Colorado Tennis Duo Crncan and Ternstroem Shine at Milwaukee Classic

GLENDALE, Wis. – On a long, busy Saturday at the 50th Annual Milwaukee Classic, Colorado didn’t just survive the grind. It imposed itself on it.

At the center of it all were Heidi Crncan and newcomer Louise Ternstroem, who turned the Nicolet Tennis Center into their own workshop, piecing together a perfect day in singles and a statement win in doubles.

Crncan and Ternstroem set the standard

Colorado’s intent was clear from the first ball of the morning doubles session. Crncan and Ternstroem tore through USF’s Sienna Leeson and Josefine Falster 6-1, a ruthless performance that barely allowed the Bulls a foothold.

The pair backed that up with exactly what their coach has been demanding this fall: clean, disciplined singles play.

Crncan, the second-year player from England, barely blinked all day. She dismantled Milwaukee’s Karolina Skowronska 6-1, 6-2, then backed it up with a composed 6-2, 6-3 win over LIP’s Deborah Collado Dominguez. Across four sets, she never dropped more than three games. It was the kind of cold, efficient tennis that wins tournaments.

On the adjacent courts, Ternstroem matched her stride for stride. The freshman first brushed aside Marquette’s Emmerson White 6-2, 6-3, then showed a different gear against Purdue’s Nehir Dogan. After edging a tight 7-5 first set, she broke the match open with a commanding 6-1 second set, closing out her own 2-0 day in singles.

One is establishing herself. The other is introducing herself. Both looked like anchors for Colorado.

Alexin and Bubalo fight the big names

The early doubles session belonged to the Buffs across the board. Lera Alexin and Ema Bubalo opened the day by taking down Purdue’s Ece Gencer and Dogan 6-3, a sharp, confident display that set the tone.

Their second assignment was something else entirely: the No. 14-ranked duo in the nation, North Carolina’s Anna Frey and Alanis Hamilton. It turned into one of the matches of the day.

Alexin and Bubalo went toe-to-toe with the Tar Heels, refusing to back off the baseline or the moment. They pushed the ranked pair into a tiebreak and then into deep water, saving multiple match points and creating chances of their own before finally falling 7-6 (10). The margin was razor-thin; the level was not. Colorado belonged on that court.

“They fought off several match points,” head coach Anthony Pham said. “We had match points and fought off several match points. They showed good level and good poise, just unfortunately fell a little short.”

That resilience carried into singles.

Alexin’s day opened with a narrow defeat to Falster, 7-6 (3), 6-4, a match that hinged on a few points at the end of the first set. She didn’t dwell on it. Her response was emphatic: a 6-2, 6-2 win over Marquette’s Elise Barnstedt, played with the authority of someone determined to correct the narrative before the day ended.

Bubalo’s singles path took the scenic route. Against Kansas State’s Sabrina Balderrama, she traded blows all afternoon, dropping the first set 6-3, clawing back to take the second 6-4, and then getting edged in the deciding match tiebreak. It was another match that showed Colorado’s depth of fight, even in defeat.

A step forward, with one day left

Pham wanted a response after Friday. He got one.

“We made some good adjustments from yesterday,” he said. “We took a step forward today, and we want everybody to finish the tournament on a positive note tomorrow.”

Sunday is expected to be lighter, but not casual. Bubalo and Alexin will play one more doubles match, while Crncan and Ternstroem return to singles to close out their draws.

The heavy lifting has been done. Now comes the question that will follow this group out of Milwaukee: can they turn a promising Saturday into the standard for the season?