When the women’s tennis team returned to campus in May as national champions, Gator Nation celebrated the team’s accomplishments.
But in the four weeks since fall practice began, not much has been said about the team taking college tennis’ biggest trophy just five months ago.
“Honestly, we haven’t really talked much about last year as far as the championship is concerned,” coach Roland Thornqvist said Monday. “What we try to do is reinforce that we perhaps won a championship because we did so many things that we try to do every day, and we did them with the right attitude.”
Expectations are high from the start as five Gators begin play today in the Riviera/ITA All-American Championships in Pacific Palisades, Calif., the first leg of the collegiate Grand Slam.
With every player from last season’s roster returning for another championship run, this year’s preparation should be no different. But that doesn’t mean Florida is content with relying on its skill set from a season ago.
“Now I really feel like the whole team has turned the page,” Thornqvist said.
“We’re proud of what we did last year, but I think all eight of our players on the roster look toward this year and have their own motivation to do great things again.”
Although Thornqvist pointed to a drop in intensity in the past few days of practice after a month of the same routine, he said he has already noticed major improvements in players like sophomore Olivia Janowicz, who is ranked No. 37 in the preseason ITA rankings.
“Boy, is she a different person, different player this first month of the year, and hopefully that’s going to show up down the road,” Thornqvist said. “She looks more confident and more sturdy on the court.”
He also has big hopes for Allie Will, who spent her summer playing against players ranked in the top 130 in the world while competing in two tournaments on the pro circuit.
“She’s seen big balls,” Thornqvist said. “She’s seen balls from some of the greatest hitters and biggest hitters in the world the past couple of weeks, so she’s going to be ready and she’s going to be match-tough, and I’m certainly looking forward to seeing how that translates to college play.”
Will and Lauren Embree, ranked No. 2 and No. 5, respectively, in the preseason rankings, will join their qualifying teammates Thursday in the tournament’s main draw after receiving automatic bids.
In the meantime, Florida will focus on getting back into the swing of match play and encouraging team-wide improvement.
“We’re trying to do the same thing as last year without doing the same thing as last year,” Thornqvist said. “It can get hard to be innovative, but after four weeks we’re still all on the same page.”
Lauren Embree and the defending NCAA champion Florida women’s tennis team opens its season today in Pacific Palisades, Calif.
