Freshman tennis player finds comfort zone at No. 5 singles
In college tennis, good lineups are always strong at the top.
Great lineups, however, are strong throughout.
UNLV women’s tennis coach Kevin Cory thinks he has a great lineup this season, and he’s giving much of the credit to newcomer Anna Maskaljun. The freshman from Tallinn, Estonia, was expected to make an early impact, and she has not disappointed.
“I knew she was good because she had very good results as a junior player,” said Cory, whose team has climbed to No. 38 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s weekly rankings. “But it’s always tough to predict how things will go. You never know what to expect, but I knew she had the talent to (be successful), and that’s why I recruited her.”
Maskaljun has become very reliable at the No. 5 spot for Cory, who over the years has boasted many high-profile players but few standouts in the lower half of his lineup.
“I think almost any top-50 team will have two or three players who are good at the top,” Cory said. “But top-25 teams also have good players at Nos. 4, 5 and 6. Anna is anchoring that part of the lineup right now.”
The new Rebel is off to a 7-3 singles start in dual-meet competition, and her résumé already includes a Flight Two singles title at the UNLV Invite in September and a 4-0 finish at the prestigious ITA West Regional in October.
“Outside of (UNLV’s current top player) Elena (Gantcheva), she’s probably had the strongest freshman year of anyone in recent memory,” Cory said. “She certainly has come in and made a name for herself.”
Maskaljun, who is known for a big serve and a strong forehand, has managed to approach her early success with modesty. She attributes the majority of her good fortune to team camaraderie.
“I didn’t expect to play this well, but I really enjoy the team,” said Maskaljun, who went 7-1 in singles in the fall. “Everybody is so supportive.”
In fact, Maskaljun seems somewhat overwhelmed with the idea of playing in a foreign country. Though she admits to being a bit homesick, she thinks she’ll continue to improve.
“I hope I will get better,” said Maskaljun, who said the acclimation period has not been easy. “The courts are softer here, and that’s different than what I’m used to. But I’m practicing a lot and I think my game will become better.”
Indeed, Cory has big hopes for the freshman. Gantcheva, who is ranked 23rd nationally, will graduate in the spring, leaving many opportunities.
“Anna certainly has a future of becoming one of our top three players,” the coach said. “She’s got all the tools to do it. Now we’ve just got to get her to where she believes in herself.”
If the singles wins haven’t provided enough reason to believe, Maskaljun’s success in doubles surely has. With junior partner Katy Williams, she has compiled a 7-2 record at the No. 2 spot.
“I like to play doubles more,” Maskaljun said. “I think it’s more fun to play together and feel the support from another person.”
Cory said that enthusiasm shows on the court.
“Anna is one of the best doubles players on the team,” he said. “And probably one of the best in the conference.”
Cory’s plan calls for Maskaljun to continue her roll through conference play, which begins March 28 at Brigham Young. Though Maskaljun is aware of UNLV’s strong tennis history, she remains a newcomer to the idea of playing for a Mountain West Conference championship.
“I don’t know much about the conference,” she said. “I’m a freshman and I don’t know much about it.”
Chances are good that the conference soon will become aware of Maskaljun, who went 1-2 against ranked competition over the weekend. The Rebels (7-3) will be back in action Sunday when they host Southern Methodist at 10 a.m. at the Fertitta Tennis Complex.
