SAN BRUNO, Calif. (April 22, 2025) – Washington State Tennis freshman Chisato Kanemaki and the doubles team of Hania Abouelsaad and Matina Markov swept the West Coast Conference Singles player and Doubles Team of the Week honors, respectively, the conference announced Tuesday.
Kanemaki, from Yokosuka, Japan, provided the clinching victory in The Cougars' 4-2 upset over No. 44-ranked San Diego. With WSU leading 3-2 and the two remaining matches in the third set, Kanemaki provided the heroics. After taking the first set 6-3 against Anni Puls, Kanemaki led 5-1 in the second bug despite three match points, Puls escaped the second, winning 7-5, and forcing a deciding third set. In the third, Kanemaki captured an early break of serve, added another to go up 5-2, then served out the match, cementing the victory on her fifth match point to win 6-3, 5-7, 6-2. The win was WSU's first against a Top 50 team this season.
Abouelsaad, a senior from Alexandria, Egypt, and Markov, a sophomore from Ingelheim, Germany, went 2-0 at No. 3 doubles over the final regular season weekend of WCC play. Against San Diego, the duo was first off the court with a 6-0 win over Kristina Nordikyan and Puls, helping WSU capture the opening doubles point and the upset win over No. 44 San Diego. The following day against Santa Clara, the pair defeated Velizara Fileva and Kacey Feng, 6-4, as WSU rallied to capture the opening doubles point en route to a 5-0 victory.
The pair of Abouelsaad and Markov finished WCC play with a perfect 7-0 record, all coming at No. 3 doubles.
The Cougars will be the No. 3 seed when the WCC Championships begin this Thursday in San Diego. WSU will face No. 6 Portland at 10 a.m. at the Aztec Tennis Complex on the San Diego State campus. The Cougars defeated Portland, 4-2, April 12 in Portland.
Kanemaki, from Yokosuka, Japan, provided the clinching victory in The Cougars' 4-2 upset over No. 44-ranked San Diego. With WSU leading 3-2 and the two remaining matches in the third set, Kanemaki provided the heroics. After taking the first set 6-3 against Anni Puls, Kanemaki led 5-1 in the second bug despite three match points, Puls escaped the second, winning 7-5, and forcing a deciding third set. In the third, Kanemaki captured an early break of serve, added another to go up 5-2, then served out the match, cementing the victory on her fifth match point to win 6-3, 5-7, 6-2. The win was WSU's first against a Top 50 team this season.
Abouelsaad, a senior from Alexandria, Egypt, and Markov, a sophomore from Ingelheim, Germany, went 2-0 at No. 3 doubles over the final regular season weekend of WCC play. Against San Diego, the duo was first off the court with a 6-0 win over Kristina Nordikyan and Puls, helping WSU capture the opening doubles point and the upset win over No. 44 San Diego. The following day against Santa Clara, the pair defeated Velizara Fileva and Kacey Feng, 6-4, as WSU rallied to capture the opening doubles point en route to a 5-0 victory.
The pair of Abouelsaad and Markov finished WCC play with a perfect 7-0 record, all coming at No. 3 doubles.
The Cougars will be the No. 3 seed when the WCC Championships begin this Thursday in San Diego. WSU will face No. 6 Portland at 10 a.m. at the Aztec Tennis Complex on the San Diego State campus. The Cougars defeated Portland, 4-2, April 12 in Portland.