Andrea Ka, recent graduate of the San Francisco tennis program, has opened up her career as a professional with historic milestones for her home nation of Cambodia. Ka has taken the kingdom's tennis stature to a new high as the first Cambodian to ever win an International Tennis Federation (ITF) Futures event, regardless of gender.

In her professional singles debut in Amarente, Portugal, she won the $10,000 Amarante Ladies Open after outlasting Spain's Alba Carillo Marin 3-6, 7-6 (6), 7-5. She needed five consecutive wins to become the champion, taking down Greece's Despina Papamichail, Ainhoa Atucha Gomes of Spain, Brazilian Flavia Guimaraes Bueno and Anastasija Homutova of Latvia en route to the tournament title on July 3.

"Two titles in two weeks at this level of competition is an amazing achievement and a big boost for Cambodian women's tennis," secretary-general of Tennis Cambodia Tep Rithivit told the Phnom Penh Post after the victory. "It is great to have a player getting such good results, and she is someone for young players to look up to."

Her first title came in her first foray into post-collegiate professional tennis, where she earned the doubles crown on the clay courts in Oreiras, Portugal. Alongside partner Laetitia Sarrazin of France, the duo won four matches, capped by a 4-6, 7-3 (10-3) victory over Carolina Meligeni Rodriguez Alves and Victoria Bosio on June 18. Thus far in her debut season on the Futures tour, Ka has compiled a 7-2 record in singles action, and a 6-1 mark in doubles play. In the latest ITF/WTA rankings, Ka and Sarrazin cracked the rankings at No. 1,056.

In her last tournament, the $10,000 Lisbon Women's Open, Ka and Serrazin advanced to the semifinal round in doubles play. Ka made it to the quarterfinals in singles play before falling to No. 606 Samantha Murray in a three-setter this weekend.

Prior to her decorated career at USF, Ka held an ITF/WTA world singles ranking of No. 766, and climbed to No. 805 on the doubles lists in 2010. After her time as a collegian, she has already begun to gain ranking points and prize money by advancing in main draw events. Ka will use those accumulated points and momentum to continue to work her way up the ranks to gain entrance into more and more prestigious events on the ITF tour and beyond.

"It is pretty rare to have two titles in two weeks of tennis, let alone in your debut events," noted USF Director of Tennis Peter Bartlett. "She will definitely be in contention for representing Cambodia in Pan-American, Federation Cup and the Olympics in future years, and we are so proud of her amazing start."

USF video featured Ka on the final episode of "Behind the Mask," the Dons' monthly cable television show on CSN California. To watch the vignette on her impactful career as a Don, click here. For more on the ITF and to follow Ka's progress as a pro, click here.