After Beatrice Capra decided to take a year off school to concentrate on tennis, it seemed as if fate conspired against her.
“Right after the U.S. Open last year, I got injured,” she said. “Then at the beginning of this year, I got really sick. I couldn’t play for two months. I went through a lot of coaching changes. It was probably my worst year yet.”
She made an early exit from the singles bracket at the Citi Open, losing her first match 6-7, 7-6, 6-1 to Madison Brengle on Monday night. However, the Ellicott City, Md., native is looking forward to continuing her education and turning the tide on her tennis career at Duke University this fall.
Monday’s match took five hours to complete, interrupted by a rain delay that suspended play for more than two hours. Capra, who said she eats when she gets nervous, spent the break snacking to stay calm. But she did not blame the outcome of the match on the long break, pointing out that both players were affected by it.
“It was a really tough match,” Capra said. “I knew Madison is a really tough player. I’ve played her twice before. It’s never been easy, and it could have gone either way. … I just felt like I couldn’t stay focused for more than three points in the first set, and she played really well. She fought hard. Madison’s a really good competitor, and obviously she deserved to win.”
Despite her loss, Capra was pleased with her more aggressive approach, a change she has tried to implement to help her game in the long run.
“I’m trying to come into the net a lot more, which I think I did a pretty good job today,” she said. “I missed some volleys, but it was the right thing to do, and I know it’s going to be better for my game in the future.”
The 19-year-old took the court Tuesday with fellow American Asia Muhammed to play Sania Mirza and Yaroslava Shvedova in doubles. She hopes to play in the U.S. Open wild card playoff Aug. 18, and will also compete at the New Haven Open at Yale University on Aug. 19, before leaving for Duke on Aug. 23.
At school, Capra will study journalism and media and play for the Blue Devils’ tennis team, which went to the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament this year.
“I really wanted to turn pro at the U.S. Open,” Capra said. “My parents kept me grounded and said, ’You should really go to college and secure the education. You can always turn pro.’ It was tough for me to handle.”
She chose Duke based on a combination of academics and athletics. The school will allow her to play seven professional events throughout the school year, paying all expenses for Capra and a coach.
Although she is nervous about hitting the books again after a year off from school, she is optimistic that her time at Duke will help her get her tennis career back on track.
“I finally feel like I’m getting my game back to where it was. Hopefully I’ll be able to get better,” Capra said. “I know if I stay positive and keep working hard, I’m going to come out of this slump stronger.”
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