Stories From the Service Line : Victory or Defeat, Ojai Remains a Special Place

This is the story of one tennis tournament, told from three points of view.

Start with Ania Bleszynski because she is a winner and the winner always comes first.

A string of upset victories has landed the Stanford senior in the semifinals of the Pac-10 women’s championship today at the Ojai Valley tennis tournament.

“This is my favorite tournament, I’ve decided,” Bleszynski said. “It’s definitely a lot of fun.”

Fun is of great significance to a young woman who has battled back from hard times.

Last season, Bleszynski lost the confidence that had bolstered her game at Harvard-Westlake High. Gone was the aggressiveness that made her a college star as a freshman and sophomore.

She no longer enjoyed the game.

This season, Bleszynski is playing at No. 4 singles, not as high in the order as before, but she went unbeaten in Pac-10 matches. That gave her a boost coming to Ojai.

“That’s a big thing with me,” she said. “Confidence.”

Playing with renewed joy and an accurate first serve, she surprised Arizona star Vicky Maes, then beat Katy Propstra of Arizona State. Friday, she kept the good times rolling, 6-3, 6-3, against Kristina Kraszewski of Washington.

No matter what happens against UCLA’s Annica Cooper today, Bleszynski exudes a certain satisfaction.

She smiled after her match: “I didn’t expect to get this far.”

On an adjacent court, a different kind of story was unfolding for Monique Allegre of Arizona.

By the sheer force of her serve-and-volley attack, Allegre had made a run of her own through the singles draw. The streak ended with a 6-3, 6-0 quarterfinal loss to Teryn Ashley of Stanford.

“I just didn’t feel sharp,” Allegre said. “My first serve was weak and I become a totally different player when I do that.”

Her loss aroused mixed emotions.

“There’s something about coming to Ojai,” she said.

Something specific to a Camarillo native who knows this tournament well.

“I’ve been playing here since I was 12 years old,” she said. “You come back and you see all the old faces. You really want to do well.”

Allegre could not be ecstatic, but this was her best showing in Ojai’s college division. As a junior, with one more chance left, she could take solace.

“It’s good to get those wins under my belt,” she said. “Next year, I’ll be back.”

A chunk of her encouragement came at the expense of Zuzana Stunova, a Rio Mesa alumna who plays for Washington.

Stunova and Allegre were pals in high school, practicing afternoons at a racquet club in Camarillo. Thursday night, they met as opponents in a second-round match.

“We were talking about how funny it was,” Allegre said. “We were back at the club again.”

Stunova lost in the first round at Ojai last year, so the sophomore did not harbor grand hopes this time around. Still, she said, “it’s probably one of my favorite tournaments. I thought I could do well.”

Younger and more powerfully built than Allegre, Stunova pushed her way to a 5-2 lead in a first-set tiebreaker against her old friend.

But she let too many crucial points slip away. With them went the match, 7-6, 6-3.

“Monique just played really well,” Stunova said. “She came in and made a lot of good volleys.”

There was a hint of disappointment in Stunova’s voice the next morning. She stood at courtside, a spectator, before Allegre’s quarterfinal match.

So it goes for the ones who lose. The ones who have a view from the outside looking in.

“I thought I would beat her,” Stunova said. “I just thought I could have done better.”