This past weekend, the Northwestern men’s and women’s tennis teams traveled to Lincoln, Nebraska to compete in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Individual Tournament. It was an event full of positives, with many Raiders, both singles and doubles, advancing far through the brackets. For the women, it was their second meeting of the season. In their opening meet against Buena Vista, they had a strong showing, winning all 6 singles matches and all 3 doubles. For the men, this was their first true competition of the season after an exhibition event also at Buena Vista.
“As the GPAC tournament was really our first true competition, it told us a lot about the team, while also telling us very little at the same time,” Maurie Tomke, Director of Tennis Operations said. “The format of this past weekend created opportunities to show some gutsy tennis but did not allow for many of the competitors to compete at their best.” Tomke pointed to the notable example of freshman Samy Khiyara not finishing his matches until midnight, and the strain that put him and the other players through the following day.
When it comes to the future, there are many things the Raiders hope to accomplish, both individually and as a team.
“Everyone’s goals are a bit different on the team,” Tomke said. “I primarily want to build a team that can grow and establish a solid base that can sustain success for many years.
Tomke added that he aims to cultivate a unified men’s and women’s team. “Yes, they compete separately,” he said. “However, they need each other for support, strength, and adaptability.”
“My personal goals are to stay consistent, give my best effort in every match, and keep finding ways to improve both physically and mentally on the court,” Arthur Vicente, senior, said. “For the team, our goals are to stay competitive, support each other, and push for the best results possible in the conference. I think we can achieve that by keeping our focus, working hard in practice, and staying positive together no matter the outcome.”
Tennis may not be one of the most well-understood collegiate sports, but to achieve excellence, it takes just as much determination and dedication as the rest. Coordination, strength, and endurance are all vital for success, but on top of that, what goes on inside a player’s head may have more of an impact than their physical ability.
“I have learned in my short time that it is more a mental game,” Tomke said. “My years of coaching have taught me one very true aspect to any sport: ‘Your mind will give up before your body will.’”
The Raiders are set for their first home matches of the season next, playing Grand View at 1pm on Friday, September 19.
