For the first time in program history, the UBC Women’s Tennis Sport Club is heading to the U SPORTS National Championships. The Thunderbirds earned their spot on the national stage by winning the Western Canadian Championship, and they will make the trip to Montreal for the championship tournament at Stade IGA, running May 28 to 31.
The path to nationals wasn’t easy. Claiming the West’s lone bid required taking down the University of Alberta, a seven-time national champion, 4-2 in the regional final. It was the kind of statement win that signals a program on the rise, and it earned the Thunderbirds a 2nd seed heading into the national draw.
UBC opens the tournament on Thursday, May 28 in the women’s semifinal against the University of Toronto Varsity Blues, who arrive in Montreal off the back of their third-straight OUA title. Each fixture features three doubles matches followed by six singles matches, with the team winning the majority of seven points moving on. The tournament follows a single-elimination format, with a bronze-medal playoff and the women’s final both taking place on Saturday, May 30.
For club lead Brianne Jim, who has seen the program through its share of challenges over the years, the moment carries a particular weight.
“As a fifth-year player in my last season with the team, this honestly feels like a dream,” says Brianne. “I’ve seen many players come and go, and after all the obstacles the team has faced over the past few seasons, making Nationals feels so special. It means even more knowing that we are part of the first UBC Women’s Tennis team to qualify for Nationals, and I’m proud to be part of a team that feels like family.”
That sense of community resonates just as strongly for first-year Kirsten Kam, who joined the program this season and immediately felt at home:
“We are really excited to play in our first Nationals and have been practicing hard both on and off the court to prepare,” says Kirsten. “The team has really felt like a community and I am very excited to travel with the team and be in an electric atmosphere at Nationals.”
The six Thunderbirds representing UBC on the national stage are Brianne Jim, Ella James, Anuradha Chopra, Kirsten Kam, Ysabelle Lee, and Isabelle Zhu, a group that has already proven they can compete and win under pressure.
Catch the action on the tournament livestream and follow @ubcwtennis on Instagram for updates from Montreal.
Go Thunderbirds!