May 26, 2005
WACO, Texas - Baylor freshman sensation Zuzana Zemenova continues her record setting performance in the NCAA Tournament at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex on the campus of the University of Georgia in Athens, Ga. On Thursday Zemenova advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament becoming just one of four players remaining.
Zemenova defeated Marianna Yuferova of VCU to earn her way into the semifinals of the NCAA singles draw. She has won 24 of her last 26 outings, including straight-set victories in 20 of those matches. Baylor had never even had a player reach the quarterfinals of the singles tournament before Zemenova made her way into that round on Wednesday afternoon. She has a season singles record of 27-5, which ties for 10th most wins in Baylor history. In addition, Zemenova is 14-4 versus ranked opponents. She earned one tournament crown during her freshman season at the Ballantrae Challenger in Birmingham, Ala., in mid-October. Zemenova has also been named Big 12 Player of the Year, Big 12 Freshman of the Year, is an All-Big 12 Selection and Big 12 Champion at No. 1 position with a 9-0 mark. The newcomer was also named Southwest Region's Rookie of the Year.
Zemenova posted a straight set win Yuferova on Thursday, 6-0, 6-1. Yelsey had advanced to the round of 32 by upsetting 10th-ranked Shadisha Robinson of Georgia. The 23rd-ranked Zemenova out of Kocise, Slovakia, got off to a fast start taking the first set 6-4. Yuferova, ranked No. 67, had advanced to face Zemenova by posting upset wins over top-ranked Megan Bradley of Miami (Fla.), 6-4, 6-1and 16th-ranked Lindsey Nelson (Southern California), 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Zemenova, who is now Baylor women's tennis' second singles All-American, will take on the tournament's No. 5 seed Jennifer Magley of Florida. Magley defeated 4th-seeded Aibika Kalsarieva of Kentucky, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2.
Three of four players who have advanced to the semifinals are freshmen -- a first since 1997. Audra Cohen, Zuzana Zemenova and Riza Zalameda are in their first year of collegiate tennis, while Florida's Jennifer Magley is a junior. The last time three freshmen reached the singles semifinals was 1997, when Lilia Osterloh of Stanford, M.C. White of Florida and Karin Miller of Duke all did so. Osterloh topped White, 6-1, 6-1, to capture the singles crown, which also represented the last all-freshman finale.
NCAA Singles Quarterfinal Results:
Zuzana Zemenova, Baylor, def. Marianna Yuferova, VCU, 6-0, 6-1
Jennifer Magley(5), Florida, def. Aibika Kalsarieva(4), Kentucky, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2
Audra Cohen(3), Northwestern, def. Story Tweedie-Yates(9-16), TCU, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
Riza Zalameda, UCLA, def. Julie Coin(2), Clemson, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4
Singles Semifinal Pairings (For Friday)
Zuzana Zemenova, Baylor, def. Jennifer Magley(5), Florida, 11 a.m.
Audra Cohen(3), Northwestern, def. Riza Zalameda, UCLA, 11 a.m.
Number inside ( ) indicates tournament seed.
