Pac-12 announces tennis players of the week

SAN FRANCISCO - USC seniors Roberto Quiroz and Zoë Scandalis were named the Pac-12 Men’s and Women’s Tennis Players of the Week for play from Jan. 26-Feb. 1, the Conference office announced today. Scandalis picks up her sixth-career weekly honor, which sets a new Pac-12 record for career weekly selections. 

Quiroz (Guayaquil, Ecuador) was victorious across the board in USC’s two wins at the Pac-12/SEC Showdown in Athens, Ga. The senior whipped up doubles wins with partner Yannick Hanfmann in both matches to help USC pocket the first point in both eventual Trojan wins. Against 17th-ranked Florida’s No. 81 Elliott Orkin, Quiroz earned a 6-2, 7-5 win en route to a final 5-2 victory. The next day, the No. 68 Quiroz upset Georgia’s No. 15 Nathan Pasha with a 7-5, 6-2 win to put USC ahead on the way to a final 4-0 shutout of the seventh-ranked Bulldogs. The Trojans are now 5-0 overall, while Quiroz is 10-2 in singles play and 2-0 in dual matches. 

Scandalis (San Diego, Calif.) clinched a Trojan victory in a road win against 30th-ranked Pepperdine. After combining forces with teammate Giuliana Olmos for a 6-4 doubles win, Scandalis was left at the No. 2 singles court in a 3-3 match. The senior would fight off three match points – which would have handed USC the team loss – and dug out of a 2-5 hole to force a tiebreaker before winning the match, 6-1, 5-7, 7-6 (4) and giving USC a 4-3 win. Scandalis is now 14-5 in overall singles play and 2-0 in dual matches, while the Trojan women are 4-0. 

Quiroz’ selection is the fifth of his career and the 41st for the Trojan men. Scandalis’ honor is the sixth of her career, which sets a new Pac-12 record, and marks the 30th overall selection for the USC women. 

The USC men host UC Irvine and San Diego State this Saturday, Feb. 7, starting at 2:30 p.m. PT. The Trojan women kick off play at the ITA National Team Indoor Championships this weekend, starting on Friday, Feb. 6, in Charlottesville, Va. For more information, including a full schedule, visit www.pac-12.com. 

Also Nominated
Men: Billy Griffith, CAL; Daan Maasland, ORE.  
Women: Nuria Ormeño Ruiz, COLO; Marlou Kluiving, ORE; Donika Bashota, WSU.

2015 PAC-12 TENNIS PLAYERS OF THE WEEK