After winning nine of its last 10 matches, a three-week break
might not seem to be in the best interest of the UCLA women’s
tennis team.
But that’s exactly what the Bruins are staring at going
into the NCAA Regionals on May 13.
“Sometimes during breaks you can let your mind go,”
No. 1 singles player Daniela Bercek said. “It’s easy to
lose your focus.”
Bercek and doubles partner Riza Zalameda may have an especially
tough time keeping their focus because neither has seen match play
since UCLA’s emotional victory over USC on April 16.
Both players skipped the Pac-10 Tournament in Ojai, and Bercek
admits that the momentum gained by the team in the second half of
the season might wear off by the time the Regionals roll
around.
“I wish we could just play now and not have a
break,” she said.
With the exception of Sarah Gregg, who is still nursing a
nagging wrist injury, the Bruins have been able to stay mostly
healthy throughout the season.
But because they have no choice but to take the lengthy break,
the Bruins will look to use it wisely by becoming a stronger team
both physically and mentally.
First, the Bruins will focus on conditioning themselves
physically to prepare for the rigors of playing in the humid
conditions of Athens, Ga., the site of the NCAA Tournament.
“We’ve been working hard so we don’t cramp up
in Georgia,” freshman Tracy Lin said. “It doesn’t
matter how good you are if you can’t move.”
Secondly, the Bruins will be able to work on specific areas UCLA
coach Stella Sampras Webster is concerned about.
“We’re always trying to improve doubles,”
Sampras Webster said. “That will always be our focus, and
we’ll be spending more time with that.”
Sampras Webster is also beginning to meet with each of her
players individually to work on every player’s specific
needs. This break allows her to critically examine how each player
fared during the season and what she can do to improve.
“During the season, everything goes by so fast,”
Zalameda said. “You have to concentrate on the matches, and
you don’t have a chance to work on your
weaknesses.”
Lastly, the break will help the Bruins stay mentally sharp.
Match play requires tremendous focus in both preparing for the
match beforehand and executing during it.
“It’s hard to keep mentally tough with so many
matches,” Lin said. “It’s always good to
recuperate to stay fresh.”
Throughout the next three weeks, the Bruins must fight to keep
from falling into the trap of complacency. With the biggest prize
of the season coming up though, it would seem hard for the Bruins
to fall into a lull.