Sky’s limit for UNLV’s Batta as seasoned sophomore

Lucia Batta is a sophomore, but UNLV women's tennis coach Kevin Cory already views her as a veteran.

Batta, from Budapest, Hungary, played all last season at No. 1 singles for the Rebels, and Cory said he thinks that experience will yield rewards as his squad hosts the prestigious USTA/ITA Mountain Regional beginning Wednesday at the Fertitta Tennis Complex.

"Asking Lucia to play No. 1 as a freshman was a lot to ask," said Cory, whose team went 20-6 last season to win the regular-season Mountain West Conference title. "She certainly lived up to all we thought she could do, and I think the best days are still ahead of her."

Batta, 20, agreed with the latter half of that assessment, though she actually was disappointed in her freshman season.

"I started off pretty good," said Batta, who logged six straight wins to start her collegiate career. "But I wasn't really satisfied with the full season. I lost to some players I should have beaten."

Cory, who competed with several top-10 programs to land Batta, said he had absolutely no complaints.

"We knew coming in that Lucia was good," he said. "But you never know how someone is going to do moving from junior tennis to the Division I level."

Batta won the 2010 regional, earning an invitation to play in the elite USTA/ITA National Indoor Collegiate Championships at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y. She finished the spring 25-11 in singles and earned MWC and regional freshman of the year honors.

Though the 11 losses remain a source of irritation, Batta said they helped her mature as a player.

"I learned a lot from them," she said. "I gave up too early, and afterward I thought I could have given more."

Batta, ranked 95th, opened this season by winning three matches to reach the finals of the UNLV Fall Invitational last month. Though she lost the title match to 75th-ranked Caroline Rohde-Moe of Mississippi, Cory said his top player is laying the groundwork for a big season.

Most important, Cory said, Batta's influence is not limited to her success on the court.

"Lucia is one of the most well-liked student-athletes I have ever coached," he said. "Over the years, I've had some people in her role that were kind of negative and demanding. That takes a toll on a team, but we don't have that with Lucia. She's the exact type of athlete we want here at UNLV."

Next week's tournament will feature up to 22 teams from eight states, and Batta is seeded second in singles. Teammate Aleksandra Josifoska probably will go in as the No. 4 seed, and Cory said he likes players up and down the lineup who could make their presence felt.

"Lucia's not the only one who could make a run," Cory said. "We have several players capable of winning in both singles and doubles."

Batta plans on being the one, at least in singles.

"My goal is to win the regionals," she said. "And then I want to win the conference and at least make it to the main draw in the NCAAs."