California Team Page
URBANA, Ill. - Amidst a rain delay and the moving of some matches from outdoors to indoors, Golden Bears Zsofi Susanyi and Klara Fabikova extended their season while the year ended for Anett Schutting at the NCAA Women's Tennis Singles Championship on Wednesday at the Khan Outdoor Tennis Complex and Atkins Tennis Center. Susanyi, seeded and ranked fifth, and Fabikova both won on opening day of the tournament, while Schutting - seeded and ranked eighth - lost in an upset to Rice's 41st-ranked Natalie Beazant, 7-5, 6-3, in the round of 64.
Susanyi defeated Mississippi's 45th-ranked Caroline Rohde-Moe, 6-3, 6-0. Fabikova, a freshman ranked 43rd, beat North Carolina's 39th-ranked Whitney Kay, 7-5, 6-2.
"It was challenging day on the court," Cal head coach Amanda Augustus said. "It's been a bit windy and stormy here. The conditions were tough. The first day of a tournament is always tough. Unfortunately Anett didn't have a good day today, and it wasn't a good day to not have a good day. She gave it her best shot. She had a rain delay in the middle of her match. She was getting going but ran out of time before being able to figure out something to turn it around.
"Klara also got off to slow start, getting down 5-2 in the first set, but she battled hard and won five games in a row to win the first set. In the second set, the other girl adjusted, but Klara stepped up, was aggressive and finished strong. Zsofi was the last Bear on the court. After seeing the other two girls play she was focused early and found something that worked a little sooner, and she was able to come through in straight sets."
Susanyi didn't let the weather bother her.
"I don't think it really mattered," she said. "I just concentrated on the match. I haven't played (Rohde-Moe) before, but I've known her a couple years because we've played juniors together. I knew what was coming, how she was going to play, and was prepared."
In Thursday's round of 32, Susanyi will face UNLV's 59th-ranked Lucia Batta at 10:30 a.m. PT/12:30 p.m. CT. Batta knocked off Florida's 51st-ranked Alexandra Cercone, 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-4, in Wednesday's round of 64. Fabikova will play Nebraska's Mary Weatherford at 6 a.m. PT/8 a.m. CT on Thursday. The Husker was a 6-4, 6-4, winner over UNLV's 38th-ranked Aleksandra Josifoska in the first round.
