Pozdniakova's career has taken her through Soviet system to Wimbledon

Soviet training led PennSoviet training led Pennfreshman AnastasiaSoviet training led Pennfreshman AnastasiaPozdniakova to theSoviet training led Pennfreshman AnastasiaPozdniakova to thepinnacle of amateurSoviet training led Pennfreshman AnastasiaPozdniakova to thepinnacle of amateurtennis - WimbledonSoviet training led Pennfreshman AnastasiaPozdniakova to thepinnacle of amateurtennis - Wimbledonand the U.S. Open The more you see of freshman Anastasia Pozdniakova, the No. 1 singles player for the Penn women's tennis team, the more you begin to realize that she is not your average freshman. On the court, she plays with the maturity of a seasoned veteran, and she has the work ethic to match. The usual insecurities and doubts that often stem from a player's transition from high school to college seem to have no effect on her game. The more you get to know the circumstances under which she grew up, the less you wonder why. Growing up in communist Russia, Pozdniakova drive and commitment were needed just to get to where she is today. "In Russia, there are no private systems," Pozdniakova explained. "You don't pay [for tennis lessons], but only the top few are able to be taught." The Russian system, while it did limit participation in sports, raised the level of competition to the point where only the strong survived. It is under that extreme pressure that Pozdniakova began playing, and she admits that the transition to collegiate tennis was not as hard as it is for many teenagers. Both of her parents were tennis players, and, at one time, her father was the coach of the Soviet team, so she has been surrounded by the sport her entire life. Still, Pozdniakova insists the choice to take up tennis was entirely her own. "My parents introduced me to the game," she said. "But they never forced me. I started playing in tennis clinics when I was six, and, when I turned nine, my parents asked me if I wanted to continue to play and I said, 'Yes'." The choice turned out to be the right one. Since picking up her first racket, Pozdniakova has played in various pro tournaments as an amateur, which means that she played as a professional in every respect except that she did not get paid. Pozdniakova was once ranked as high as fourth in her country and 60th in the world in the 18-and-under set. She competed in both the Wimbledon and U.S. Open junior tournaments. "Playing at Wimbledon had to be the greatest tennis experience of my life," Pozdniakova said. But was she able to play on the fabled Centre Court? "No," she laughed. "In England, they are very big on tradition. Juniors have their own court, and even the finals are only played on the grandstand." The juniors did, however, live in the same village as the professionals and used the same locker room, which allowed Pozdniakova to rub elbows with some of the best tennis players in the world. It was an experience that allowed her to see the pinnacle of her sport first hand and made her realize what she has to do to get there herself. "You don't look at them with awe," Pozdniakova said, "but rather as players that if you work hard enough, you may some day be." For Pozdniakova education came first. She has heard many stories of players, who have had nothing to fall back on after career-ending injuries, and she wanted to make sure that that would never be the case with her. "Professional tennis players practice six hours a day these days," she said. "You put a lot of physical stress on your body, and an injury can put you out for a year or more, and then maybe you'll never play the same." Pozdniakova and her family moved to the U.S. after her father was offered a job as the head coach of the Mt. Laurel Raquetball Club in New Jersey. There, she attended Mooresville Friends High School, where she played little tennis, making a conscious decision to put school first. She was recruited by both William & Mary and Cornell, but, after visiting Penn's campus, her decision was made easy. Growing up in Moscow, she liked the prospect of going to school in the city, and with her career interests aimed in the direction of business, the chance to attend the Wharton School proved to be an opportunity that she simply could not pass up. Her career thus far at Penn can only be described as a success. A championship victory at the Eastern Collegiates a few weeks ago, coupled with a dominate performances in dual meets, has launched her into the No. 1 singles slot for the Penn team and into the limelight the top position draws. "It doesn't really matter," Pozdniakova said. "We are playing as a team. I trust Coach to put me in a spot that is best for everyone." Penn coach Cissie Leary, who recruited Pozdniakova heavily after receiving a tip about her from a friend, is happy with what she has seen of Pozdniakova thus far. "She's a team player," Leary said. "She's been a great addition." With a bright future ahead of her, Pozdniakova is unsure of whether or not she will eventually ever try to go pro. "I'll wait until after graduation," Pozdniakova said. "Than maybe I'll play a few more professional tournaments and see what happens."