The duo is often seen playing together in doubles for the Sun Devils – as they will start their day on Sunday – but will split up for the championship match at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday at Whiteman Tennis Center.
"So far I think the tournament has gone really well," said head coach Sheila McInerney. "Obviously our girls have won a lot of matches, which I think is important. I was pleased -- I thought they competed well against each other in the semifinals, which can sometimes get tricky in that situation when you play your teammate. We want to finish strong tomorrow."
It was a given that the final would see at least two Sun Devils, as the semifinals featured two internal affairs between Hampton and junior transfer Nicole Fossa Huergo, and Jump versus senior teammate Gussie O'Sullivan.
While Hampton won in straight sets to get to the final, Jump was forced to grind out a three-setter with O'Sullivan -- who forced a three set, four-hour match on Friday in the round of 16 with San Diego's Gemma Garcia. Both of the first sets in the Sun Devil dual went to tiebreak points, as Jump captured the first and O'Sullivan won the second to force a third set. In the third, Jump cruised a 6-1 victory to advance.
To get to the semifinal matches, both Jump and Hampton also had to eliminate teammates in the quarterfinal round as well. As the two-seed, Hampton knocked out the rookie Savannah Slaysman in an entertaining battle that ended 6-3, 6-3. Top-seeded Jump faced junior transfer Kelley Anderson, which also provided a close 6-4, 6-4 match.
Also in the quarterfinals, O'Sullivan battled back from going down 1-2 and 2-3 to win four-straight games and the first set 6-3 over Fresno State's Galina Bykova. She cruised in the second set for a 6-0 win.
After only having to play one match on Friday, Fossa Huergo met California's Maria Smith in the quarterfinals. Like O'Sullivan, she won in straight sets 6-0, 6-3.
In the consolation round, senior Alexandra Osborne played Northern Arizona's Blanka Szavay, taking the match 7-5, 6-3. She'll play San Diego's Daniela Morales on Sunday.
Doubles continued to show progress, as Jump and Hampton continued their winning streak. The pairs of Fossa Huergo and Osborne and Anderson and Slaysman continue to develop chemistry together, but McInerney wants to see more aggressive play.
"We played well and did some good things, but we'd like to see them take some more chances and be more aggressive at times," said McInerney. "From the first point, you have to go and not give up any easy points."
Sunday will feature one round of doubles versus two like the previous two days, with the championship match starting at 9:30 a.m. Other matches will also ensue on other courts.
ASU Thunderbird Invitational
Nov. 4-6, 2016
Whiteman Tennis Center
Quarterfinals:
(1) Kassidy Jump (ASU) def. Kelley Anderson (ASU) – 6-4, 6-4
Gussie O'Sullivan (ASU) def. Galina Bykova (Fresno) – 6-3, 6-0
(3) Nicole Fossa Huergo (ASU) def. Maria Smith (CAL) – 6-0, 6-3
(2) Sammi Hampton (ASU) def. Savannah Slaysman (ASU) – 6-3, 6-3
Semifinals:
Sammi Hampton (ASU) def. Nicole Fossa Huergo (ASU) – 7-5, 6-2
(1) Kassidy Jump (ASU) def. Gussie O'Sullivan (ASU) – 7-6(5), 6-7(6), 6-1
Maroon Draw 2nd Round Consolation:
Gemma Garcia (USD) def. Maya Jansen (CAL) – 6-3, 6-2
Alexandra Osborne (ASU) def. Blanka Szavay (NAU) – 7-5, 6-3
Daniela Morales (USD) def. Alexis Nelson (CAL) – 6-4, 6-1
Emma Wilson (Fresno) def. Maria Paula Torres (USD) – 6-3, 6-2
Sparky Draw 2nd Round Consolation Losers:
Stephanie Lin (CAL) def. Chiara Tomasetti (NAU) – 7-6(1), 7-6(3)
EXTRA MATCHES:
Emma Wilson (Fresno) def. Alexandra Osborne (ASU) – 6-2, 6-3
Galina Bykova (Fresno) def. Alexis Nelson (CAL) – 2-6, 6-3, [10-8]