Arizona Women’s Tennis: Samantha Czarniak moves on to Wildcat Invitational final

In doubles, the UA team of Camila Wesbrooks and Alexandra Taylor lost a close championship match to New Mexico

Arizona Wildcat senior Samantha Czarniak came back from a set down in Saturday’s semifinal to beat Texas-San Antonio’s Miriam Rosell Canudas 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.

Czarniak will play New Mexico’s Ludivine Burguiere, seeded third, in the Wildcat Invitational final in Tucson on Sunday

FULL BRACKETS

Singles Semifinal

Set 1 (4-6):

Czarniak — from São Paulo, Brazil — set out to avenge teammate Devin Chypyha, who lost to Rosell Canudas in straight sets in the second round.

The Wildcat got off to a slow start and found herself in a 2-5 hole. She managed to win two games in a row, bringing the set to 4-5. But in a must-hold situation, Czarniak made a handful of errors that lost her the set 4-6.

Set 2 (6-2):

The second set started with three consecutive breaks, and therefore a 2-1 lead for Czarniak.

The Brazilian then took two more games to get up 4-1, and eventually worked her way to a 5-2 advantage.

Serving for the set, Czarniak blasted an ace up the T to win 6-2 and force a deciding third frame.

Set 3 (6-3):

At the start of the third set, Rosell Canudas’ game improved dramatically. She landed several swinging volley winners and took the first two games. But Czarniak fought back, evening the set at 2-2.

The Roadrunner then double faulted to hand Czarniak another break.

From there, the Wildcat started to run away with it, heating up and taking a 5-2 lead.

Czarniak, serving for the set, double-faulted and missed a defensive lob, which allowed Rosell Canudas to narrow the lead to 5-3.

Czarniak broke in the very next game to win 6-3 and advance to the tournament final.

Final Match Preview

In the championship match, Czarniak will face New Mexico Lobo Ludivine Burguiere, who won a three-setter Saturday against Northern Arizona’s Chiara Tomasetti.

“[Czarniak] just needs to do what she’s been doing the whole tournament,” said Arizona assistant coach Merritt Johnson. “She’s been playing neutral-to-offensive, and tomorrow she just needs to keep that mindset — just keep grinding and pushing her opponent around the court.”

The final will be played at 10 a.m. on Sunday at the Robson Tennis Center.

Doubles

Arizona Wildcats Camila Wesbrooks and Alexandra Taylor played back-to-back matches on Saturday, winning their semifinal, but losing in the championship.

Semifinal (7-5):

Against the UTSA tandem of Rosell Canudas and Kylee Kato, the Wildcats and Roadrunners exchanged four breaks in a row, giving the match a 2-2 start.

Texas-San Antonio then held and broke to take a 4-2 lead, only for Arizona to reciprocate and tie it at 4-4.

At 5-5, UTSA double-faulted and gave Taylor and Wesbrooks at 6-5 edge.

Wesbrooks then held her serve for a 7-5 Wildcat win.

Final (4-6):

Wesbrooks and Taylor went on to play Burguiere and Ruth Copas of New Mexico.

At 1-1, Taylor missed a volley long, and New Mexico broke Wesbrooks’ serve to put the Wildcats down 1-2.

New Mexico then consolidated for 1-3, and Taylor held to make it 2-3.

Later in the set, Arizona got the break back to even things out at 4-4.

But in the very next game, Taylor got broken for 4-5, and New Mexico held the game that followed, handing the Wildcats a 4-6 loss and a runner-up finish.

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