Photo Gallery | Porubin's Results

CHISINAU, Moldova –  In a sport focused almost entirely on solo performances, the team structure in American college tennis is unique. Gabriela Porubin –  a rising senior at Wichita State – has embraced it.
 
"I give credit to [WSU women's tennis coach] Colin Foster," Porubin said. "He's taught me how to be a better team player and the importance of putting the overall success of the team ahead of my individual goals."
 
Last week, Porubin found herself applying those lessons on a different continent, in a different uniform, alongside different teammates, as a member of Moldova's Fed Cup team (the women's tennis equivalent of the World Cup).
 
Porubin went unbeaten in three individual matches but – more importantly -- helped lead her home country, Moldova, to its first ever group promotion.
 
"At one of the press conferences, a journalist asked about the key to our success. Our captain said that it was the unity and selflessness of our team. To me, that's what the college tennis experience is all about," Porubin said.
 
Selflessness begets success, and vice versa. It's practically a way of life at WSU after a decade-long snowball effect, fed by nine-straight conference titles and nine-straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
 
Yet, in the case of Moldova – a former Soviet bloc nation of approximately three million – cultivating team spirit required a more intentional approach. Success meant simply escaping Group III -- the lowest of the three tiers in the Europe/Africa Zone – after nearly two decades without a promotion.
 
"[Promotion] has been our focus since 2013," Porubin said. "Over the last four years, we've lost three times in the final and once in the semifinal."
 
So emotions were understandably high last Saturday when Moldova defeated Cyrpus to clinch a spot in Group II for next year's tournament.
 
"To finally achieve this goal – after so much hard work and devotion – is rewarding," Porubin said.
 
Doubly rewarding, because the big breakthrough came on Moldovan soil, in Porubin's hometown of Chisinau.
 
"It's very hard to play in front of your friends and family and have your whole country cheering for you, but it is also very exciting," Porubin said. "It was a great motivator during difficult moments in each match, because I realized I was no longer playing for just myself, but for the entire nation."
 
And the nation took notice.
 
"We have definitely gotten a lot of attention," Porubin noted. "Press conferences and television appearances… Hopefully, our success will draw more people to tennis in our country."
 
Europe/Africa Group III includes 15 countries, and duals are a best-of-three format with one doubles and two singles matches. A point is awarded to the winner of each.
 
In pool play, helped by Porubin's three wins, Moldova swept duals from Mozambique, Algeria and Morocco.
 
The latter served as a de facto semifinal match, with the Moldovans and Morrocans each sporting identical 2-0 records. Porubin and 17-year old doubles partner, Vitalia Stamat won in three-sets, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, to help Moldova win the Pool D title and advance to a promotion play-off.
 
Porubin was set to reprise her role in Saturday's winner-take-all showdown with Pool B champion, Cyprus, but her teammates took care of business.
 
Stamat and Alexandra Perper (a 25-year old pro who absorbed some college tennis culture of her own during a four-year career at Mississippi State) both won their singles matches to give the Moldovans a 2-0 lead and officially clinch the dual.
 
"Representing your country is one of the highest honors in sport," said WSU head coach, Colin Foster. "I'm so glad Gabi was chosen again this year. To be able to help earn promotion, and to do it in front of her home fans must have been an incredible experience."
 
Porubin was a member of Moldova's 2013 and 2014 Fed Cup teams but schedule conflicts kept her from competing in the 2015 and 2016 tournaments. She's now 6-0 all-time in Fed Cup doubles action and is 3-1 in singles matches.
 
Porubin – who will enter her senior year in 2017-18 -- was all-conference at No. 3 singles and No. 1 doubles for Wichita State this spring. She and doubles partner Fatima Bizhukova ended the year at No. 55 in the Oracle/ITA Division I Doubles Rankings.