Even though they lost this weekend to Southern Alabama by a close 4-3 score, Virginia women's tennis did it as a team. The Cavaliers win together and they lose together despite individual successes or failures.
"Junior [precollegiate tennis] is all about you, " Diana Wink, a junior transfer from Georgia, said. "Practice is oriented to you. Your results only affect you. In college tennis a win or loss can win or lose the match for ten other girls."
Despite this added pressure, being part of the team also adds more support.
"It's so nice to have people supporting you [and] to have something to emotionally fall back on in a match," Virginia No. 1 Diana Srebovic said.
Both new to the Cavalier squad, Wink and Srebovic have been dominating forces so far this season.
Srebovic has been ranked as high as No. 275 in the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) in singles. She plays at the No. 1 spot at Virginia and carries a No. 67 ranking in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). In the fall she posted a 12-4 record and beat two ranked players. She has not lost a match yet this season, having only dropped one set in singles. As a freshman, one might think that playing at the No. 1 spot would put a lot of pressure on her, but she said this is not the case.
"I don't let pressure effect me," Srebovic said. "I don't think about winning or losing. When you get preoccupied with that, then it's really hard to play well."
Srebovic also plays at the No. 1 doubles spot alongside Wink. The dynamics that Wink and Srebovic bring to the court is unmatched.
"We clicked from the start," Srebovic said of Wink. "Our games and personalities on the court compliment each other."
The two met in the fall at Virginia and have dominated the doubles field ever since. Their doubles team is currently ranked No. 23 in the ITA.
Wink said the reason they play so well together is because of their great relationship on and off the court. This friendship and team camaraderie is important to Wink, who left the Georgia tennis program after last season.
"I wanted a fun tennis experience," she said. "I wanted a coach who would be supportive of players on and off the court and a team I could enjoy being around. I have been enjoying tennis for the first time in three years. When you get along with and support your teammates that much, you play your best tennis."
Wink only had great things to say about Virginia head coach Phil Rogers.
"Phil's a great coach," Wink said. "He has a different style because he is so relaxed. It makes you think things will fall into place."
Srebovic, however, is not completely satisfied with the team's results so far. The loss on Saturday dropped the No. 52 Cavaliers to a record of 3-3, but she is hopeful about the rest of the season.
"There's a lot of room for improvement," Srebovic said. "We just have to keep playing and get more experience. [We have] a lot of potential for this year."
In addition to posting big wins, Wink also brings a lot of experience to the young Virginia squad.
"I try to stay positive and relaxed [with the younger girls]," Wink said. "Coming from Juniors where everything's individual, it's very different coming to a team. I try to help them adjust."
In Saturday's match against South Alabama, both Srebovic and Wink won individually in singles and together in doubles. They were the only Cavaliers to earn a singles victory.
Friday, the Cavaliers handily beat No. 64 Marshall 5-2. Though Srebovic and Wink dropped their doubles match 8-4, the entire Virginia team dominated.
Wink said that out of the ten girls on the Virginia squad, "there's not much level difference. Any person can play any day and do well. That helps keep us together [as a team]."
Next Saturday, the Cavaliers will look to improve their record when they travel to William and Mary to face the Colonials at 5 p.m.