DENVER – Fresno State’s Rikus de Villiers and Hawai’i’s Katarina Poljakova have been named the Verizon Western Athletic Conference Tennis Players of the Week for Jan. 24-30.
Rikus de Villiers, a senior from Durban, South Africa (Pepperdine), went undefeated in singles action during the week as he faced competition from No. 27 Florida State and No. 33 Minnesota. His most impressive victory came against No. 37 ranked Clint Bowles of Florida State. Bowles was downed by de Villiers in straight sets, 7-5, 6-3. On the day after his impressive victory, de Villiers lost the first set of his match with Rok Bonin of Minnesota, but stormed back and claimed the victory, 3-6, 6-0, 6-3.
Poljakova, a sophomore from Vysoke Tatry, Slovakia (Gynazium Dominika Tatarku), went undefeated during the week in both singles and doubles play at the No. 3 and No. 1 positions, respectively. Poljakova was dominant in her singles and doubles victories against San Francisco. In her first singles match against the Dons, she defeated Yuri Hashiguchi in straight sets, 6-4, 6-0. She also outclassed Hashiguchi’s teammate Cecillia Gratian, defeating her in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3. In doubles, Poljakova paired with teammate Alyssa Nafarrete to defeat San Francisco’s No. 1 pairing of Melinda Akerbrant and Julia Wartenburger, 8-2. Paljakova also played with teammate Barbara Pinterova at No. 1, defeating Akerbrant and Wartenburger, 8-1. Poljakova didn’t let up against BYU as she fought her way to a singles victory at No. 3 by defeating Callie Craig, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (5), (10-7). She also claimed victory in doubles with teammate Pinterova, as the pair defeated BYU’s No. 53 ranked duo of Megan Price and Callie Craig, 8-5.
Other male nominees included: Jeff Mullen, Boise State; Alex Joitoiu, Idaho; Orlando Superlano, New Mexico State; Jakob Asplund, Utah State
Other female nominees included: Sonia Klamczynska, Boise State; Alena Erofeyeva, Louisiana Tech; Julie Tukuafu, Utah State