2023 NCAA Championships: Tian Fangran becomes 2nd Bruin to win D1 women's title

Equally as impressive as Tian's run throughout the tournament was her focus in the biggest match of all. Sleeth made history for the Sooners this week as the first woman in program history to reach the final, and came from a set down in two of her five wins to do so.

But the rookie got on top early and never let the senior back in. In all, Tian broke serve five times in seven chances. 

"She's definitely a really good player. She doesn't miss at all," Tian said. "I feel throughout the match, I'm just telling myself, I have to be more aggressive, come to the net or hitting those winners. She definitely runs around the court. She saves every single ball. She's really a brilliant player. I just [won] a few deuce points, which made a difference, I think." 

Over the course of the week in Orlando, the Pac-12 Rookie of the Year continually credited the Bruins' coaching staff and her teammates for making her feel at home in the U.S. in her exceptional first year on campus, and UCLA associate head coach Rance Brown, in his 26th year on legendary head coach Stella Sampras-Webster's staff, was equally complimentary of his player after she reached the summit.

More than two decades ago, Brown got involved in the program on the heels of having Phebus as a student—that's how the former Bruin got Tian's number to send her a good luck text on Friday night—and he said that coaching a second student-athlete to season-ending glory afforded him the opportunity to reflect on two decades of Bruin tennis. (Also on hand to watch Tian's triumph was 2022 Australian Open finalist Jennifer Brady, who played for the team from 2013-14, and helped the Bruins win the 2014 team title.)

"This young lady is very humble," he said of Tian. "When you get the combination of being humble and hungry, it's a deadly combination. She’s so coachable, so nice to be around, and she's so well-liked on our team. That always doesn't come with great players. She's a true team player. She's just embraced us. It’s a pleasure being with her in whatever capacity we're in, on and off the court.

"That character, it just makes you feel good being part of something like that—when these young people understand where they're at, and now you have something like this. Like she said, it hasn't quite hit her yet and it might not all summer, but when she goes back to campus, I think [it will], to see what it's like to be a champion at UCLA. It's a special place; she's a special young lady, and we're proud to have her."