Racket-ing in the Wins

Captain Sanja Bajin knows what it feels like to be on top.

After her first two years of Crimson tennis, Bajin had amassed a resume which included four All-Ivy League honors—the maximum for a player after two seasons—a No. 7 regional singles ranking and tournament titles at the Harvard Invitational and the Big Green Invitational. The sky was the limit for Bajin heading into the 2002 season.

But then, wrist and foot injuries hampered her ascent, sidelining Bajin for much of last year.

Here in 2003, Bajin has surged back, reclaiming the form that brought her accolades aplenty in those fabled first two years. This weekend she won both of her singles matches in dominant fashion to continue her undefeated streak for the spring season. At Brown, Bajin made quick work of her opponent winning in straight sets 6-2, 6-2. A day later the baseliner had little trouble with Dartmouth’s Arden Fredeking in the fourth singles match, winning 6-0, 6-1.

“Sanja provides the team with awesome leadership on and off the court,” freshman Eva Wang said.

Going an impressive 14-0 this spring, the Ontario native has been pushed to a three-set match only once. Facing No. 4 California’s fifth seed, Bajin lost the first set 7-6 but rebounded with conviction to take the next two sets 6-4, 6-2. Bajin’s comeback win was the only victory the Crimson could muster againt the national powerhouse.

“I see her game as a model of consistency,” freshman Melissa Anderson said. “It’s been fun to watch this spring.”

While Bajin has been notably impressive playing solo this spring, her double’s game has been equally praiseworthy. Bajin and her partner, sophomore Alexis Martire, have achieved an on-court chemistry that few pairs can match-—the duo has gone 2-0 in this short Ivy season. Against Brown, Bajin and Martire notched a decisive 8-3 victory, followed by an 8-4 win over the No. 2 Dartmouth pair.

Last year at the Harvard Winter Invitational, Bajin and Martire captured the top flight title in perhaps their most successful performance to date. In Bajin’s first two years at Harvard she paired with former standout Sanaz Ghazal to capture consecutive All-Ivy honors.

Despite Bajin’s success thus far in 2003, achieving her main goals still lies ahead. Will she regain the 2001 form that brought her heart-breakingly close to an NCAA tournament berth? Based on a spring that hasn’t been just good, but perfect, Bajin’s aspirations for the top remain in focus.