March 27, 2006
Walnut Creek, Calif. - Arizona State junior Roxanne Clarke has been named the Pac-10 Women's Tennis Player of the Week for Mar. 20 - 26, Commissioner Tom Hansen announced on Monday.
Clarke, from Cape Town, South Africa, helped the No. 17 Sun Devils defeat their in-state and Conference rival, No. 25 Arizona. The No. 98 singles player in the nation, Clarke took on Arizona's No. 54 Danielle Steinberg in the second flight and scored the upset by clinching the final point in the duals match in a thrilling third-set tiebreaker. After falling 3-6 in the first set, Clarke cruised through the second set, 6-2, to even up the match. Clarke and Steinberg traded games in the third set, recording five ties before heading to a match tiebreaker. Clarke jumped out to a quick 5-2 lead and outlasted Steinberg down the stretch, winning the tiebreaker, 7-5. The win marked Clarke's 21st singles victory this season, improving her record to 21-8. Clarke has defeated her last four opponents.
This is Clarke's first Pac-10 Player of the Week honor on the singles court and second weekly honor all-time for Arizona State. Clarke and her doubles teammate, Kady Pooler, were named Conference Players of the Week as a doubles team on Feb. 27.
Clarke and the Sun Devils hit the road this weekend, as they face UCLA on Friday and USC on Saturday in Pac-10 Conference matches.