Soccer’s over and my new responsibilities entail covering the women’s basketball team. But while I’m sure that will be fun in its own way, there’s another sport that I’m even more excited about.
My column’s tag line is “Game, Set, Match” for a reason.
I grew up watching the Andre Agassi vs. Pete Sampras rivalry. I was absolutely crushed when Martina Hingis retired, and I rejoiced when she announced her return last year.
I’m a tennis fan. Always have been, always will be.
I play some tennis, too. I have a decent forehand, a backhand that intermittently blasts stingers or misses the baseline entirely, a semi-consistent serve, and a technically incorrect volley that kinda works.
Basically, I couldn’t play competitive tennis to save my life. But I sure as hell enjoy watching people who can.
I’m probably the only person on campus who’s looking forward to the Oregon tennis teams’ season openers in January as much as everyone else is looking forward to winter break.
In line with the success that Oregon women’s sports teams have seen this year, I predict that the women are in for a breakthrough season under first-year coach Paul Reber.
And if last weekend’s Duck Invitational was any indication, the Pacific-10 Conference has a new force to reckon with.
Carmen Seremeta, a sophomore from Cupertino, Calif., blazed through the opposition over the weekend. She handed Eastern Washington’s Rachel Berger a 6-0, 6-0 defeat, then easily won her next two matches in straight sets and overcame the slight challenge posed by Boise State’s Tatiana Ganzha, the only player able to push Seremeta to three sets.
Seremeta went on to beat the Broncos’ Kim Jochimsen 6-2, 6-2 to claim the Duck Classic title, which honestly isn’t that big a deal in the grand scheme of things.
But I think it’s a harbinger of greater things to come.
Seremeta’s got a a perfectionist streak in her: She’s very conscious of her playing rhythm, and she has to have her life in order to really concentrate on bringing out her A-game.
She finished last year on a high note, winning the doubles invitational title with teammate Claudia Hirt at the end-of-season Pac-10 Conference Championships. And she’s just getting into her momentum right now. Reber says Seremeta’s adjusted well to the coaching change, and he thinks she’ll probably join nationally ranked Dominika Dieskova in the top half of the lineup this year.
The first-year head coach has struck up a steady rapport with the women. Reber has also come up with unconventional training ideas to keep the team occupied after fall season.
A recent yoga epiphany courtesy of his wife motivated Reber to include yoga workouts in the team’s training plan. The Ducks on the team who can’t swim had also better find their wet feet soon, because Reber’s planning to incorporate swim conditioning into their training schedule, too.
So now that soccer’s over, and football’s almost done, give tennis a chance. Head out to the courts this winter and watch the Ducks demolish their opponents. You won’t want to miss the coming of age of yet another Oregon women’s sports team this year.
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Predicting good times for tennis this year
Daily Emerald
November 14, 2006
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