Service with a smile
By Hye Kwon
Daily Bruin Staff
Besides representing the UCLA women’s tennis team with the
colors of blue and gold, Stephanie Chi has been invariably sporting
a big smile on the court this year.
And why not? The sophomore netter has gone undefeated in dual
matches this season (11-0), and has lost just one match overall. As
the Bruins enter this afternoon’s contest against William and Mary
at 1:30 p.m. at the Sunset Courts, Chi brings in a remarkable
statistic of 18 straight set wins in her last 19 matches.
So, who can blame the All-American for displaying a smile of
confidence?
Needless to say, Chi has been one of the most important pieces
of the puzzle for the seventh-ranked Bruins this year. Talented
enough to play the first two singles positions on most teams, Chi
has gladly accepted the task of playing behind seniors Keri Phebus
and Paige Yaroshuk.
At the Pacific 10 Indoor Tournament in January, Chi participated
in the second flight – which is reserved for players playing the
third and the fourth positions on their teams. Chi was favored to
breeze through that bracket, and sure enough, she rolled off four
straight-set wins en route to the title.
Although she makes no secret about her ambition to eventually
take over the No. 1 singles spot, Chi admits that she enjoys
beating up on her opponents at the third spot, at least for
now.
"I enjoy playing three, and I have no problems playing behind
teammates who are qualified to play one and two," Chi said. "They
belong where they are and I belong where I am."
Going back to her high school years in Meridian, Idaho, Chi
never would have thought she belonged anywhere on a UCLA team. As a
top junior player in a bedroom suburb of Boise, Chi had her heart
set firmly on attending Stanford – the perennial tennis powerhouse.
However, one bad recruiting trip to Palo Alto changed all that.
"During my trip, all that the Stanford coaches could tell me was
that Stanford was better than UCLA," Chi said. "That really turned
me off. I was like, show me Stanford and what you guys do, and not
what you guys have better than UCLA."
Another big reason for the change of heart was her sister Jane,
a junior at the time for the UCLA tennis team. As it turned out,
the two sisters ended up being a pretty successful duo.
In 31 matches, the Chis compiled a record of 23-8, mostly at the
No. 2 position. The highlight of their season was defeating NCAA
champions Phebus and Susie Starrett in the Rolex Regional Finals.
The Chis ended the season ranked No. 7 in the nation, and were
named to the All-America team.
With the departure of Jane Chi and Starrett, Chi was looked upon
by the coaches at the start of this season to lead the Bruins this
year. Chi opted to take the fall season off in order to recover
from a shoulder injury, and that move has apparently paid dividends
in ’96.
So far, Chi has barely been tested at the No. 3 position – with
one exception. Against Pepperdine Feb. 17, Chi had to endure
stomach pains and she exemplified her strong-willed determination
by fighting through the adversity and winning the match.
"Stephanie is someone who we can always count on to give us her
very best, and that’s on and off the court," UCLA assistant coach
Stella Sampras said. "She’s always supportive of her teammates and
she genuinely cares about this team."
This afternoon against William and Mary, Chi will be facing a
legitimate challenge against a childhood friend. Michelle O, whom
Chi has known since their junior circuit days, will go up against
Chi this afternoon at the third spot.
"We’ve known each other for a long time," Chi said. "But believe
it or not, this is the very first time we’ve ever played each
other."
SCOTT O/Daily Bruin
Sophomore Stephanie Chi may be playing in the No. 3 position for
UCLA, but with an undefeated record, she is at the top of her
game.
"(Chi’s) always supportive of her teammates and she genuinely
cares about this team."
Stella Sampras
UCLA Assistant Tennis Coach
Comments to webmaster@db.asucla.ucla.edu