Over the weekend at the Cal Nike Invitational in Berkeley, Calif., the freshmen of the Arizona women’s tennis team supported head coach Vicky Maes’ newfound hopes.
Freshman Sarah Landsman came out on top over Pacific’s Jolanta Twarowska 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-4), and also defeated Sacramento State’s Luba Schifris, 7-6 (1), 6-4, in the first round of the competition. Freshman Natasha Marks kept up the underclassman’s momentum by defeating St. Mary’s Claire Soper 5-7, 6-4, 1-0 (10-5) and Minnesota’s Tijana Koprivica, 6-3, 6-4, in the round of 32.
Landsman and Marks also played as a doubles team together for the first time at the invite.
“”The girls did a superb job this weekend competing,”” said UA assistant coach Ryan Stotland. “”Other teams are recognizing this new Arizona team and realizing that we are here and we are ready to make a statement that we will be ready to compete and be successful.””
Stotland, who traveled with the team while Maes stayed in Tucson, had positive feedback for the girls.
“”Marks and Landsman struggled as a doubles team but got better throughout the tournament,”” Maes said. “”We really need to improve our doubles in general, so I’m playing around with different combinations to see what the best teams are. I’m not worried about wins and losses so much right now as I am about learning the process.””
Regardless of Landsman’s loss to Cal’s Jana Juricova, 6-1, 7-6 (2), in the round of 32 and Marks’ loss to Cal’s Bojana Bobusic, 6-1, 6-0, in the round of 16, both Maes and Stotland saw the defeats as positive learning experiences that the players will use to grow and progress.
“”The goal was to learn throughout the weekend, both executing a game plan, as well as seeing other players in action and be exposed to that kind of competition,”” Maes said.
Stotland agreed, saying, “”Tennis is a game that can never be perfected so we will continue to get better. This weekend, the girls learned the very definition of the words, ‘Bear Down.'””
The Wildcats will be competing Tuesday at the Riveria All-American Main Draw & Qual in Los Angeles, and Friday at the San Diego State Fall Classic.
