LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – As expected, former UNLV tennis star
Aiwen Zhu made a giant jump in the final ITA Rankings, which were released Wednesday.
Zhu, who graduated earlier this month, moved up 47 spots in singles to close her career at No. 58 in the nation in singles after posting a pair of upset wins over top 30 opponents in the postseason. During the Rebels' first round win over Texas Tech in the NCAA Championship, Zhu got by 22nd-ranked Felicity Maltby, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Then, at last week's NCAA Singles Championship, Zhu downed Oklahoma's 26th-ranked Oleksandra Korashvili, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
Those two wins helped Zhu finish 30-8 this season and 103-32 as a Rebel. The two-time Mountain West Player of the Year and four-time ITA regional award winner's career winning percentage of .763 ranks third in UNLV history.
In doubles, Zhu and partner
En-Pei Huang moved up five spots to a final ranking of 75. The duo went 25-8 overall and 16-3 in dual matches this spring. Zhu's 90 career doubles wins tied her with Anna Maskaljun (2008-11) for second place all-time at the school while Huang, who will return as a senior next year, moved up to third in UNLV history with a winning percentage of .721.