A sign written in Latin hangs in Florida’s locker room. Its translation: “victory through harmony.” This season, it’s the motto of the Gators women’s tennis team.
“What that really means is, ‘For me to play at my best in May, I have to be at harmony with everything,'” coach Roland Thornqvist said. “Not just hitting a ball great, but my body has to be feeling good. I have to be at a good state of mind. Academics need to be taken care of.’”
While the Gators are at harmony outside of athletics, they are also playing in harmony on the court. With an undefeated record, a National Indoor title and a win over the defending national champions, Florida has proven that it has a deep, veteran team able to score on every court.
After a grueling February schedule, Florida had a full week off for the first time this Spring. While the players used this time to recover and refocus, Thornqvist used his time off to visit the Rafa Nadal Academy in Spain.
Thornqvist said he wants to expand his knowledge of tennis this year by learning the new and best techniques in the industry. He wants to merge his team’s “college behaviors” with professional behaviors to get the Gators to play at their highest level possible.
Despite the team’s impressive record this season, Thornqvist believes that Florida will continue to play better tennis. This belief comes as the Gators will begin conference play against LSU on Friday.
The team has described SEC play in the past as “brutal,” and Thornqvist expects that this season will be no different. Florida will enter play as the No. 1 team in the country.
Thornqvist anticipates that Florida’s conference competitors will hit hard at the team's weaknesses.
“They know what you don’t like to do, and they’re going to make sure that you have to do what you don’t like to do for two hours,” he said. “Mentally, that’s the great challenge with the SEC.”
Having faced a number of the top teams in the country already, Thornqvist thinks that his team is mentally prepared and up to the challenge.
The team returned to practice Monday and will continue to prepare throughout the week for its weekend matches. The Gators face LSU on Friday at 5 p.m. and Texas A&M on Sunday at noon. While the Gators have already built an accomplished résumé this season, Thornqvist believes the toughest challenges lie ahead.
“Everyone’s back here, and we’re rejuvenated, and we’re focused on the second leg of this long season,” he said. “And that’s perhaps sometimes — and I do expect it this year — the most grueling part, and that’s the SEC season.”
Contact Spencer Thompson at sthompson@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @spencemthompson.
UF coach Roland Thornqvist looks on during Florida's 4-2 win against Oklahoma State on Feb. 18, 2017, at the Ring Tennis Complex.
