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As women\u2019s captain, Hart has a big appreciation for the social side of tennis, despite its reputation as an individual sportCambridge University Lawn Tennis Club with permission for Varsity<\/p>\n
\u201cI actually hate flying!\u201d Hart had just returned from a team trip to Monte Carlo, overcoming a mild fear of airplanes to do\u00a0so. Once she landed, however, she was in her element, playing tournaments against teams from all over Europe on the Monte Carlo country club\u2019s \u201camazing\u201d clay courts.<\/p>\n
She was less in her element at the casino in the evening, having lost the entirety of the \u20ac10 she brought with her in one game of poker. \u201cGambling is not quite for me,\u201d she laughed, though she appreciated the \u201creally great social events\u201d that happened on the trip.<\/p>\n
As women\u2019s captain, Hart has a big appreciation for the social side of tennis, despite its reputation as an individual sport. \u201cPeople say tennis is an individual sport, but being at CULTC, being at Cambridge, it\u2019s such a team sport. Like, you\u2019ll play doubles with all your teammates, you\u2019ll go to matches [\u2026] and everyone\u2019s on the side cheering you on.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\u201cPeople say tennis is an individual sport, but being at CULTC, being at Cambridge, it\u2019s such a team sport.\u201d<\/p>\n
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As captain, Hart is responsible for building this sense of community and team spirit. She is driven and motivated, having introduced the team\u2019s first preseason: \u201cit\u2019s just really good to get everyone back a bit earlier, from a social aspect, but also we had training every day, with fitness as well.\u201d \u201cI like the responsibility of it,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
Her big ambitions as captain come off the back of a Varsity win over Oxford, a close-fought victory. \u201cGoing into the final round of matches, we were ten-eight up, and then it was 10 all and there was a doubles match playing and it went to a decider set, so whoever won that set would win the entire varsity. And we managed to win\u00a0it! It was just like the best atmosphere ever, we ran on court after.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe whole of last year, I knew I wanted to run for captain.\u201dThe best ranked player at CULTC since a fresher, Hart was eager to take on another challenge, having fallen in love with tennis again after a rough period with the sport during her late teens.<\/p>\n
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\u201cI like how calm and chill he is on court. I\u2019m very much like that, I don\u2019t tend to get very loud or anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\u201cI got a really bad injury when I was 16 and stopped playing for two years [\u2026] with the whole injury and not being able to play properly, I fell out of love with it a bit.\u201d<\/p>\n
When asked what rekindled her love for the sport, Hart emphasised the team aspect of CULTC, and the friendly atmosphere of the club.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou just become really good friends with all of your teammates, and it\u2019s such an encouraging atmosphere [\u2026] and it just makes you want to play more and want to be better.\u201d<\/p>\n
We discuss the recent US Open, and Hart reveals herself to be a devout Jannik Sinner fan. \u201cI like how calm and chill he is on court. I\u2019m very much like that, I don\u2019t tend to get very loud or anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hart prefers to stay calm and collected on the court. Her stoic nature proves an asset at high-stakes tournaments, like the Varsity Matches. \u201cI quite like pressure, I find I tend to play better under a lot of pressure.\u201d \u201cMy friends will say they can\u2019t tell if I\u2019m winning or losing.\u201d<\/p>\n
She describes herself, however, as a \u201cvery aggressive player\u201d. \u201cMy game is about power and hitting winners. I\u2019m less fast around the court, I miss more balls, so I\u2019m more about a big serve and trying to finish the point early.\u201d<\/p>\n
Varsity success last year followed BUCS disappointment, which Hart touches on while looking towards the first league matches of the season. \u201cCULTC blues won their league last year, but then lost in the playoffs, so didn\u2019t get promoted to the top National League.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis year, I am determined to get us promoted,\u201d Hart avows.<\/p>\n
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