The pressure was on UNC men's tennis junior Robert Kelly and first-year William Blumberg.
With teammates senior Ronnie Schneider and sophomore Anu Kodali winning 6-4, and senior Jack Murray and first-year Simon Soendergaard dropping their match 6-3, the focus in Friday's home match against Miami was solely on Blumberg and Kelly, who were trailing 5-4.
A few hits later, the duo found themselves ahead 6-5 — one more point to go for the win. Kelly stepped up to serve, sporting an ankle brace on one ankle and tape on the other. A swift holding serve pushed the No. 17 Tar Heels doubles team to 7-5, giving the UNC men’s tennis team the lead as it headed into singles. The duo’s winning streak continued into Sunday, crushing Florida State 6-2.
“They’re getting better,” head coach Sam Paul said. “It’s an adjustment because William came in in January. They have to learn each other’s stuff, indoors and outdoors.”
Kelly and Blumberg have a bond like no other. The two have played every doubles match together since Blumberg joined the team, with the exception of the Duke match on March 7. In addition, they have known each other for a few years, making playing together that much sweeter.
“He’s a lovable kid,” Kelly said. “He loves everyone, and takes things so personally just because he’s such a happy kid.”
Blumberg just joined the team in January, but that hasn't held him back. He quickly found his way to the national ranks, moving from No. 61 to No. 31 within two weeks. Blumberg’s quick success is reflected in his individual record, 14-2, losing only to Illinois and California. Despite these two losses, he has continued to grow, but has stayed on a constant uphill trend since the beginning.
“There’s no night and day with that guy,” Paul said. “He was pretty good when he came here. I don’t want to over coach him too much, so I just let him play his game … He is pretty amazing.”
The adjustment was hard for Blumberg. Before joining the team, he was taking online classes, so playing for a team gave him a sense of belonging. It helped to have an old friend by his side and coaches cheering him on along the way.