Tennis teams show an International Flair

International players come to Fresno State for various reasons, and have helped the Bulldogs reach a high level of competition

By Maggie Thach

What would possess a young woman on the brink of adulthood to travel about 6,400 miles across the globe to a whole new country, culture and way of life?

For Jelena Pandzic, a native of Split, Croatia, the opportunity to continue to play tennis while going to school was just too good to give up. Even if it meant leaving behind everything she knew.

“ In Europe, you either give up playing,” Pandzic said. “Or go to America.”

Pandzic, who has been playing tennis for 14 years and is currently the highest nationally ranked freshman at No. 15, said going to school in Europe and trying to play tennis is a tough task.

“ They don’t have scholarships in Europe,” Pandzic said. “In my hometown, only five or six girls played on.”

For players who don’t have the heart to give up the sport they love, some come to the “land of opportunity” to see what opportunities they can take. This is true for Pandzic’s teammate, Lucia Sainz, originally from Barecelona, Spain.

“ Here, I have the opportunity to do both [study and play] at the same time,” Sainz said.

For Sainz, coming to America means more than playing tennis. It means gaining skills, making friends and having a life experience.

While improving on her English, Sainz is also able to expand her horizons in other aspects.

“ You see another culture,” Sainz said. “You open your mind to a lot; new people and travel.”

Opportunities for Sainz were abundant with recruitment from schools such as University of Mississippi and Tulane University, but there was one ultimate factor in her decision to attend Fresno State.

“ Location,” Pandzic said.

With six foreign players on the men’s side and five on the women’s, the appeal of the picturesque image of California won over many current players.

“ Being in California is an enticing factor for recruiting,” women’s coach Simon Thibodeau said. “The weather is nice and we’re close to the beach and L.A.”

Andy Sinn, ranked 6th on the team and a native from Aarau, Switzerland, also said location played a big factor in choosing Fresno State.

“ There are nice surroundings and good weather,” Sinn said. “It felt like home here.”

Adjusting to the weather might not be too much of a problem, but adjusting to a somewhat new playing style and new home is another story.

“ Foreign players are a bit more technical,” men’s coach Brad Dancer said. “American style is more of a team concept and it can cause a problem for individuality.”

According to both the men’s and women’s coaches, having an “international flair” has added depth to their teams.

“ Tennis is dominated by foreign players,” Dancer said. “ Seventy-four to seventy-five percent of all Division I NCAA tennis players are foreign. Foreign players are older and can come in and make an impact immediately whereas U.S. players are coming out raw and going up against 20-22 year olds.”

At Fresno State, five of the top-six players on the No. 15 women’s team are foreign. Courtney Jantz, from Spring, Tex., is the one exception.

On the No. 45 men’s squad, six of the team’s eight players are from foreign countries.

“ Tennis is so international,” Thibodeau said. “There are so many good countries good in tennis. For us to stay competitive, we need to recruit overseas. There’s such a big depth in foreign players. You just have to dig.”

For incoming recruits, having other foreign players on the team is somewhat of a comfort.

“ It definitely helped because there were people who had been there before,” said Charles Irie, a freshman from the Ivory Coast.

“ They’re new to the country. We can be like a parent to [the young players],” Sinn said. “We went through the same steps.”

Thibodeau and Dancer fill the role of more than just a coach. For instance, Thibodeau said he often receives emails from parents making sure their girls are doing OK.

“ A new player coming to the U.S. can be a bit lonely,” Thibodeau said. “You need to be parent, friend and coach.”

For both tennis teams, players are not just mere acquaintances. They are family. And for someone who may be traveling 6,400 miles away from home, they have to be.