The Kansas women’s tennis team will face the No. 6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish in its first home match of the spring season Friday.

Although the Fighting Irish are led by the 12th-ranked doubles team of sophomore Kristy Frilling and senior Kali Krisik, the Jayhawks have their own ranked doubles team, junior Maria Martinez and sophomore Alessandra Dzuba. The two are currently ranked 44th in the nation.

Rankings are determined by Intercollegiate Tennis Association. The ITA’s computerized system uses an average points-per-match formula. The top 50 Division I doubles teams are ranked along with the top 100 singles players and the top 75 teams.

Martinez said she didn’t know they were ranked until her high school coach sent her a text message.

“We try to play our best, and whether we get ranked or not comes along with the hard work,” Martinez said.

Dzuba said she learned about the ranking from reading article in the Kansan last Friday.

“It was a pleasant surprise, but unexpected,” Dzuba said.

Before the ITA released the rankings, the two had played only three matches together in the Jayhawk Invitational last fall. They went undefeated, winning those matches 8-2, 8-6 and 8-4.

In their first match of the spring last Saturday against a doubles team from Drake, Martinez and Dzuba won 8-2.

Martinez said she played a lot more singles than doubles in juniors before she came to Kansas.

“I have definitely enjoyed doubles more coming into college,” Martinez said.

Last season Martinez played with sophomore Erin Wilbert and started the fall season playing doubles with senior Kuniguna Dorn. Head coach Amy Hall-Holt paired Martinez with Dzuba after the first day of the Jayhawk Invitational.

“We look at chemistry, how well they and the combination of their game style, but a lot of it has to do with communication,” Hall-Holt said.

Martinez and Dzuba have found this similar rhythm needed in a doubles team, playing the third doubles spot on the team.

Dzuba said the two have developed a good communication system.

“The way we play, we really complement each other.” Dzuba said.

Martinez said she is enjoying the success of doubles, and she has a 7-3 record. She is 6-3 in singles.

“I am playing well, and it is really exciting when you are playing well,” Martinez said. “It’s just such a great feeling when you are out on the court knowing that and you have more confidence in yourself.”

Hall-Holt said the team had everything to gain in this weekend’s match against the Fighting Irish, which is 3-1 after a 2-5 defeat to the No. 17 North Carolina Tar Heels Sunday. The Jayhawks are 1-0.

“If we come out on top, and it could very well happen that way, we will approach it like every event like we always have every time we step onto the court,” Hall-Holt said.

Matches are free for students and are played at the Jayhawk Tennis Facility, 5200 Clinton Parkway.

— Edited by Jesse Rangel