Best friends off the court, Casalegno and Yoakum are undefeated
as a doubles team since they stepped on the court as sophomores
three years ago. The two have won an incredible 36 straight
matches, including 11 this year already.
HOLLISTER
Watch a doubles match involving San Benito’s No. 1 pairing, and it becomes clear why seniors Vanessa Casalegno and Chelsea Yoakum are so dominant on the tennis court.
“They have really good chemistry,” San Benito tennis coach Ed Cecena said simply, noting that having their smarts – Yoakum boasts a 4.67 GPA, while Casalegno carries a 4.00 – certainly doesn’t hurt either.
Chemistry is often difficult to describe, but Casalegno and Yoakum prefer such different styles of play, while also exhibiting such completely different personalities, that the duo’s differing approaches to the game only serve to complement one another.
Best friends off the court, Casalegno and Yoakum are undefeated as a doubles team since they stepped on the court as sophomores three years ago. The two have won an incredible 36 straight matches, including 11 this year already.
Unfortunately for their opponents, chemistry is also difficult to replicate.
“Obviously, when you have a winning streak like that, they’re doing something right,” Cecena said.
After going 20-0 last season at the No. 2 position, and 5-0 two years ago with limited action, Casalegno and Yoakum have already defeated each No. 1 pairing in the Tri-County Athletic League this season. They beat Gilroy’s Melanie Morelos and Elania Vasquez 6-3, 6-1 on Tuesday at the Ridgemark Golf and Country Club in Hollister, and will begin the second half of the league schedule Tuesday at home to Notre Dame.
“I wasn’t expecting it the first time I played tennis, that’s for sure,” Yoakum said of the undefeated streak. “I think every time we play, our communication gets better.”
Added Casalegno, “We’ve gone against teams that are more skilled than us, but we’ve still beaten them. I don’t know, I guess we talk better and work better than other teams do.”
And their two styles seem to work in unison – Casalegno the fiery type, Yoakum the quiet one.
Casalegno opts to play the net and slam down an opponents’ offering, an act that only results with a fist pump and a supportive finger-point to her partner.
“When I’m at the net, I just wanna crush it really bad,” said Casalegno, who describes herself as aggressive on the court.
“I’m not as good slamming it at the front,” said Yoakum, a strong and steady “finesse” player who prefers to play from the back line.
“But she’s good at reacting, though,” Casalegno said. “With ground strokes and stuff, she’s really good … which is why her’s go in more.”
With 11 straight victories this season at the No. 1 spot, all of which were won in straight sets, one would think Casalegno and Yoakum spend countless hours on the court during the offseason, learning the intricacies of the game.
But they don’t. With Casalegno seconding as a guard for the Lady Balers basketball team, practice sessions outside of school are few and far between during the offseason. And when they do meet up for tennis, which is rare, they often play singles in order to learn each other’s weaknesses.
“We practice in doubles, too,” Yoakum said. “But it’s competitive one-on-one.”
“I think that’s why we’re so good together, because we know each other’s weaknesses,” Casalegno added.
Sometimes, top doubles teams one year are top singles players the next. Cecena thought of maybe splitting the two up into singles at the beginning of this season, especially after the two went 20-0 as juniors, but noticed the duo’s unmistakable chemistry.
“I find myself not having to go over there and coach them because they handle themselves so well,” Cecena said. “They’ve put it together, beaten Salinas and Notre Dame, which are two really good doubles teams they beat rather easily. I’m almost hoping they get challenged.”
Casalegno and Yoakum feel like they have been challenged, although the scores would say otherwise. They’ve beaten each opponent in straight sets this year, with Notre Dame’s Ashley Pippen and Megan Tolvera providing the biggest challenge.
Casalegno and Yoakum beat them, however, 6-2, 6-4.
“If my knee was good, I’d throw myself out there and play against them,” said Cecena, who is hoping the duo experiences some adversity and pressure prior to the TCAL Championships on Nov. 2.
Casalegno and Yoakum felt Salinas’ Audra Bell and Kristin Shimizu provided a test. But the San Benito pairing topped them, too, 6-3, 6-1.
“It’s gonna happen at TCALs, I know it is,” Casalegno said. “They’re out there to win.”
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Additional photos can be seen in Friday’s edition of The Weekend Pinnacle.
