Junior Sara Svetac, whose competitive spirit uplifts Sun Devil women’s tennis, brings passion to the court through her devoted mindset.

“Energy is everything,” she said. “Without the energy, you cannot do anything.” 

Since her freshman year at ASU, Svetac has developed into a dominant force, serving as a leader for her teammates. 

The spring of her sophomore year brought her several career-high rankings. In early February 2025, Svetac reached a career-high doubles ranking at No. 53 and was also named a Big 12 Player of the Week. Later that month, she received a career-high No. 40 ranking.

Women’s tennis head coach Jamea Jackson said Svetac came to ASU in 2023 with a “good sense of herself,” which laid the groundwork for her leadership skills that have continued to evolve with the Sun Devils. 

“Arizona State really gave her a platform to blossom (and) the ability to showcase some of the skills that she already had inside of her,” Jackson said. 

A remarkable second season for Sara Svetac! 🔱

She won a career-best 20 singles matches and earned a spot on the All-Big 12 singles first team with an outstanding 7-1 Big 12 record in singles play this past spring! #ForksUp /// #O2V pic.twitter.com/YsEKhrG1vc

— Arizona State Women’s Tennis (@sundevilwtennis) July 10, 2025

As a well-respected upperclassman, Svetac has motivated her teammates to push themselves, Jackson said. She added the energy Svetac brings both on and off the court is something her peers want to emulate.

Beginning their ASU journeys together, junior Emilija Tverijonaite has seen Svetac change from a quiet freshman into a confident and expressive junior.

“She sets an example for the younger players and helps them adapt,” Tverijonaite said. “It’s really inspiring to see how much she’s grown and how comfortable and confident she’s become, both on and off the court.”

As she’s matured, Svetac has learned the value of team community, and she’s honored to be viewed as a leadership figure for her teammates. She’s glad that they can count on her to provide bursts of energy in challenging matches.

“It’s definitely amazing to have seven other teammates always next to you,” Svetac said. “I learned how important the team actually is, even though we are playing an individual sport. It teaches you that you’re not always alone, and that you can always have someone to lean on.”

During competition, Svetac radiates encouragement, often starting cheers and going straight for a high five after a set. To her, these little gestures are essential in propelling the team forward. 

When it comes to the support she offers, Tverijonaite has seen Svetac adjust this encouragement to suit her teammates’ preferences. From the swing of her racket to her chanting in the stands, Tverijonaite said “anything that (Svetac) does is with intention.”

Coming off a successful season, Svetac is heading into the spring of 2026 with high expectations for herself. She’s started to fuel these goals by putting the work in this fall, where she won two singles matches at the Thunderbird Invitational. 

“I definitely want to achieve those goals again, and I want to even increase them,” Svetac said. “The motivation is there just by itself, and obviously with the help of the coaching staff and the girls.”

According to Jackson, success comes from competition against the best and from one’s drive to beat the best. Jackson sees this energy within Svetac and is excited to see how her career progresses in the seasons to come.

“She definitely has the prowess within her to do some great things,” Jackson said. “I’m excited to be there to support her and to watch her reach the heights that she can in the sport.”

Edited by Alan Deutschendorf, George Headley and Pippa Fung.

Reach the reporter at cjoneil6@asu.edu and follow @cjojournalism on X.

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Char O’Neil is a junior studying sports journalism with a minor in special events management. This is her second semester with The State Press. She has also reported for AZPreps365, Blaze Radio and Phoenix College Basketball.

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