By Kendall Upchurch – Staff Reporter

Junior Courtney Russo is the #2 singles player for the Jonathan Law girls tennis team. Advocate Staff Reporter Kendall Upchurch interviewed Russo about her spring season. 

Kendall Upchurch: What was the single match or moment when you felt everything finally clicked?

Courntney Russo: The single match I played this year that made everything fall into place was my match against Cheshire. I went into it not expecting a win and came out on top twice, which felt amazing. Also, this season I won 2 state matches, which felt amazing.

KU: What is the number one thing you and your coaches are focusing on improving each match?

CR: The number one thing I focus on improving isn’t my physical playing but my mental playing. The physical aspect is the easiest of all. The mental part is hard because you’re out on the court all alone, so when I play badly, it’s difficult to get back by myself.

KU: How did you manage the mental side of the game when a match wasn’t going your way?

CR: The way I handled the mental side of the matches was by trying to get a lead early on in the match. When I’m up, I play amazingly with a good mindset, but when I’m down, I tend to crumble more.

KU: Who was your toughest opponent this year, and how did playing them make you a better player?

CR: My toughest opponents this year were all of the people I played against when I played #1 singles. It’s not my normal spot on the lineup, so it was challenging, but it definitely helped my playing when I played #2 singles players.

KU: How did your season go overall? 

CR: Overall, my season didn’t go as well as I wanted it to. My record wasn’t amazing, and I would have preferred to get more wins, but I know I tried my best, and I still have another season.