Adding to the international flair of the Sacramento State women’s tennis team is freshman Anna Erikson.

Along with sophomore Margarita Karnaukhova, Erikson’s arrival from Sweden could make Sac State a legitimate force in the national tennis scene.

Her arrival has been punctuated by back-to-back strong performances in her first two events.

Last week at The Riviera/ITA Women’s All-American Championships, the premier hardcourt event of the Fall, Erikson became the first player to advance to the championship in school history.

Through her six qualifying rounds leading up the championship, Erikson did not drop a single set. She defeated, among others, Nerve Asimgil of Pepperdine University who was seeded No. 1 in her bracket.

Erikson’s historic run came to an end when she lost to the University of Florida’s Julie Rotundi 6-1, 6-2. Rotundi is currently ranked 21st in the ITA 2003 pre-season ranking.

“I knew she would be a very good player,” women’s head tennis coach Bill Campbell said.

A stoic player, Erikson usually says very little while playing, letting her game speak for itself. Her backhands and forehands are good, but it’s not just her physical skills that propel her. She is a tenacious player who is mentally tough.

“She has a great knowledge of the court,” Campbell said. “She is already one of the best in the country.”

Erikson was not ranked in the ITA’s pre-season rankings because of her freshman status. The new player and team rankings are due out early next year and her play so far this season could earn her a spot in the top-100.

Her success is even more startling when you count the fact that she is adjusting to playing on a hardcourt surface which is much faster than the clay she played on in Sweden.

In Erikson’s first match as a Hornet she defeated Rio del Rosario of the University of California Berkeley in the second round of the Wathen Bulldog Classic in Fresno, Calif. Erikson, who was seeded fifth, won 6-1, 6-0 after she received a first-round bye. She ultimately lost to Jody Scheldt of Cal, 6-3, 6-3 in the championship match.

Sac State is no stranger to international players. Last season the women’s team featured players from seven countries.

Erikson went to high school outside of Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. The structure of the Swedish education system provides older graduates than the United States. This allows for an older, more mature freshman — Erikson is 21-years-old. After high school, she took a year off to focus on tennis and advance her game before coming to Sac State.

Campbell took a scouting trip to Sweden in January to evaluate Erikson and several other prospective players.

A freshman making an impact on the Sac State team should come as no surprise. At this time last year Karnaukhova advanced to the second round of pre-qualifying in the Riviera/ITA Women’s All-American Championships the best showing for any Sac State player ever in the tournament. She was unable to compete this year due to a back injury.

Karnaukhova was ranked No. 41 in the ITA’s pre-season rankings and she won the Big-Sky Conference Player of the Year award last year.

“She has the ability to be the No.1 player in the country,” Campbell said.

Coach Campbell has not decided on whether the two would share the court in doubles play this year, but said they would be the team’s strongest duo.

The women’s tennis team will look to win their third-straight Big-Sky title this season, and with Erikson and Karnaukhova, the possibilities are endless.