As the spring semester takes hold here at Winthrop, that also means it is tennis time. Last year, as spring 2019 came to a close, the women’s tennis team finished as Big South Conference Champions, defeating all competition with a perfect conference record of 9-0.
After witnessing last season’s success, Coach Vivian Segnini is looking forward to her first year as head coach here at Winthrop. Being nervous is out of the question, as Segnini is beyond excited to get this season going.
“I have a great group of girls that work very hard and I have a great staff helping me every day,” Segnini said.
Coach Segnini, originally from São Carlos, Brazil, is a 2017 alumnus of Winthrop and was an assistant coach for the women’s tennis from 2013 to 2018. Inducted on July 1, 2019, she is now only the second coach in the history of this team.
“My favorite part of being a college coach is that I get the chance to help others through tennis,” Segnini said. “A lot of people helped me when I was an athlete and being a coach is my chance to give back…I learned from Cid Carvalho that you have to love the sport, to care about your players, and also to continuously try to improve as a coach and study the sport.”
Viewers watched in amazement during the 2018-2019 season as then junior Alisa Soloveva won 18 straight matches after a single loss on Jan. 26, 2019 against Memphis.
Her unmatched skills on the court earned her First-Team All-Conference in singles for the third consecutive season, as well as Second-Team All-Conference in doubles. Now a senior exercise science major and captain of the team, Soloveva is ready to end her last semester with a bang.
“I go on the court and just try to do my best no matter what team or what school we play,” Soloveva said. “I’m really looking forward to play[ing] the conference matches since they count a lot throughout the whole season! It’s my last semester and I just want to finish my college athletic career strong but also enjoy it every single second on the court!”
Tayla Van Eck, junior middle level education major, looks up to teammates like Soloveva each day.
“Playing with them and being able to know and feel that you are a part of something bigger is what drives me. The girls inspire me so I play for them, my coaches and my school,” Van Eck said.
Her accomplishments during freshman and sophomore seasons earned Van Eck First-Team All-Conference for doubles. Additionally, her opponents did not stand a chance last season at the Big South Championship as she won all three of her matches in straight-sets.
Although there are many individual events in tennis, being a part of a team remains extremely important. This season’s team consists of seven women, Soloveva being the lone senior.
“The best part is to play back to back with my teammates. Since tennis in general is an individual type of sport, I really enjoy competing, practicing and sharing the same goals with my team,” Soloveva said.
Assisting Coach Segnini this 2020 season is recent Winthrop graduate, former tennis player for the men’s team and current graduate student Diego Quiroz.
“For me as a coach I always try to be positive to the girls and help them in everything they need to be successful on the court,” Quiroz said.
“In order to be a good player, you have to work very hard on the court and in the gym, but also have the discipline to sleep well, eat well, etc. It’s important to love the sport because being an athlete isn’t easy and it’s frustrating at times, but if you love the sport you will have the strength to deal with all the adversities,” Segnini said.
Rafaela Santos, a junior from São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil, joined the Eagles in Fall 2018. Last season she had a 14-7 singles record, including being undefeated 9-0 in conference.
Majoring in Spanish and nutrition, Santos loves being able to study higher education while playing the sport she has been a part of for fourteen years now.
“I have learned responsibility and independence. It has also helped me grow as a person moving away from home and becoming my own person,” Santos said.
According to Van Eck, the best way to prepare for their matches is to “get hyped and loud…just to calm the nerves and connect with the team.”
“As a team we get ready by a quick motivational talk with our coaches and then captain (Alisa). We then do our Eagle chant before playing as well as high five [and] fist pound every teammate and coach,” Van Eck said.
Despite loving tennis and playing the majority of her life, Van Eck does not plan to continue playing competitively after she graduates because “teaching and helping children [are her] passion.”
Oppositely, Soloveva would absolutely love to go professional. After trying a variety of sports at six years old, she finally found her fit with a racket in her hand at the age of seven.
“I’m very passionate about tennis and I enjoy my time on the court,” Soloveva said.
Both coaches and players have one main goal this season: bring home another Big South Championship. After losing to Wake Forest University on Jan. 18 and then to William and Mary on Jan. 26, the Eagles are currently 0-2. Winthrop women’s tennis will next have a home match against James Madison on Feb. 1 at 2 p.m., followed by a match at Virginia Tech on Feb. 2.
“Every game is difficult and we have to be ready to compete for every match. We have a tough schedule with very good opponents and the best way to be successful is by playing together as a team and supporting each other throughout practices and matches,” Coach Segnini said. “The only thing we can control is that we will go on the court and fight to honor Winthrop and our tennis program and that we will support each other, the rest is a consequence.”
Photo provided by Winthrop Athletics
