Building a well-organized, winning culture is essential for any sports team to function. The Georgia State men’s tennis team established one before the season began, beginning with personnel.
“We have a couple of new faces on the team, one transfer and one player just joined us from Romania this semester,” Jonathan Wolff said. “I think COVID has brought us closer together. Our guys do a great job of having a great culture like a family, win or lose.”
The team’s stronger bond got them a 12-5 record in the Sun Belt Conference. According to Wolff, they have a target on their back, and they know they must come ready to play every match.
“Every year, we play most of your tougher competition, like your power five schools and other schools at the beginning of the season,” Wolff said.
The Georgia State men’s tennis team knows how hard they have to win these matches against the Sun Belt Conference’s tough competition.
“We know the tough competition and what’s out there. We’re putting in the hard work on and off the court,” Wolff said. “The way this schedule is going, these teams are tough, but they’re beatable, and our guys just keep believing every time they step on the court, they’re the better team.”
In this unusual season with the COVID-19 protocols and not having a fall tournament schedule, the team still has had multiple bright spots in their singles and doubles play. Andrei Duarte, Vazha Shubladze, who recently just won student-athlete of the week, and Robert Grinvalds have been undeniably good for coach Wolff.
Every player and coach has a set of goals they want to accomplish in the season’s duration, which Wolff and his staff produce.
“We have team goals; some guys have double goals to get ranked in doubles,” Wolff said. “Our team goal, of course, is to win a conference championship [But] the main goal is to be in our best form going in mentally and physically going in, and our smaller goal is to stay healthy.”
According to Wolff, as the team gets mentally and physically prepared, they do not have to worry about their fitness level. However, maintaining excellent health could take a total team effort to bring home a conference title.
“I know it’s easy to pinpoint one guy like yesterday the sixth guy clinched, but then it was a total team effort for the doubles, and it happened to be that last guy on the court able to clinch it,” Wolff said. “Always a team effort, and I give credit to all the guys for what they have done so far, and hopefully, we can keep the win streak alive.”
