CSUN Tennis Meets with Robin Soderling Before Big West Tournament

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2017 Big West Tournament Bracket

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. --- With the 2017 Big West Tournament in Indian Wells, Calif. just days away, the CSUN women's tennis team got a pep talk from former tennis professional Robin Soderling. A two-time finalist at the French Open who reached as high as No. 4 in the world, Soderling hoped to give the Matadors some motivation as they prepare for tournament play.

Originally from Sweden, Soderling reached the final at Roland Garos in 2009 and 2010. In 2009, he upset Rafael Nadal, snapping the Spaniard's 31-match winning streak at the event, before ultimately falling to Roger Federer in the finals of the tournament. In 2010, it was Federer who he defeated before falling in the finals to Nadal.

"He talked about his struggles and the illnesses he had to overcome in his career. While it was comforting to know even professional athletes get sick and get regular human ailments, it was also really inspiring because you could tell how much he wanted to play," said CSUN's redshirt junior Mari Taslagyan.

The Matadors enter the Big West Tournament at 9-11 overall and 3-5 in Big West Conference play to earn the No. 5 seed in the tournament. CSUN will face Cal State Fullerton at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 28 in a Big West Quarterfinal match in Indian Wells, CA. The Matadors fell 4-0 to the Titans on April 15, so the teams are very familiar with each other.

Although CSUN is coming off tough losses to UC Irvine and Cal State Fullerton, the Matadors and CSUN head coach Gary Victor are excited to compete in the 2017 Big West Tournament.

"We have battled injuries all season, but that has made us more determined and tougher," Victor said. "Getting Robin to come in to talk about the mental side of tennis is a special treat for our players. He has the experience of playing on the biggest stage against the world's best and that mental edge is something you cannot duplicate."

The Matadors feature a talented line-up when fully healthy, a luxury Victor hopes to unfurl against their opponents in tournament action.

CSUN has four seniors on the 2017 roster: Mickey Hsu, Kristen Poei, Vivian Lin and Samantha Judan.

Hsu and Poei have more wins as a doubles team (50) than any team in school history and are two-time First Team All-Big West doubles honorees. This season, the duo is 6-8, all at the top draw.

Hsu has earned consecutive First Team All-Big West honors for her work in singles play and also received Second Team All-Big West honors as a freshman. She is currently 6-4 on the season, having played at No.1 and No. 2 singles. Poei has enjoyed a stellar senior season in which she leads the team with 11 singles wins and a 5-1 record against league opponents.

"Thinking about it recently, finishing my time at CSUN has hit me more and more. I am not ready to leave this whole experience because it has been the best four years of my life," Poei said. "Once this tournament ends, that is pretty much the end of my competitive tennis career so it is bittersweet for me. I am leaving all these amazing teammates and coaches, but it is also a chapter that I need to close and it is my time to start my next chapter.

Lin is a three-time Honorable Mention All-Big West performer in doubles play, doing so with a different partner in her first three seasons. This season, Lin is 6-4 in doubles play, having competed with four teammates.

Judan has been a part of the program for the last three years, playing in 2015 and 2017 for the Matadors.

CSUN also features a host of other players looking to hit the courts hard at the tournament. Junior Kiryang Kim is 8-6 on the season in singles, having played in the first to the fourth draws throughout the year. Alcon is 7-10 on the year, having won at the second, third and fourth draws this season.

Freshman Emma Roenholt is 6-9 on the season in singles play and sports a 3-3 mark against Big West opponents. In her first season with the squad, Elisa Elhadj is 4-1 for the Matadors, including a 3-1 mark at the top draw.

California State University Northridge Athletics

CSUN Tennis Meets with Robin Soderling Before Big West Tournament

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Players Mentioned

Elisa Elhadj

Mickey Hsu

Samantha Judan

Kiryang Kim

Vivian Lin

Kristen Poei

Emma Roenholt

Mari Taslagyan

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