BY ALEX HERMANN
For the Daily
Published October 4, 2009
Senior Tania Mahtani and junior Denise Muresan entered yesterday’s final round looking for a title win in their first action of the season, and both came out victorious following a pair of dramatic 10-point tiebreakers.
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At the Wolverine Invitational, the Michigan women’s tennis team started strong and finished even better after Mahtani (2-6, 6-0, 1-0) and Muresan (5-6, 6-1, 1-0) bested their respective foes from South Carolina. Like all of fall play, the tournament is scored individually to help determine singles rankings in the spring.
With the win, Muresan proved herself capable of beating an elite opponent. Her experienced competition, top-seeded senior Ana Marija Zubori, is one of only two South Carolina players in history to have multiple 30-plus win seasons. Zubori entered the tourney ranked No. 29 in the nation.
Understanding the implications of the match, Muresan demonstrated a wide range of emotions on the court — from tossing her racket between games to openly criticizing herself in the third person.
“It’s hard out there on the court, you don’t have your team out there,” Muresan said. “You need to pump yourself up.”
Both Mahtani and Muresan were forced into a corner early but overcame the deficit.
Mahtani, after being outplayed in the initial set 2-6, coasted through the second, 6-0, to force the extra set.
“The 10-point tie breakers are a great way to test yourself under pressure,” Mahtani said.
Yesterday's events were a part of a three-day tournament that began on Friday. Junior Kari Wig and freshman Mimi Nguyen both advanced to third-place games. Wig swept her match,6-0, 6-0, to take third place, while Nguyen lost in split sets (4-6, 6-2, 0-1).
Michigan coach Ronni Bernstein, Mahtani, Nguyen and two teammates made the trip last night to California for the Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-American Qualifying Rounds that begins Tuesday. The tournament is another important stepping stone for the players as they begin the fall season, anxiously awaiting the start of team competition in January.
