Illinois men’s tennis is continuing its Big Ten play, heading to Lincoln, Nebraska, to face the University of Nebraska. Despite enduring a challenging streak of defeats against three straight schools, the Illini won against the Cornhuskers in their last matchup, setting the Illini up in their favor.
“It’s a little bit of a tough start for us, to be honest,” said Illinois assistant coach Tim Kopinski. “It’s not the start we’re looking for.”
Although the Illini had a rocky start, it did not discourage them, as the ups and downs are equally a part of the process.
“You have little goals you’re trying to kind of accomplish every single day,” Kopinski said. “I think having the Big Ten tournament to play for is definitely motivating.”
Seeing the bigger picture keeps the Illini moving forward and not hanging up on temporary setbacks they may encounter. To keep the team moving forward, Kopinski stresses the importance of not focusing on winning or losing but rather making the opponent feel uncomfortable.
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“I think it’s just a big part of tennis and how you play,” Kopinski said. “Recognizing what they struggle with, and what you do well, and kind of leaning into that as the match goes.”
Tennis is about making quick decisions and playing off of the opponents; Kopinski has instilled this technique into his players to help them dominate their matches.
Along with training the players’ mentality, the team has been working on adapting to different conditions physically. The team plays indoors, outdoors and in any other weather condition they need to be ready for, no matter rain or sunshine.
“I think having that little bit of toughness and that backbone to us goes a long way,” Kopinski said. “It’s definitely uncomfortable for the guys because you just never know.”
The Illini are gearing up for a weekend of matches, facing the Cornhuskers Friday at 6 p.m. and traveling to Wisconsin to see the Badgers Sunday at 2 p.m.
