With only nine players on the roster, none of whom are seniors, UF women's tennis coach Roland Thornqvist’s team is young. But it’s certainly not devoid of leadership.
Thornqvist is counting on junior Joanna Mather to step up following the departures of Marrit Boonstra and Anastasia Revzina, who exhausted their eligibility last year. She put on a terrific performance at the Southeastern Conference Coaches Fall Classic in Auburn, Ala.
Mather defeated No. 20 Kristi Boxx of Ole Miss (4-6, 6-4, 6-4) on Saturday before beating Tennessee’s Rosalia Alda (6-3, 6-4) on Sunday, finishing the tournament with a 2-1 record.
Mather was excited to participate in the tournament after she couldn’t play in Intercollegiate Tennis Association Southeast Regional the past two years due to an injured back and an undiagnosed illness.
“I was excited to be able to go over there and play and get some results,” Mather said.
Playing against some of the top teams in the SEC was no easy feat and players were physically drained by the last day of competition, Thornqvist said. But the Gators showed the toughness and determination necessary to be one of the top team’s in the country this year.
“I really like this team,” he said. “This is the third year in a row that we have great, great chemistry in the locker room.”
While young players often need to be pushed, Mather doesn’t believe that will be necessary. She said her teammates are motivated to get in shape and improve their games.
“It’s not very hard being a leader because everyone is pretty determined to get better,” Mather said. “I just want to be an example to them about the things to do on the court.”
With two top-10 sophomores in Lauren Embree and Allie Will, and the dependable Mather, the Gators have the right blend of talent and leadership this fall.
