Oregon junior Daria Panova strongly attests to a belief in fate.
One of Oregon’s top women’s players in the history of the program might not have ended up a tennis player. Growing up in Moscow, Panova, like many other Russian athletes, tested her skills in the sport of figure skating.
A far cry from the grass and hard courts, the ice rink was her sporting venue of choice. While on her way to figure skating practice at the age of 7, Panova encountered an announcement that invited eager and passionate athletes to try out for a tennis organization. Panova immediately turned to her mother and told her she wanted to sign up.
From that point on, fate took over and the path to Oregon began.
For the next seven years, Panova realized her natural ability to play the game and practiced for at least an hour and a half five days a week. Later, as she reached the age of 14, practices became more grueling and intense — upward of five or six hours a day — at the Sopot Academy in Russia.
“I didn’t even have time for school or anything,” Panova said.
As she grew older, she faced the reality of the recruiting process from colleges in the United States. The Ducks started courting the up-and-coming tennis sensation when former Duck Monica Giecsyzs helped to bring Panova’s talents to Oregon. The Oregon tennis coaches persuaded Panova to sign her letter of intent and told her about the state.
“(The coaches) told me that it was really nice here and that it just rains a lot,” Panova said.
Even though she had been to the United States just once for a tennis tournament, the assimilation to American culture was not a difficult process. Living in another country did not deter her from her goal of becoming the best tennis player possible.
During her freshman year, Panova joined the team toward the end of the season and made an immediate impact on the Pacific-10 Conference and the national scene. She defeated three ranked opponents, including a win at her first-ever match in the NCAA tournament. Panova proved to herself and her team that she was the next rising star on the tennis circuit.
“Obviously we feel very lucky (to have her),” head coach Nils Schyllander said. “She’s pretty much one of the 10 people in the country today who can win the national championship. I think she legitimizes our whole program. It rubs off on the whole team, in a sense that our players get to play with her everyday and get to see what level the top players play and practice at.”
Her sophomore season last year proved to be one of the best in the history of the Oregon tennis program.
She earned the honor of being Oregon’s record-holder for victories in a single season. Panova was named Pac-10 Women’s Tennis Player of the Year — Oregon’s first player of the year award for tennis since 1988. She also swept the Pac-10 singles titles at the indoor and outdoor championships.
Panova has not disappointed heading into her third season. After recently winning the singles draw at the ITA Regional Championships, she advanced onto the ITA National Championships this week in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Despite all of her accomplishments, Panova is still not satisfied.
“It’s fine, but I want to be the top player in the entire country,” Panova said.
The success of her team, however, is still her No. 1 priority.
“Her whole personality is very positive and hard-working,” Schyllander said. “A lot of girls look up to her for who she is. She’s really not a selfish athlete — it’s team first, her second.”
Off the court, Panova loves to listen to all genres of music, including her favorite rap artist, Eminem. Movies also occupy her free time during breaks in the busy schedule of the year-round tennis season. She considers “The Matrix” her favorite movie.
Panova, known as Dasza to her friends, also enjoys spending time with her teammates.
“We hang out all of the time,” Panova said. “We like going out together, watching movies together — they’re like my new family.”
Panova, an economics major with a 3.4 GPA, already has plans for her career after the University.
“I would like to be an assistant coach (for tennis),” Panova said. “Then be a head coach and athletic director.”
If her life so far has been any indication, her fate looks promising.