Musselman, Andy
Although the women’s tennis team only began practicing together Saturday, it doesn’t feel like it to coach Hans Olsen. Even with three new additions, freshmen Pender Sessoms, Sadhya Nagaraj, and Diana Mortlock, Olsen it feels like they have been together for weeks.
“I have a good feeling about this team,” Olsen said. “Just in this first week, I really think that they want to make some accomplishments. They really want to be a close team and move in the same direction together.”
Junior Kristen Bleakley said she enjoys the freshmen and the unique personalities they bring to the team.
“They’re each different,” Bleakley said. “They bring a lot of variety and energy to the team.”
Bleakley only has two more years to play tennis. She said the team is ready to give it their all.
“I just want to leave it all out there and just go for it,” Bleakley said. “Our team is going to be awesome, personality-wise and tennis-wise.”
Olsen said he is also excited about the high energy as well as seeing how this team progresses in the preseason.
“The girls are hungry,” Olsen said. “Each year [brings] a new team, and I’m excited to see how the team comes together. I’m really looking to keep moving forward, keep making strides, having success and doing it with a lot of class.”
The excitement extends throughout the tennis center according to sophomore Lenka Hojckova.
“I’m so excited for this year,” Hojckova said. “I can’t wait for tournaments to start. I love to play tournaments and getting to travel a lot.”
Hokckova enjoys the company of her team and they inspire her to do her best.
“I was never on a team before,” Hokckova said. “Now I know what’s going on and I [have learned] what it means to be a teammate. I will do my best to bring energy to the team and be the best teammate I can be.”
The team has its first tournament this weekend in Wilmington for the Landfall Invitational, yet only Sessoms, Mortlock and senior Neils Barringer will be competing. It will be the only clay court match the team will play on all year. According to Olsen he is really looking forward to the tournament.
“It’s good for the girls to get as much match play as they can,” Olsen said. “I’m looking forward to seeing the coaches and getting the season underway.”
The entire team will play their first tournament Sept. 19 in the University of Virginia Invitational.
In preparation, the team has added an element to their training program. This season, they will have core movement training which consists of court movement without a racquet or a ball.
“When [the women] play tennis they have to worry about so many different things: get your racquet back, where am I going to hit the ball and is it in or out,” Olsen said. “Just focusing on the movement without anything else is going to pay dividends over a period of time.”