:10 Seconds with Zara Jakubas

Of all the sports going on around campus, there isn’t one team that has been more dominant than the tennis team. Aside from having an undefeated regular season, they have been ranked #1 in the Panther Power Rankings throughout the first few issues of The Clock. One player that has been one of the most dominant players to wear the green and white this season is Zara Jakubas.

Jakubas has been astonishing on the court for PSU, as she went undefeated in singles matches (12-0), while going undefeated (12-0) in her doubles matches with her sister, Sunny Jakubas. To be able to face the best players on an opposing team, and be as dominant is extremely impressive, especially considering she has won over 82% of her singles games (which resulted in only one lost set being lost by Jakubas).

Heading into the LEC postseason, watch for Jakubas to be extremely impressive, and to continue to defeat some of the best tennis players in New England (and likely the country).

1. How long have you been playing tennis?

I've been playing since I was nine. My dad got really into it and played with my sister and me all the time. 

1. How does the tennis team look for the 2014 LEC postseason?

I mean, we're undefeated so far, so that's great. The team just gets along really well, and we have a lot of confidence going into the postseason. So, we just need to take it one match at a time, and we should be able to come out strong like we have all season. 

3.What is your most memorable moment in your tennis career?

I played at Rutgers, and I helped win the match that brought the team the ticket to Nationals. 

4. Do you have any superstitions on game-day?

No weird superstitions, but for some reason, I always get nervous right before I play.

5. What was your "Welcome to tennis" moment in your career?

I was told by my first coach, Paul, that I had great eye-hand coordination and I was "already a natural" and had potential to do well in the sport, even as a beginner.

6. If I were to look at you iPod/iTunes/etc. what would be the five most played songs?

Princess of China (Coldplay, Rihanna), Don't Stop (5 Seconds of Summer), Dare You (Hardwell), Cool Kids (Echosmith), A Sky Full of Stars (Coldplay)

7. What did it mean to you to go undefeated in both singles and doubles this season?

It definitely means a lot to be a new player that the team can rely on at the top flight, especially in singles because there has been some close competition. My sister and I have never played doubles together before, so it's been a lot of fun, and because we're undefeated, we've proved to ourselves that we are good doubles players in addition to singles.

8. To complement that, what did it mean to you to go undefeated as a team? How will you keep the momentum going into the LEC post-season?

The team has been close from the beginning of the season, but the winning streak has made us a more confident and driven group. We've come so far this season, and we want it to end on a positive note. The team was picked to place 5^th, and there was no pressure. Now that we earned the top spot, we just want to prove to ourselves that we can finish undefeated.

9. How tough is it adjusting to all of the different types of courts you have played on this season, both home and away?

Some courts play differently than others, especially if they are older or cracked, so it takes a few games to get adjusted, but it hasn't been too difficult. The courts at home (Holderness) are in great condition so it's great that we can play at home for the tournament. 

10. You have dropped one set all season, and have won 148 of 180 games. How have you been able to be so successful in the first year you have competed at Plymouth State?

The team is really supportive of one another and it's important for all of us to make each other proud by getting individual wins for the team. I've been starting well in the first sets of my matches so getting off to a strong start helps me to get the win in two sets.