The 2026 spring season for women’s tennis is just beginning. The fall season was a fantastic one, but these women are not done, especially sophomore Abigail Weaver. She sat down with the Royal Purple and talked about tennis and her goals for the spring.
Q: When did you first start playing tennis?
A: I first started playing tennis when I was five years old. I was young. I don’t really remember too much because I also played soccer through high school. But tennis was always more fun to me. Soccer is a team sport where tennis is more individual, so it’s more in my control. I was a goalie, so if I had a really bad soccer game and I got scored on a bunch, I’d be really down. Now I can go play tennis, because if I miss it’s my own fault. I really like tennis because of that reason.
Q:What’s your mindset always going into a match?
A: To compete to the best that I can and to make sure that I’m not doing it just for myself, but also for my team around me. I realize that if something’s not going the right way, that my team is there to help me.
Q: What part of your game have you worked on the most from the fall to the spring?
A: I’ve worked on consistency the most and trying to move forward into my shots more. I tend to jump up, which causes the ball to go down. That’s not what you want because then you hit the net.
Q: How do you prepare for your opponent?
A: I always prepare for my opponent the same. I’m very focused and steady because I never really know who I’m gonna play. We don’t as a team. No one ever looks ahead and figures out who your opponent is. You have to be going into every match the same and keep doing your routine. Then during changeovers, reevaluating the match and picking on their weaknesses and how you can attack those or get a ball where you can attack.
Q: Tennis is very mental. How do you stay focused during long rallies?
A: I try to stay focused by picking on one thing. It’s either, ‘Oh, I’m gonna hit every ball to their back end until they give me a short ball,’ and then I can go down the line or change direction. In those long rides, that’s all I’m thinking about. And consistency, otherwise you can get in your head and you’ll make one mistake, but if you’re just focused on one thing, you’re able to keep your same rhythm going through. Your team’s also always cheering you on, and I think that’s a big part because it helps lift you up, especially if it’s like a hard match. You turn and look and your team’s usually right there.
Q: Do you have any routines before serving or returning before serving?
A: I always count my balls. I don’t have a specific number, but when I bounce the ball, I like to count them. Otherwise I’ll just totally miss my serve. I’ll count to seven or I’ll count to five, whatever it is. It just helps me focus on the point and allow myself to reset. It really depends on the match, but I always count the number of bounces when I’m serving. And then on returns, I always do the same footwork. When I come up I get my feet ready and I wait a second and then they serve. So I have a brief moment before they serve to get this ball in. And I always tell myself ‘get this ball in’ rather than ‘don’t miss.’ If you say it has a negative connotation, it’s in your head already.
Weaver and the women’s tennis team now prepare to travel to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina for their annual spring trip. They kick off the trip against Carleton College (Minnesota) March 24.