USC Women’s Tennis Stuns No. 11 Stanford in 4-3 Road Thriller
PALO ALTO, Calif. - In a match that had all the makings of a classic, No. 20 USC women’s tennis delivered a signature win on Friday afternoon, edging out No.
11 Stanford 4-3 on the Cardinal’s home court at the Taube Family Tennis Center. The Trojans not only handed Stanford its first home loss of the season-they did it with grit, poise, and a clutch performance when it mattered most.
This one had drama from start to finish, but it was USC’s fast start in doubles that set the tone. On court three, Emma Charney and Eugenia Zozaya wasted no time, powering past Stanford’s Sein Myoung and Emma Sun with a dominant 6-2 win. That early momentum carried over to the top court, where Lily Fairclough and Jana Hossam took care of business with a 6-3 victory over Caroline Driscoll and Monika Ekstrand, locking up the doubles point and giving USC the early 1-0 lead.
From there, the singles action unfolded like a heavyweight bout-momentum swinging back and forth, each team landing punches and counterpunches.
USC’s freshman standout, No. 62 Eugenia Zozaya, kept the pressure on with a composed performance on court four, dispatching Tianmei Wang in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3. That gave the Trojans a 2-0 lead and put Stanford on the ropes early.
But the Cardinal didn’t stay down for long.
Stanford’s top-ranked player, No. 67 Monika Ekstrand, responded with a strong showing at the top spot, taking down No.
16 Jana Hossam 7-5, 6-1. Then, on court five, Sein Myoung leveled the match at 2-2 with a 6-2, 6-2 win over No.
74 Krisha Mahendran, and suddenly the momentum had shifted.
USC answered right back with a crucial point from Dani Borruel on court six. The sophomore delivered a steady, no-nonsense 6-4, 6-3 win over Emma Sun, nudging the Trojans ahead 3-2 and putting them one win away from the upset.
But Stanford wasn’t done yet.
On court two, No. 18 Alyssa Ahn and No.
12 Emma Charney went toe-to-toe in one of the day’s most compelling battles. Charney took the opening set in a tiebreak, but Ahn dug deep, rallying to win the next two sets 6-4, 6-1 and tying the match once again at 3-3.
That left everything riding on court three.
Enter Immi Haddad.
The USC junior, ranked No. 95, found herself in a pressure cooker against No. 77 Caroline Driscoll. After dropping the first set in a tiebreak, Haddad regrouped and roared back, taking the second set 6-2 and gutting out a tense third set 7-5 to clinch the match-and the dual-for the Trojans.
It was the kind of win that can define a season. On the road, against a top-15 opponent, and in a high-stakes, back-and-forth battle, USC showed toughness, depth, and a flair for the dramatic.
The Trojans now turn their attention to another big test as they continue their Bay Area swing, facing off against No. 16 Cal tomorrow afternoon.
Match Summary:
Final Score: No. 20 USC 4, No.
11 Stanford 3
Date: Friday, January 30, 2026
Location: Taube Family Tennis Center | Palo Alto, Calif.
Doubles Results:
- Court 1: Fairclough/Hossam (USC) def. Driscoll/Ekstrand (STAN), 6-3
- Court 2: Ahn/Wang (STAN) led Borruel/Mahendran (USC), 5-1 (unfinished)
- Court 3: *Charney/Zozaya (USC) def.
Myoung/Sun (STAN), 6-2*
USC wins doubles point
Order of Finish: 3, 1
Singles Results:
- Court 1: #67 Ekstrand (STAN) def. #16 Hossam (USC), 7-5, 6-1
- Court 2: #18 Ahn (STAN) def. #12 Charney (USC), 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-1
- Court 3: #95 Haddad (USC) def. #77 Driscoll (STAN), 6-7(5), 6-2, 7-5
- Court 4: #62 Zozaya (USC) def. Wang (STAN), 6-3, 6-3
- Court 5: Myoung (STAN) def. #74 Mahendran (USC), 6-2, 6-2
- Court 6: Borruel (USC) def. Sun (STAN), 6-4, 6-3
Order of Finish: 4, 1, 5, 6, 2, 3
For USC, this win isn’t just about rankings or records-it’s about proving they can go toe-to-toe with the nation’s best and come out on top. And if Friday’s performance is any indication, this Trojan squad isn’t just here to compete-they’re here to contend.