BERKELEY - Karla Popovic won the top-flight singles title at the Cal Nike Fall Invitational for the first time to close out the tournament for the host Golden Bears on Sunday at the Hellman Tennis Complex. The Golden Bear junior, ranked 90th in the nation who was seeded fourth in the tournament, upset Arizona State's 87th-ranked and third-seeded Kassidy Jump, 6-1, 6-2, in a quick match.

"I moved really well," Popovic said. "I knew Kassidy from before, and I know her game style. I knew it was going to be a tough match and that I had to be good with my legs and be very physical. Overall I served really well."

"Credit to Karla," Cal head coach Amanda Augustus said. "She's working very hard and had a great summer. That's one of the things our program's about – people improving. It's obviously good to end the weekend with a Bear capturing a title at our own tournament."

In the Blue Singles semifinals, Jump posted an upset of her own, beating Cal's top-seeded and 62nd-ranked Denise Starr, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4. Also in the Gold Singles semifinals, Cal senior Stephane Lin fell to Jacqueline Pelletier of Saint Mary's in a close match, 7-6(4), 7-6(4).

Golden Bear senior Maegan Manasse had won the two previous top-flight singles titles at the Cal Nike Fall Invitational.
 
Popovic's triumph was her first title of any kind at the Cal Nike Fall Invitational. But the Zabok, Croatia, product has nevertheless made an impact for the Bears in her two-plus years in Berkeley.
 
Last season, her individual success helped lift Cal to its first national team title of any kind when it won the USTA/ITA National Indoor Team Championship. Popovic – who posted a 3-0 singles record at national indoors – joined current sophomore teammate Olivia Hauger on the all-tournament team.
 
After suffering her only singles loss of the spring in the Pac-12 Championships, Popovic went 5-0 in the NCAA Championship as Cal forged its way to the national semifinals. In all, she posted a 37-7 singles record – including 23-0 in dual matches – in the 2015-16 season.
 
Popovic earned the 2015 ITA Northwest Region Rookie of the Year award as a freshman and then was ranked No. 64 in the preseason last year, though she wasn't ranked again the rest of the season despite her success. A preseason No. 90 now, is it time for the third-year Bear to make a bigger name for herself?
 
"She's been working up to it," Augustus said. "That's the track she's on. We'll see as her play carries her throughout the fall. It's about the time for her to make that jump. For every player it's at a little bit different time. She's learned a lot and is very consistent with her preparation and with how she balances her academics and her tennis. We're looking forward to her continue to rise up the national rankings."
 
The last day of the Cal Nike Fall Invitational included consolation singles wins from other Bears including Hauger and junior Audrey Mayer.

"I saw a lot of good stuff from everyone in this tournament," Augustus added. "I know they're all looking forward to competing again this week."
 
Cal next competes when Starr plays in the qualifying singles round of the Riviera/ITA Women's All-American Championships starting Tuesday at the Riviera Tennis Club in Pacific Palisades, California. Another group of Bears will play in the Saint Mary's Fall Invitational from Friday through next Sunday in Moraga, California.