The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Although they expected a better start to their spring season with the UAB Blazers women’s tennis team, freshman Sydney Clarke said she anticipates that things will get better for the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

The UAB Blazers suffered a 7-0 loss in their season opener at home at the RAB Tennis Facility in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

“Since I came back to school, I’ve been very busy trying to juggle my academics with athletics,” said Clarke, who is studying business and journalism. “So far, it’s going well, but it’s going to be long. I’m just grateful to be back in school and the opportunity to be back in class in person and online and be able to play tennis.

“So I’m very fortunate to be back in school in my environment where I can train as well as go to school.”

After spending the Christmas break here at home where she was able to do some charitable work for the Children’s Emergency Hostel, Clarke got into action, splitting the first two sets against Anna Parkhomenko 6-4 and 4-6 before falling in a breaker 1-0 (11) at No. 4 singles.

In doubles play, Clarke teamed up with Dominika Hrabalova, but they lost 6-1 to Alabama’s combo of Sydney Riley and Anne Marie Hisert.

“My first performance went really well. I improved tremendously since last semester, implementing some new things in my routine,” said the Bahamas’ immediate past top junior female player. “Unfortunately, me and my teammates didn’t get the win over Alabama, but for me personally, all of the goals that I set, I accomplished, so I am just looking forward to improving as we go.”

The Blazers will return to action today (Friday, January 29) when they travel to Atlanta for a matchup with Georgia Tech.

But with the way she and her team-mates are clicking on and off the court, Clarke said she expects nothing but great things ahead for the UAB. “We are on the same page, which is to make our conference finals,” said Clarke of the Conference USA Championships scheduled for April 22-25 at a site yet to be determined. “So all of us are working together to accomplish that and whatever situation or problems and hiccups, we will just work around it to get to where we want to be.”

As for her game, the 18-year-old member of the Bahamas Fed Cup, now renamed the Billie Jean Tournament, said if she can improve on her backcourt and forehand with her foot work, she will be a big factor in the Blazer success.

“So far, it’s been going good. Since last semester, it’s been getting better and better,” she pointed out. “So by the end of this spring season, I hope to accomplish that goal and these small things will help me in my success for the team and help to prepare me or the Fed Cup in June.”

With a busy two months ahead of her with more than 15 matches on the schedule, Clarke said she’s just going to take everything in stride and make the best of her initial college season.

“For the rest of the season, I just look to learn and improve each match and try to take away something from each match,” said Clarke, a former student of CR Walker, who graduated from the Windsor High School and the Albany Tennis Academy last year.

“I want to make each match better than the last, which is my main focus and my expectations for the rest of the season. Even if we don’t accomplish our goal of making the conference final, just being able to have it as a goal and be focused on it, is more than enough.”

Clarke who celebrated her 19th birthday on November 18, is the oldest daughter of Shayvon and Bernard Clarke and her younger sister Sarai Clarke is following in her footsteps now as one of the top rising tennis players in the country.