UPDATE: Yale University’s sophomore tennis star, Edward Liao, has made headlines by reaching the semifinals at the Ivy League Qualifier Tournament, held at Penn’s Hecht Tennis Center. This impressive performance marks a significant achievement for the Bulldogs as they compete against top Ivy League schools including Princeton, Dartmouth, Brown, and Columbia.
The tournament kicked off on October 13, 2023, with Liao showcasing his skills after a tough weekend at Regionals. He started strong, defeating Brown in straight sets with a score of 6-3, 6-3, advancing to the round of 16. “I thought I performed well… I was serving well and coming to the net,” Liao expressed, highlighting his preparation and resilience.
On the first day, however, the Bulldogs faced challenges. Jim Ji, Krish Gupta, and Troy Kudrjavtsev lost closely contested matches against Princeton and Penn in singles, while both doubles teams fell to their opponents. Despite a slow start, the second day saw improvements as Gupta and Ji triumphed in a doubles consolation match, defeating Dartmouth 8-4.
As singles continued, Gupta, Ji, and Kudrjavtsev battled hard but were edged out by Brown, with Gupta and Ji pushing their matches to three sets. Liao, however, continued his winning streak, overcoming Princeton with a comeback victory of 6-7, 6-1, 6-2, securing a semifinal spot.
The final day of competition on October 15, 2023, saw Liao face off against the No.1 ranked player in collegiate tennis, Michael Zheng from Columbia. Liao fought valiantly but ultimately fell 6-2, 6-3. Reflecting on his performance, Liao stated, “My biggest takeaway… is that I have the level and the skill to hang with the best players in the Ivy League.”
The Bulldogs are set to compete next at the Georgia Tech Invitational starting October 20, 2023. As they gear up for this event, Liao’s determination and performance at the Ivy League Qualifier offer promising signs for the future of Yale tennis.
