The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senor Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Sydney Clarke added another feat to her young collegiate career at the University of Alabama at Birmingham when she was named to the Conference USA All-Freshman team.

Clarke was named to the All-Freshman Team on Monday after she finished 2021 16-5 in singles with a 9-2 record at the No.4 spot.

In C-USA play, she had a 5-1 record. Clarke defeated Monika Dedaj of Georgia Tech in straight sets and had match points on Anna Parkhomenko of Alabama. Three of her five losses were to SEC and ACC opponents.

Clarke was joined by team-mate Dominika Hrabalova, who was named to the All-Conference Singles Second Team. She finished 2021 with a singles record of 10-6, playing primary at #3 singles. Hrabalova had a career-best 10 match winning streak from February 14 until April 22.

In Conference USA matches, she had a record of 4-1 and was 10-2 playing against non-Power 5 schools. On March 3, she was named the UTR ITA Division I Player of the Week. “I am very happy for both Dominika and Sydney,” said head coach Mark Tjia. “They are definitely deserving of the recognition.

“They worked very hard and had excellent seasons. They, along with Annalisa Smith and Megan Bertrands, had some of the better individual records in recent memory.”

UAB’s 14 wins were the most since the 2005 season and the Blazers advanced to the Conference USA quarterfinals for the first time since 2005.

Clarke, a former student of CR Walker Secondary High, who graduated last year from Windsor High School as a member of the Albany Tennis Academy, 2005, said she was thrilled about her accomplishments as a member of UAB.

“It’s an honour to be named to All-Conference Team,” she said. “I’m very ecstatic about being chosen and it has showed that my hard work paid off.”

The former number one ranked junior player in the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association and in the Caribbean, said the honour cemented her freshman season.

“It’s a great way to end my freshman season,” she stated. “I look forward to doing the same next year, but even better.”

Before she can try and surpass what she achieved when she begins her sophomore year in August, Clarke has some national business to take care of.

She will be heading to Panama in June as a member of the Bahamas’ Billie Jean King Cup team, formerly called Fed Cup, along with player/captain Kerrie Cartwright, Simone Pratt and Elana Mackey.

Mackey has replaced veteran Larikah Russell, who opted not to travel anymore.

Cartwright, a former standout for Tyler Junior College and Florida State University, congratulated her national team-mate.

“I think it’s amazing for her and her team,” Cartwright stated.

“It’s definitely a big confidence booster. Being on a college team and having that team that you on is a great accomplishment.

“I love being on teams. I love playing college and Fed Cup for the team aspects, so when you and the team do well, it’s really good. So I’m really happy for Sydney.”