it was really good because we could play with good teams and we could see how they play, how they handle tough situations, especially pressure, because in doubles it's so quick and (momentum) can switch in a few seconds," Turco said. "I feel like playing up high, you can see the other teams, how they're not going to give you anything. Learning from them, that was a positive thing of playing No. 1."
Their chemistry has also developed.
While Decker and Turco said they have always gotten along, both also agreed that playing together all of last spring advanced their connection on the court. As a freshman, Turco played with six different teammates. Last year's continuity, she said, has paid dividends.
"I think it helps a lot because, after a while of playing with the same partner, you get to know what they do and the chemistry's even better," Turco said. "You get to know how she moves on the court and she knows how you move on the court. The communication is better, so we know each other. So, we also know what's best for us, when we play in different moments and different situations. I feel like that playing with the same partner helps a lot because you get to know them better and you can play better with them."
Decker and Turco will need to continue that trend to keep or even improve their ranking, a relatively unexpected achievement and a first step in a season-long goal of qualifying for the NCAA Championships as a doubles team.
"I think that was a great accomplishment. We didn't expect it. We were not actually looking for it. Then, at the end of the (fall) season we saw the ranking and we were, like, 'Wow. Everything we did, and we tried new things, it paid off,'" Turco said. "It's really nice to get the ranking. I think it motivates us to keep it through the whole season."
K-State tennis junior Margot Decker remembers strongly disliking playing doubles. It felt unnatural. Fellow Wildcat junior Anna Turco started in a similar position at K-State. Simply, she said it was "just not my thing."
Now, the Wildcat duo is ranked No. 54 in the ITA Top 60 doubles rankings — the first K-State double team to be ranked since 2014 — and holds a much different outlook.
Part of the change is their heads are no longer spinning, which is often the case for international players who grow up predominantly playing singles. They understand the game much better. Doubles strategy and formations are now something they use to their advantage, not something they're trying to figure out.
"I feel like I've made a lot of improvement. I was not used to playing doubles and I didn't really like it (at first), and now I really enjoy playing doubles, especially with Anna," Decker said. "I feel like I really see the game and how it works, the tactics behind it — a lot of improvement."
Turco, in a separate interview, echoed her doubles partner's answer.
"I think I've improved a lot. I've gained a lot of confidence. It was also a lot of confusion (early on), but last year was a good transition," Turco said. "It made me realize I could actually (do) fine in doubles. Then, with Margot, we have a good chemistry, so I think that helps. I feel like this year we can do better."
That's the plan, at least.
The two Wildcats started the spring season with a 6-4 win against Penn State's No. 1 doubles team on Monday in a 5-0 team victory. This weekend, Decker and Turco will likely face an even tougher test as K-State takes on No. 5 Duke in the opening round of the ITA Kickoff Weekend in Durham, North Carolina on Saturday.
Duke's doubles team of Chloe Beck and Meible Chi is ranked No. 35 in the ITA rankings. If Decker and Turco match up against them, it will be a doubles squad they are familiar with — and had success against. The Wildcat pair beat the Duke duo at the ITA All-American Championships last fall in convincing fashion, 8-1.
"We didn't miss a thing, literally. Some days you're just in the zone and that day we were there," Decker said of that win. "It's going to be a real challenge this weekend to see what we can do and if we can win one more time."
That win made Turco and Decker the first K-State doubles team to reach the qualifying draw of the ITA All-American Championships. They finished one win shy of the 32-team main draw.
"That was a pretty good match. We didn't make any mistakes. It was a clean match, we did the simple things, the right things. I think that helped," Turco said of the Duke win. "The run we had at All-Americans boosted our confidence."
So have a few other factors.
To start, Decker and Turco played at the No. 1 spot all of last season. So, theoretically, they faced every team's top doubles pair. They finished the 2019 spring season 10-11 together that included a 3-3 mark in Big 12 play — some conference matches went unfinished, which happens when the team doubles point is claimed while another match going on.
"I think it was really good because we could play with good teams and we could see how they play, how they handle tough situations, especially pressure, because in doubles it's so quick and (momentum) can switch in a few seconds," Turco said. "I feel like playing up high, you can see the other teams, how they're not going to give you anything. Learning from them, that was a positive thing of playing No. 1."
Their chemistry has also developed.
While Decker and Turco said they have always gotten along, both also agreed that playing together all of last spring advanced their connection on the court. As a freshman, Turco played with six different teammates. Last year's continuity, she said, has paid dividends.
"I think it helps a lot because, after a while of playing with the same partner, you get to know what they do and the chemistry's even better," Turco said. "You get to know how she moves on the court and she knows how you move on the court. The communication is better, so we know each other. So, we also know what's best for us, when we play in different moments and different situations. I feel like that playing with the same partner helps a lot because you get to know them better and you can play better with them."
Decker and Turco will need to continue that trend to keep or even improve their ranking, a relatively unexpected achievement and a first step in a season-long goal of qualifying for the NCAA Championships as a doubles team.
"I think that was a great accomplishment. We didn't expect it. We were not actually looking for it. Then, at the end of the (fall) season we saw the ranking and we were, like, 'Wow. Everything we did, and we tried new things, it paid off,'" Turco said. "It's really nice to get the ranking. I think it motivates us to keep it through the whole season."
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