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USC junior Maria Sanchez
© Dan Avila/USC Sports Information
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Sanchez is ranked No. 3 in the latest ITA Division I rankings
© Dan Avila/USC Sports Information
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Sanchez in action for the Trojans
© Dan Avila/USC Sports Information
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USC junior Maria Sanchez plays No. 1 singles for the USC Trojans and is currently ranked third in the ITA Women’s Division I rankings. Named the Pac-10 Player of the Week for the week of March 2, Sanchez has had an outstanding season to date, with results that include a perfect 5-0 dual-match record against players ranked in the top 10. Sanchez, who was a member of the USTA Summer Collegiate Team last summer, recently answered some questions for USTA.com about the recruiting process, her former basketball days, her goals for the year and more.
USTA.com: How did you get started in tennis?
Maria Sanchez: When I was 10, my family moved to Mexico for a year just for the experience and to learn Spanish. Before that, I had played basketball and softball, but they didn’t really have those sports there, so I picked up tennis and golf, and when I came back to the U.S., I stuck with tennis and basketball.
USTA.com: You were one of the top recruits in the class of 2007. Tell us a little about the recruiting process and why you chose USC.
Maria Sanchez: The recruiting process was fun, getting letters from schools around the country. I knew I wanted to stay in California, so I visited mostly California schools, but I kept my options open and talked to many different coaches. After visiting USC and talking to the coaches and seeing the school and everything it had to offer, both athletically and academically, it was pretty easy to make my decision.
USTA.com: The word on the street was that you were a very good high school basketball player. Did you ever consider playing basketball in college? Do you miss it?
Maria Sanchez: I definitely miss playing basketball. I love the team aspect of it and the athleticism involved in playing basketball. I did keep my options open and talked to some schools about playing basketball for them, but deep down inside I knew I was most likely going to only play tennis in college.
USTA.com: Do you think your basketball experience helped your tennis along the way?
Maria Sanchez: Definitely. It was great cross training and a great mental break from tennis. It helped keep me in very good shape and helped with agility and endurance during the winter time, when I wouldn’t play much tennis. I came across many pressure situations in basketball, having started as a freshman on the varsity team, and I think those experiences made me tougher for tennis.
USTA.com: As a freshman, you played mostly No. 4 and No. 5. Your sophomore season, you held down the top spot in the line-up. This season, you’ve really set yourself apart, holding down the No. 1 position and consistently being ranked in the top 10 in the nation. To what do you attribute this improvement and success?
Maria Sanchez: The coaches have definitely helped with my physical improvement and mental improvement. I’m very lucky to have coaches like Richard and West, who are willing to spend so much time with me to help me improve. Since freshman year, I have made a lot of changes and improvements in my game. Being on the summer team last year was also very helpful. I learned a lot at the camp, and I feel like I was able to sort through the information and figure out what works best for me.
USTA.com: There are a lot of great rivalries in the Pac-10? Which match do you look forward to the most?
Maria Sanchez: Well, UCLA is always a fun match because of the intense rivalry among the schools, and we usually get a bigger crowd for that match. Cal and Stanford are also big matches for us, so I really look forward to those matches, as well. But most of the Pac-10 schools are tough, so I look forward to all the matches.
USTA.com: What are your goals for yourself and for your team this season?
Maria Sanchez: Our team goals are to first win the Pac-10 title and then, of course, win an NCAA title. Right now, we are just focusing on improving so that we can all come together by NCAA’s and win the title. Individually, I’m just trying to help my team out the best I can in singles and doubles and just improve my own personal game.
USTA.com: Last summer, you were a member of the USTA Summer Collegiate Team and had some excellent results, including a doubles title with UCLA’s Yasmin Schnack at the 10K in Evansville, Ind. What did you take from your summer training and tournament experience?
Maria Sanchez: Well, it was definitely a privilege to be on the summer team and have such great coaching and training – especially at the camp – and to be surrounded by the other great college tennis players. Enduring the tough conditions at those tournaments was a confidence booster heading into the season. It was also a great experience for me playing doubles with Yasmin, as I consider her to be one of the best college doubles players. I definitely learned a lot from playing with her. Kathy Sell was also a great coach to have at the tournaments because she was really enthusiastic and knows her stuff. Overall, I feel like being on the college team was a success because I learned so much about tennis, training and nutrition.
USTA.com: What are your plans for this summer?
Maria Sanchez: After NCAA’s, I’m going to do an internship for about a month in Houston and then hopefully I will get to be on the college team again so I can participate in the camp and tournaments in July.
USTA.com: What advice do you have for junior tennis players who want to play in college?
Maria Sanchez: My advice is to just have fun with it and keep your options open as to where will be the best fit for you. Whether or not you are happy at a school has a big impact on your tennis.