University of Houston Athletics
Vogasari Aims to Repeat as Texas Regional Champ
10/21/2015 12:00:00 AM | Cougar Pride
The University of Houston Department of Intercollegiate Athletics inspires excellence today while preparing CHAMPIONS FOR LIFE by fostering a culture, which challenges student-athletes to achieve their highest academic, athletic and personal aspirations. Throughout the 2015-16 athletic season, UHCougars.com will highlight Houston student-athletes, coaches and alumni who are committed to building CHAMPIONS FOR LIFE on the field, in the classroom and throughout the community. Today's CHAMPIONS FOR LIFE feature, written by Communications Assistant Stephanie Phillips, looks Despoina Vogasari's quest to repeat as Texas Regional Champion.
HOUSTON - Despoina Vogasari became the first University of Houston Tennis player to win the USTA/ITA Texas Regional Championship when she captured the prestigious tournament in 2014. She defends her crown starting Thursday at this year's tournament, hosted by Texas A&M. The reigning Texas Regionals champ is hoping that she can pull out another win for the Cougars this year.
Vogasari said that winning the tournament last year was so much fun that she's determined to do the same this year. The tennis star enjoyed being the first Cougar to win this tournament and was happy to make her school proud. She said the Texas Regionals is a very difficult tournament, but she would love to win it again and would like to continue breaking records throughout her tennis career.
"The level [of competition] was very high, so I was very satisfied that I got to win such a big tournament," Vogasari said. "I went there with the mindset that I was just going to do my best, and my best was winning it. I was very happy, because after that I got to go to New York [for the National Indoor Intercollegiate Championship], which was an even bigger tournament, and that's my goal for this year as well."
Vogasari is determined on winning again this year, and she is doing everything in her power to make sure she's prepared. She is working with the UH coaching staff to improve upon her weaknesses and to further strengthen what she already does well.
"I've become mentally tougher, and I'm more kind to myself on the court," Vogasari said. "I'm confident because I've done it before; I've won this tournament before."
According to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association preseason singles rankings, Vogasari is ranked 42nd in the nation, but she doesn't want that to impact her confidence. She knows that rankings only mean so much when she is on the court. She is not going to let anything shake her confidence.
"It's always a disadvantage, mostly mentally, when you play somebody that's ranked higher than you, is from a bigger school than you or has more experience than you," Vogasari said. "But what I've learned in these 20 years, not just in college tennis but also in professional tournaments, is that rankings don't really matter."
The 2014 Texas Regional champion had significant support throughout her tournament run last year in the form of her teammate, 2015 alum Elena Kordolaimi. Kordolaimi made it to the semifinals of the 2014 tournament, and Vogasari is hoping she will have teammates with her down to the final days again this year.
"It's always more fun having them around, and they support me in my matches," Vogasari said. "I was focused on my match, but I wanted my teammate to do well. It was great for the university that [UH] had two out of the four that were playing in the semifinals of regionals."
The reigning Texas Regionals champ said winning it again this year would be amazing. She would love to bring home another win for UH. She is also unwavering in her desire to win this year's tournament, because that would ensure her spot in the National Indoor Intercollegiate Championship competition in New York.
"It's one of my goals for this year, because winning that tournament gives me a ticket to New York. Those are the two most prestigious tournaments in the fall," Vogasari said. "I'm very determined. I will do my best and hopefully get [that win] again."
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