ATHENS, Ga. – California's 10th-ranked Karla Popovic shook off an hour-long rain delay and a move indoors to defeat Oklahoma State's 56th-ranked Katarina Adamovic, 6-4, 6-0, on Wednesday in the NCAA Singles Championship round of 64 at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
 
The Cal junior – an NCAA singles debutante – advances to Thursday's round of 32 in which she'll play South Carolina's 49th-ranked Ingrid Gamarra Martins at 10:30 a.m. ET.
 
Popovic – who's seeded 9-16 – led Adamovic, 5-4, at the University of Georgia's outdoor courts when rain hit. Officials eventually moved the match indoors, where the Golden Bear completed her victory over the Cowgirl and improved her singles record to 39-5 this season.
 
"This is Karla's first time in the singles event, and she's very excited to be competing in it," Cal head coach Amanda Augustus said. "She's really earned her way here. She's already earned All-America status because she's seeded here. She played very smart today, and I thought she handled how they started outside, took a break and finished inside really well. Changing conditions like that are all a part of this. She handled everything well. And I'm pleased to have her advancing to the second round."
 
Popovic had played Adamovic earlier in the season and led, 6-4, 3-6, 5-2. But, with the last game tied 30-30, their match was abandoned when OSU clinched its win over Cal in the ITA National Women's Team Indoor Championship.
 
"I was two points away from winning that match at indoors, so I was very excited to play her again," Popovic said. "I knew she was a great player and it would be a tough match today. I just focused on my game, and it went very well."
 
Cal senior Maegan Manasse played her match outdoors earlier in the day in the round of 64. But the 34th-ranked Bear – playing in her third NCAA singles tournament – fell to Mississippi's 27th-ranked Arianne Hartono, 6-2, 6-3, in the last singles match of an amazing career. Manasse, a two-time singles All-American who won the Pac-12 singles championship last year, finished with a 16-8 singles record this season.
 
On Thursday at 3 p.m. ET, Manasse – who is also a two-time doubles All-American – will pair with Maya Jansen to play in the NCAA Doubles Championship's round of 32. The 34th-ranked Bears will face Missouri's 10th-ranked Amina Ismail and Beatriz Machado Santos in their doubles opener in Athens.
 
NCAA Division I Women's Tennis Singles Championship
May 24, 2017, in Athens, Ga.
Dan Magill Tennis Complex
 
Round of 64
[9-16] No. 10 Karla Popovic (Cal) def. No. 56 Katarina Adamovic (Okla. St.), 6-4, 6-0
No. 27 Arianne Hartono (Mississippi) def. No. 34 Maegan Manasse (Cal), 6-2, 6-3