Chambana Sun

Fighting Illini women's tennis has announced the addition of transfer Cara Mester to its roster. Head coach Evan Clark confirmed that Mester, a rising sophomore from Cluj-Napoca, Romania, will join the program after spending her freshman season at Oklahoma.

During her time with the Sooners in the 2024-25 season, Mester recorded a 14-7 overall record in doubles, playing exclusively on court one during dual matches. She faced six nationally-ranked opponents and partnered with Shcherbinina to secure notable victories, including a win over Tulsa's 26th-ranked Hutchings/Berlanga and clinching a tiebreaker against No. 14 Cal. The pair finished the season ranked No. 67 in the final ITA doubles rankings and reached as high as No. 28 during the campaign. Oklahoma ended the year ranked 10th in ITA team rankings with a 20-7 overall record and an 11-4 mark in SEC play.

This summer, Mester returned to Romania and won a $15K ITF doubles title at W15 Focsani alongside Vanessa Ioana Georgiana Popa Teiusanu, dropping only one set across four matches. It was her second ITF title after winning W15 Bucharest in May 2024.

Mester’s junior career includes two singles titles—one being Cairo J1—and nine doubles titles such as Klosters. She has competed in all four Junior Grand Slam tournaments: Australian Open, Roland Garros, US Open, and Wimbledon. Her highest ranking was No. 40 in ITF juniors, with career-high WTA rankings of 1060 in singles and 1422 in doubles.

Explaining her decision to join Illinois, Mester said: "I chose the University of Illinois because it offers the perfect balance of strong academics and a competitive tennis program. I really connected with the team and the coaches on my visit and I could feel the passion and dedication from both the team and the coaches. It's a place where I see myself thriving both on and off the court and where I believe I can develop to reach my full potential."

Coach Clark commented: "We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Cara to the Fighting Illini Women's Tennis family. Finding the right fit is key, and after spending time with Cara and seeing the instant connection she made with both the team and the coaches, it was clear that Illinois is where she's meant to be. We're confident that Cara will thrive in the culture we've built within our program and take immense pride in representing the Orange and Blue as she begins this exciting new chapter!

Cara is an exceptional tennis player, but even more so, she's an incredible person. She brings a wealth of experience, a relentless work ethic, and an inspiring competitive spirit. We feel incredibly fortunate to have her join us for the 2025-2026 season. We believe her best tennis is ahead of her, and we can't wait to help her reach her full potential both on and off the court. We are certain that Cara will have an outstanding college tennis career in an Illini uniform.

Welcome to Illinois, Cara."