Maria Klokotzky competing at the Stratusphere Gin Virginia Beach Cup.
Maria Klokotzky will face Kate Fahey for a spot in the Round of 16 on Wednesday. PPA Tour

No. 47 seed Klokotzky downs Truong for first PPA victory

This is Maria Klokotzky’s first PPA tournament, but she’s already making a name for herself.

The No. 47 seed defeated No. 20 seed Alix Truong to book her spot in the women’s singles Round of 32 by an 11-8, 9-11, 11-2 score line.

After she and Truong split the first two games, Klokotzky jumped out to 7-2 lead in the decider before a rain shower caused a brief delay.

The Canadian didn’t let that pause at a critical point interrupt her momentum and went on to score the next four points to close out the match and secure the win.

“I played a lot of college tennis and some pro tennis, so it comes down to those years of experience when you’ve had to mentally come through battles and deal with circumstances that are out of your control,” she said of dealing with the delay.

That experience comes from her playing career at the University of Louisville and Fresno Pacific University and coaching career at the University of Texas-Pan American.

Klokotzky will next face No. 11 seed Kate Fahey as she attempts to make the Round of 16 in her first PPA event.

“I’ve heard [Kate’s] a phenomenal player, so I think I’ll watch some games tonight and study her game a bit,” she mentioned. “I’m just gonna go out and do my best. All I can do is have fun and try to make a name for myself.”

This Round of 32 matchup will certainly be one to watch on Wednesday.