The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

UNIVERSITY of Arlington at Birmingham’s head coach Mark Tjia was more than impressed with the performance by Bahamian freshman Sydney Clarke for his Blazers women’s tennis team.

“Sydney had a very good freshman year and was a very important factor as to why we had the success that we did this year as a team,” Tjia told The Tribune.

During the season, Clarke played at the number four spot and she went 16-5, which Tjia said “is very difficult to do as a freshman.”

Clarke also had a win over No. 16 Georgia Tech, and had match points on No.43 Alabama early in the year.

“She also played number two doubles this year,” Tjia said.

Clarke and the Blazers, however, ended their season over the weekend in the Conference USA quarterfinals. Despite the loss, she said she was pleased with their performances.

“I feel I think we’ve come a long way, especially in our doubles,” Clarke said. “I was really proud of our performances overall, even though it wasn’t the results we wanted. “From the start of the season, we’ve improved tremendously and I feel as though we gave it our all, no matter what the circumstances were. I felt as though we fought until the end.”

The No.8 seed Blazers fell to No. 1 seed Old Dominion in the Conference USA quarterfinals 4-0 last week, finishing the 2021 season with a 14-7 record. They were also the first UAB squad to advance in the C-USA Championship since 2014. In doubles play, Clarke teamed up with Annalisa Smith, but they lost to the No. 76 ranked team of Holly Hutchinson and Tatsiana Sasnouskaya 6-3.

However, in singles, once the tie was decided, Clarke didn’t get to complete her match even though she was leading Yakubovich 6-2, 4-4. “I’m very proud of my performance and was very happy to see the improvement in my game,” said Clarke, who at 5-feet, 5-inches was the former number one ranked junior player in the country.

“At the beginning of my season, I started off with no wins, but I eventually got on the board, so I’m very happy with my progress from January to now.”

Now that her collegiate season is over, Clarke will be focusing on representing the Bahamas again on the Billie Jean Cup, formerly the Fed Cup, when she joins player/captain Kerrie Cartwright, Larikah Russell and Simone Pratt when they travel to Panama in June.

“I have high expectations for the Billie Jean Cup and I feel all of the matches that I played in the tournaments in college will prepare me for the tournament,” Clarke said. “I feel I am up to par with my competitors. I feel I will be well prepared for the tournament, so I am very excited to see what would happen.”

Looking back at her first year in college, the former CR Walker Secondary High student, who went on to attend Windsor High School where she graduated last year, said she couldn’t ask for a better introduction to college tennis.

“My first year of college was a roller coaster. It was full of emotions, but I am very excited to finish off my freshman year,” said Clarke, who is studying business and journalism.

“I look forward to coming back next semester and doing it all over again. I enjoyed it very much and I can’t wait until the fall because we will have in-person classes and things will be back to normal. So I am very excited.”

While the focus will be on the Billie Jean Cup this summer, the 19-year-old Clarke said she’s eager to put in the necessary work to prepare for her sophomore year in college.

“Next season I look forward to working on my mental toughness. We use an app called head space and it helps tremendously in my matches,” Clarke said.

“I’m able to think clearly, remember to take deep breaths and keep my mind clear during points. I am also looking at improving every aspect of my game and working harder.”

Tjia, who just completed his eighth season at UAB after he began his career as an assistant coach for three and-a-half years at his alma mater at Texas Christian University where he also played, said he’s equally looking forward to next year.

“Sydney improved dramatically over the course of the school year, and I am looking for her to continue to improve over the summer and through her sophomore year,” Tjia said.

“I look for her to become more and more professional and consistent in her training and matches. I also will be looking at her to step up into a leadership position next year as we introduce three new players into our programme.”

Tjia said they are very happy to have Clarke as a Blazer and are even more excited for her future at UAB.

Before she looks ahead to the future, Clarke said she can’t wait to get back home to spend some time with her family, including her parents Shayvon and Bernard Clarke and younger sister Sarai Clarke, along with her friends and the local tennis community.