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Chisako Sugiyama Garners Weekly Laurel
Feb. 3, 2009
Player of the Week: Chisako Sugiyama earns her first weekly honor of the 2009 campaign after defeating three nationally ranked opponents over the weekend, helping the 19th-ranked Wolverines to a 1-1 record at the ITA Kick-Off Weekend. The senior Wolverine began the weekend with an upset over 47th-ranked Sanaz Marand in straight sets (6-1, 6-4) at No. 1 singles during Michigan's 5-2 loss to No. 18-ranked North Carolina on Saturday. Sugiyama then led the Maize and Blue to an impressive 5-2 upset over No. 16-ranked Texas on Sunday afternoon. The Parsippany, N.J., native teamed up with junior Tania Mahtani for a pivotal 9-8(5) triumph over the ninth-ranked Longhorn tandem of Vanja Corovic and Marija Milic at No. 1 doubles. With the win, Sugiyama and Mahtani improved to 7-3 on the season, and helped Michigan gain a 1-0 lead heading into singles play. Sugiyama then provided the clincher at No. 1 singles with a 6-4, 6-4 win over 60th-ranked Corovic, marking her second victory over a nationally ranked opponent in as many days. Sugiyama has won three of four matches at the top singles spot and both of her matches at the No. 1 doubles position. This marks the sixth career weekly laurel for Sugiyama, who earned the award three times in 2008 and twice during her sophomore campaign in 2007.
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