The women’s tennis team begins its season at home Friday against Elon at the J.W. Isenhour Tennis Complex at 5 p.m. The Wolfpack is ranked No. 36 nationally as of Jan. 6, and according to sophomore Lenka Hojckova, the nation’s No. 87 singles player, the team looks forward to improving this ranking.
“I want to improve our ranking,” Hojckova said of the team and personally. “We will do our best to be the best this season.”
Coach Hans Olsen said he’s really impressed with everyone’s improvement this fall and how it will carry over into the spring season.
“Everyone has improved at least one or two levels, and that is really a highlight for me,” Olsen said. “The girls continue to improve and learn from every match they play.”
Having the season opener at home helps the Wolfpack get excited and prepare for Elon, according to Hojckova.
“We have worked hard for the past two weeks,” Hojckova said. “It’s always really good to be at home, the more fans the better.”
According to junior Berkeley Brock, ranked No. 27 in the southeast region, the team has high expectations for this season.
“Our goal is to make the NCAA tournament this year,” Brock said. “The ACC is the most competitive conference for women’s tennis, so it’s important to keep our mental status in line.”
Looking back on the fall season, Olsen said he feels like the preparation will pay off on Friday night.
“Elon will challenge us,” Olsen said. “But the girls are very well prepared, very fit and mentally strong. I think that’s going to add some really great things in the next month or so.”
In October the team traveled to Winston-Salem to compete in the ITA Regional Indoor Tournament. Brock and Hojckova competed as a doubles team and made it to the final round, a first for Wolfpack women’s tennis. Brock and Hojckova are ranked No. 2 in the region as a duo.
“It was an accomplishment for us,” Brock said. “We just started playing together this fall, and we’re still getting in the groove of things–that’s a pretty good start.”
The team is welcoming three freshmen and one sophomore for the 2009 season. As a whole, everyone is very competitive according to Brock, especially the newer members.
“All the freshman are really competitive and going to make a difference on the team,” Brock said.
Junior Daria Petrovic said she feels that with the additions to the team, and several coming back from injuries, the Pack needs to work on coming together as a team.
“We need to work on teamwork and getting back together,” Petrovic said. “With the new players and a few of us returning from injuries, we need to focus on getting everyone together again.”
One of these new members is freshman Diana Mortlock from Dordrecht, South Africa. Olsen said she is one to watch this season.
“She has a lot of talent,” Olsen said. “I think she will surprise some people.”
