If one could narrow down the Bradley tennis team’s season into one word, it would be promise. With plenty of young players and new face in the coaching staff, the Bradley tennis team has more prosperous days at the end of tunnel following this season.
Although Bradley women’s tennis sits at low record wise before conference play, the young roster is planning to pave the way for a dynamic future. Of the eight players on Bradley’s tennis team, three of them are freshmen. At the tip of the spear is Sandra Maletin, a freshman from Belgrade, Serbia who is ranked as highly as third in her home country.
Alongside Maletin are Kinga Kovacs and Victoria Gonzalez, who are from Hungary and Bolivia respectively. These three are planned to be the future that Bradley is investing into their program.
However, despite Bradley’s current overall three wins and eleven loss record, the statistics do not tell the full story as the team enters conference play. Unfortunately, the injury bug has bitten the team several times throughout this year. Head coach Matt Tyler expects a strong season run once the team comes back from their injuries.
“First and foremost, we have got to get healthy,” said head coach Matt Tyler, “we have been battling a lot of injuries and illnesses. A lot of our girls are playing at 75 percent.”
Coach Tyler has big goals for this season and the women that he coaches. Now in his fifth season with the team, he has made the goals of the 2017-2018 season clear.
“Our number one overall goal is to try and win a conference title,” said Tyler, “that is a big deal for us. It would be the first time in Bradley’s women tennis history.”
Just as much as Matt Tyler has been putting his faith into his team, the team has been putting their faith into their coach. Senior Alexa Brandt has enjoyed her fourth season under Coach Tyler.
“He has been a very positive coach,” said Brandt, “He is patient, nice and accommodating.”
Brandt has not been the only player who has heaped onto Coach Tyler. Junior Malini Wijesinghe spoke highly of the coaching staff as well.
“They do not emphasize wins and losses,” said Wijesinghe, “instead it’s about how you are feeling.”
Coach Tyler’s decision to not place emphasis on wins and losses does not just end on the court though.
“This is a philosophy that they carry through our whole life,” said Wijesinghe, “They want us to feel good socially, academically, and off the tennis court.”
For Alexa Brandt, who is entering her last season on the Bradley Tennis team, the culture of the team that Coach Tyler has put into place has kept her hopeful for conference play.
“It has been nice having a great team environment and a great coach as well,” said Brandt, “it is going to be a good season.”
Bradley’s women tennis team will play at Illinois State on March 31st to open up their conference season.