Nov. 6, 2011
TEMPE, Ariz. - California women's tennis freshman Zsofi Susanyi defeated top-seeded and No. 41-ranked junior Tayler Davis to claim the 17th-annual Arizona State Thunderbird Invitational title on Sunday, Nov. 6, at the Whiteman Tennis Center. Susanyi became the fifth Golden Bear to win the crown in eight years.
In an all-Cal final, Susanyi posted her 13th victory of the fall--her sixth, in a row--by stunning Davis with a 6-0, 6-2 result. She finishes her first tournament season, with the Bears, with a 13-2 singles mark, and ties top-ranked senior Jana Juricova for team-high honors, with 13 wins.
After her elimination from the main draw, freshman Cecilia Estlander responded to win her next eight consecutive sets and claimed the Sparky Draw consolation crown. Estlander became the sixth Bear to reach double-digit singles victories with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Laura Claus of San Diego in the consolation final.
In singles round robin matches, senior Stephany Chang fell, 6-0, 6-2, to Fidan Manashirova of Ohio State, and senior Catalina Visico dropped a 6-4, 6-3 decision to Northern Arizona's Nicole Perez.
In doubles matches, Cal's 53rd-ranked team of junior Annie Goransson and sophomore Anett Schutting captured an 8-3 win over Northwestern's duo of Kate Turvy and Brittany Wowchuk. In two Cal-Michigan match-ups, Kristen Dodge and Sarah Lee defeated Davis and Estlander, 8-3; and Mimi Nguyen and Michelle Sulahian took out Duranteau and Susanyi, 8-2.
The Bears will now turn their attention to preparing for the 2012 spring dual season. Cal opens 2012 with its three-day Cal Winter Invitational (Jan. 13-15) at the Hellman Tennis Complex. The Bears will kick off the dual season as hosts of the 2012 ITA Kick-Off Weekend, Jan. 27-28. UNLV, San Diego, and Washington, will visit Hellman Tennis Complex to battle it out for a spot in the ITA National Team Indoor Championships. Please visit CalBears.com for a complete schedule.
2011 Arizona State Thunderbird Invitational
Whiteman Tennis Center | Tempe, Ariz.
Sunday, Nov. 6, 2011
Singles Final
Zsofi Susanyi (CAL) def. [1] No. 41 Tayler Davis (CAL), 6-0, 6-2
Sparky Draw (First-round Consolation) Final
Cecilia Estlander (CAL) def. Laura Claus (USD), 6-3, 6-3
Singles Round Robin
Fidan Manashirova (OSU) def. Stephany Chang (CAL), 6-0, 6-2
Nicole Perez (NAU) def. Catalina Visico (CAL), 6-4, 6-3
Doubles
No. 53 Goransson/Schutting (CAL) def. Turvy/Wowchuk (NWU), 8-3
Dodge/Lee (MICH) def. Davis/Estlander (CAL), 8-3
Nguyen/Sulahian (MICH) def. Duranteau/Susanyi (CAL), 8-2
