Dvornikova
sisters leave LBSU to pursue life-long goal
in professional tennis
By Ben Dimapindan
On-line Forty-Niner
Lights,
camera, action — a familiar phrase tossed
around frequently by members of the movie
industry, but those same three words are
not uncommon in professional sports either.
 In
fact, that phrase is composed of three very
attractive qualities that entice athletes
to turn pro. Just ask Anastasia and Alena
Dvornikova, sisters who made the leap from
sophomore tennis standouts at Long Beach
State to the Women’s Circuit of the International
Tennis Federation.
“It
just feels pro,” Anastasia said when describing
the atmosphere at professional tournaments.
“On the court, we have a chair empire and
ball boys, and cameras as it gets closer
to the finals. Off the court, it’s fun to
meet and talk to many people from different
countries.”
The
choice to walk away from collegiate competition
at The Beach and test their luck in the
professional waters had been a lifelong
goal for both sisters.
“Going
pro was the ultimate idea since I started
playing in tennis tournaments, and I thought
this was the time to actually do it,” Anastasia
said.
Alena
added: “I agree with Ana. We’ve been thinking
about going pro for a long time, and talking
over the summer to our friends who are on
the tour had a final impact on the decision.”
That
decision had paid off thus far in their
young professional careers, as both have
tasted some degree of success already.
The
Dvornikova duo had played in two $10,000
tournaments, and, in doubles play, earned
second place in one, while reaching the
semifinals in the other. Also, in singles
action, Anastasia defeated Mariela Salinas
of Venezuela, 6-3, 7-5, to claim the title
of one tournament.
However,
prosperity on the court is nothing new to
the pair. While at LBSU, Anastasia was named
2001 Big West Player of the Year for a stellar
freshman campaign.
Also,
both were honored with first-team conference
selections last season in singles and doubles.
Alena finished with a 27-7 singles record,
while Anastasia tallied a 28-9 mark. As
doubles teammates, the Dvornikova sisters
compiled a 19-5 record.
In
addition, the duo hopes to compete in bigger
tournaments soon, but with the way things
are going currently, they really do not
have any complaints.
“I
definitely enjoyed the transition, which
not only means success, but also creates
motivation to work on getting a higher ranking,”
Alena said.
In
agreement with her sister, Anastasia replied:
“Yes, I enjoy the fact that I’ll be listed
among the pros.”
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