Pac-12 announces tennis players of the week

SAN FRANCISCO - UCLA senior Dennis Mkrtchian and CALIFORNIA senior Zsofi Susanyi were named the Pac-12 Men’s and Women’s Tennis Players of the Week for play from Mar. 23-29, the Conference office announced today.

Mkrtchian (Reseda, Calif.) went 3-0 in UCLA’s three victories on the week in the first opportunity of his career to play at the No. 1 singles position for the Bruins. The senior started his week with a 7-6 (6), 6-4 win over Ace Matias in the team’s 6-1 win over UNLV on Monday. He then downed Daan Maasland of Oregon, 6-4, 6-3, in UCLA’s Pac-12 opener on Friday, a 7-0 Bruin win. Mkrtchian’s week culminated with a 6-4, 6-3 win over 89th-ranked Mitch Stewart of Washington on Saturday, a match UCLA went on to win, 6-1. Mkrtchian also teamed up with Austin Rapp at No. 2 doubles to pick up wins against UNLV and Oregon. 

Susanyi (Szeged, Hungary) won all four of her matches as third-ranked Cal defeated both No. 38 Arizona and No. 24 Arizona State on the road and racked up two more Pac-12 wins. Against the Wildcats on March 27, the 33rd-ranked Susanyi won over Laura Oldham, 6-1, 6-0, in singles. She then teamed up with junior Klara Fabikova, the 11th-ranked duo in the nation, to defeat Lauren Marker and Inge Hendrikx, 8-2. The next day in Tempe, Susanyi defeated Joanna Smith of Arizona State, 6-3, 6-2, and teamed with Fabikova to defeat the 77th-ranked Smith and Kassidy Jump, 8-4, in doubles. The Bears won both duals by a score of 6-1. 

It marks the first-career weekly selection for Mkrtchian and the 25th all-time men’s selection for UCLA. 

The UCLA men continue Pac-12 play and host Arizona on Friday, Apr. 3 and Utah on Saturday, Apr. 4. For more information, including a full schedule, visit www.pac-12.com. 

Also Nominated
Men: Filip Bergevi, CAL; Robert Stineman, STAN; Max de Vroome, USC. 
Women: Tina Bokhua, COLO; Nicole Long, ORE; Carol Zhao, STAN; Robin Anderson, UCLA; Gabby Smith, USC. 

2015 PAC-12 TENNIS PLAYERS OF THE WEEK