Saturday, January 17
Knoxville, Tenn.
11 A.M.
Wake Forest University
at
Tennessee
Photo by: Helen McGinnis
Wake Forest Women’s Tennis Opens Spring Season at No. 16 Tennessee
1/16/2026 10:16:00 AM | Women's Tennis
The Demon Deacons will open against the Vols for the seventh consecutive season.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Wake Forest women's tennis is set to make its season debut Saturday, January 17 at No. 16 Tennessee. The Demon Deacons will be tested early, traveling to Knoxville to face off against the nationally-ranked Volunteers.
Last spring saw the Deacs fall to the Vols in a 4-3 heartbreaker (Jan. 18, 2025). Redshirt junior Krystal Blanch starred in that matchup, winning her doubles and singles matches.
Wake Forest is led by senior Nevena Carton, the team leader in career singles wins with 47 and the most successful ACC singles player on the Deacs last season, winning four of her six completed conference matches. Carton was ranked last season in both singles and doubles action, reaching the No. 53 spot solo and the No. 36 mark with teammate Kady Tannenbaum.
Tannenbaum returns after a stellar freshman campaign, leading the Deacs in 2024-25 with 18 singles victories and 36 total wins.
Senior Whitley Pate and freshman Evie Oxford concluded the fall nationally ranked in doubles at No. 68. Pate enters the season with 55 career doubles wins following an impressive 19-5 doubles record in 2024-25.
Oxford finished her illustrious high school career as the No. 9 recruit nationally and the top recruit in Texas according to Tennis Recruiting Network. She is one of two newcomers to join the team and is set to have an immediate impact in Winston-Salem, especially in doubles play.
Heidi Bulger, the other newcomer in 2025-26, was an all-conference selection at Elon last season. The sophomore finished 18-4 in singles and 11-7 in doubles in her impressive rookie season.
Senior Jingyi Li enters her senior year with 28 total wins in her career. Aubrey Nisbet also returns for her junior campaign after seeing limited action as a freshman.
Series History
Tennessee leads, 20-17, and has won the last seven matchups. Wake Forest is 5-9 on the road against the Vols, last winning in Knoxville in 2008.
Last Matchup: January 18, 2025
Result: L 3-4
Leyla Britez Risso (finished the fall ranked No. 26 in singles) and Elim Yan (No. 82 singles) lead the way for the Vols in singles. Three Tennessee doubles partners are ranked, the highest being Britez Risso and Catherine Aulia at No. 15.
Tennessee finished seventh in the SEC last season and won three matches in the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the national quarterfinals before falling to national runner-up Texas A&M.
First serve is set for 11 a.m. EST. The match will be available for streaming via Tennessee's Playsite.
Last spring saw the Deacs fall to the Vols in a 4-3 heartbreaker (Jan. 18, 2025). Redshirt junior Krystal Blanch starred in that matchup, winning her doubles and singles matches.
Wake Forest is led by senior Nevena Carton, the team leader in career singles wins with 47 and the most successful ACC singles player on the Deacs last season, winning four of her six completed conference matches. Carton was ranked last season in both singles and doubles action, reaching the No. 53 spot solo and the No. 36 mark with teammate Kady Tannenbaum.
Tannenbaum returns after a stellar freshman campaign, leading the Deacs in 2024-25 with 18 singles victories and 36 total wins.
Senior Whitley Pate and freshman Evie Oxford concluded the fall nationally ranked in doubles at No. 68. Pate enters the season with 55 career doubles wins following an impressive 19-5 doubles record in 2024-25.
Oxford finished her illustrious high school career as the No. 9 recruit nationally and the top recruit in Texas according to Tennis Recruiting Network. She is one of two newcomers to join the team and is set to have an immediate impact in Winston-Salem, especially in doubles play.
Heidi Bulger, the other newcomer in 2025-26, was an all-conference selection at Elon last season. The sophomore finished 18-4 in singles and 11-7 in doubles in her impressive rookie season.
Senior Jingyi Li enters her senior year with 28 total wins in her career. Aubrey Nisbet also returns for her junior campaign after seeing limited action as a freshman.
Series History
Tennessee leads, 20-17, and has won the last seven matchups. Wake Forest is 5-9 on the road against the Vols, last winning in Knoxville in 2008.
Last Matchup: January 18, 2025
Result: L 3-4
Leyla Britez Risso (finished the fall ranked No. 26 in singles) and Elim Yan (No. 82 singles) lead the way for the Vols in singles. Three Tennessee doubles partners are ranked, the highest being Britez Risso and Catherine Aulia at No. 15.
Tennessee finished seventh in the SEC last season and won three matches in the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the national quarterfinals before falling to national runner-up Texas A&M.
First serve is set for 11 a.m. EST. The match will be available for streaming via Tennessee's Playsite.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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