11/9/2026 3:00 PM | Women's Tennis
Cilekova Secures National Championship Berth With Singles Playoff Victory
California Women's Tennis sophomore Laura Cilekova qualified for the 2026 NCAA Singles Championships following her strong performance at the ITA West Sectionals this weekend in Los Angeles. Cilekova advanced to the quarterfinals of the singles main draw and won her playoff match to secure her spot in the national championship field.
Cilekova opened the main draw with a 6-1, 7-6[3] victory over BYU's Chelsea Bluestein before defeating USC's third-seeded Imogen Haddad 6-3, 6-3 in the round of 16. She fell to Washington's Alexia Jacobs 6-0, 7-5 in the quarterfinals but bounced back with a 6-1, 6-1 win over UCSB's Isabella Wong in the singles playoff to earn her NCAA berth.
Senior Mao Mushika and junior Naomi Xu also turned in a strong doubles performance, reaching the main draw semifinals. The Golden Bears defeated Washington's Marginean and Syrtveit 6-0, 6-4 in the round of 16 before earning a 7-6[6], 6-3 quarterfinal victory over Arizona's Garcia and Moore. They fell to USC's Haddad and Fairclough 6-1, 6-0 in the semifinals before dropping a 2-6, 6-2,[10] playoff match to Washington's Weissheim and Jacobs.
In doubles, Cilekova and sophomore Mille Johanna Moerk advanced to the consolation semifinals. The duo fell to Washington's fourth-seeded Weissheim and Jacobs 7-6[6], 6-4 in the main draw round of 16 before defeating USC's Borruel and Wolf 6-2, 3-6,[10] in the consolation quarterfinals. Their run ended against Saint Mary's Nelson and Remander, 7-5.
In the singles main draw round of 32, freshman Nika Hurkacz fell to Stanford's fifth-seeded Tianmei Wang 6-3, 3-6, 6-0, while Mushika was defeated by USC's Daniela Borruel 6-2, 7-5, and Xu lost 4-6, 7-6[4], 6-3 to Boise State's Valentina Vachkova.
In singles consolation play, Hurkacz advanced to the semifinals with a 4-6, 6-4,[10] victory over Arizona State's Zlata Bartanusz and a 6-4, 6-1 win over Saint Mary's Sofia Daryaie. Her run ended against USCB's Ekua Youri, 6-3, 6-2. Mushika also picked up a consolation victory, defeating Boise State's Tereza Polakova 6-3, 6-0, while Xu fell to Arizona State's Sara Svetac 7-6[6], 6-0.
Cilekova will represent the Golden Bears in the 2026 NCAA Singles Championships in Athens, Georgia, Nov. 17-22.
