The 2024-25 season saw an impressive performance from women’s tennis as they finished second in the Ivy League. Two pillars for the team were this year’s duo of the year: seniors Sabine Rutlauka and Eileen Wang, who played #1 doubles together.
Partners since their freshman year, the synergy between the two is obvious to anyone who stops by Hamlin and Hecht Tennis Center to watch them play. The two were awarded with an honorable mention for doubles in the Ivy League this year, and last season, they were awarded First-Team All Ivy for doubles.
This season, they had a 7-4, 3-3 Ivy record, using their strong teamwork and aggressive play to help secure the doubles point for the team each weekend. Both of them are relentless fighters, and a match is never over until the final point. Doubles relies on the players understanding one another and playing to each other’s strengths, something Rutlauka and Wang clearly do well. When you watch them play, you begin to notice a sense of unity and cohesion that takes time and practice to cultivate.
From a singles perspective, they both excelled. Rutlauka was dealing with a foot injury during the latter half of the season, but came back as soon as she was cleared to play the #1 and #2 spots. Wang, who mostly played at #2, had an incredibly tense match to clinch the team’s final victory against Yale. Both of their records demonstrate their perseverance and grit, something that is further heightened whenever they take the court together.
The team benefitted from Rutlauka and Wang’s partnership, but now must find a way to fill their place as the two graduate.
Honorable mentions: Penn men's soccer Stas Korzeniowski and Leo Burney, Penn men's track Liam Going and Edwin Klanke.
Read about the rest of The Daily Pennsylvanian Sports' End of the Year Awards for the 2024-25 season here.
