After watching Andy Roddick’s ground stroke land just beyond the baseline of match point, Juan Martin Del Potro collapsed to the ground and raised his arms in the air before saying a prayer and pointing up to the clear Los Angeles skies.

Following two upsets earlier in the day, which meant the end of the Countrywide Classic for the world’s 12th-seeded Fernando Verdasco and 26th-seeded Feliciano Lopez, Marat Safin knew he had to get ahead of his opponent early.

One year ago, he found himself amid a run that seemed to have the potential to help jump-start his career.

In exactly two weeks, the tennis world will be in a state of near-frenzy.

After an impressive run at the NCAA Championship last season, UCLA women’s tennis coach Stella Sampras Webster felt the pressure to succeed. She knew she had to be patient and convince her team to do the same.

As she dropped her racket and collapsed to both knees, Riza Zalameda was mobbed by all of her teammates.

For four players on the UCLA women’s tennis team, this had to be the year, and they all knew it.

A day after being eliminated from the NCAA semifinal, the UCLA men’s tennis team mustered up the energy to head out to the Michael D. Case Tennis Center and cheer on their fellow Bruins on the women’s team in the finals.

TULSA, Okla. “”mdash; It took several attempts, but once she finally hit a backhand volley winner down the line, Elizabeth Lumpkin and her teammates were finally able to let out a sigh of relief.

TULSA, Okla. “”mdash; The dream season finally came to an end.