Matkowski Powers Way to Men’s Title

What is the Serbian word for ace? And how do you say it in French, Italian, Russian, German or Spanish?

Alex Vlaski, a Washington University sophomore from Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro, is fluent in seven different languages, including English, but he would have added the word to his vocabulary even if he were linguistically challenged after the powerful demonstration Sunday by UCLA junior Marcin Matkowski.

The top-seeded Matkowski, a native of Szczecin, Poland, used nine aces and a powerful forehand to overwhelm Vlaski, 6-4, 6-2, in the Pacific-10 Conference men’s singles championship match at the 103rd Ojai tournament at Libbey Park.

“That’s what I was trying to do,” said Matkowski, ranked No. 26 nationally by the Intercollegiate Tennis Assn. “For sure, I wanted to overpower him. I felt like I was playing very well today.”

Matkowski, who did not lose a set in four tournament matches, played well all week, but he was at the top of his game against Vlaski once he overcame an early deficit.

Trailing 3-1 in the first set, Matkowski broke Vlaski in the fifth game and was in command thereafter. He won four consecutive games to go up 5-3 and served two aces in the 10th game to help himself to the first set.

The win marked Matkowski’s second victory over Vlaski, the Huskies’ No. 18-ranked standout, in the last two weeks. He defeated Vlaski, 6-2, 6-2, in a regular-season match April 12.

“This, to me, was just about the best I’ve ever seen him,” UCLA Coach Billy Martin said of Matkowski, who won the conference doubles title with Jean-Julien Rojer last year.

“I think he’s starting to realize what he can do. He’s definitely a little leaner and meaner this year.”

Matkowski, who began the season at 168 pounds, has recently dropped 10 pounds from his 6-foot frame, and says the weight loss has improved his stamina, footwork and court coverage.

“I have more movement and I feel stronger now,” he said. “I’m very happy with how I’m playing. For the whole tournament, I played at the same level.”

It was a high one, and Matkowski’s prowess forced Vlaski to settle for a runner-up finish for the second consecutive season. He lost to the Bruins’ Rodrigo Grilli in last year’s final match.

“He’s just strong, very strong,” Vlaski said. “There was nothing I could do. But second place two years in a row is not bad.”

The Pac-10 women’s championships were cruel to California’s Racquel Kops-Jones, who lost a 4-0 first-set lead and the singles final match.

Oregon sophomore Daria Panova, a Russian native, won five consecutive games to go ahead, 5-4, and then prevailed in a tie-breaker and dominated the second set to become the Ducks’ first singles champion with a 7-6 (6), 6-2 victory over Kops-Jones.

The USC doubles team of Parker Collins and Daniel Langre beat Stanford’s K.C. Corkery and James Pade, 8-3, to win the men’s doubles championship, giving the Trojans a highlight in a 13-11 season.

Kops-Jones and teammate Christina Fusano won the women’s doubles title for the second year in a row, beating Maja Mlakar and Emilie Scribot of Arizona, 8-1.