Spring Break
Women's tennis to avoid sting
JASON BUTT
Issue date: 2/28/07 Section: Sports
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A 5-foot-2-inch freshman from Nishinomiya, Japan with a competitive swagger is just what the doctor ordered for the Georgia women's tennis team.
No. 16 Georgia (6-0) hosts No. 3 Georgia Tech (8-2)
When: 2:30 p.m. today
Where: Dan Magill Tennis Complex
Admission: Free
Naoko Ueshima has provided an immediate impact for the Lady Bulldogs, starting the season with five straight wins in singles.
Ueshima's game relies on her patience and consistency, traits that coach Jeff Wallace loves.
"Naoko plays smart and you know what you're going to get and that's a great competitor," Wallace said.
Ranked as high as No. 4 in the juniors in Japan, Ueshima moved to the United States for the second time when she was 17 - this time to attend Heritage Academy High School and train at the Van Der Meer Tennis Academy in Hilton Head, S.C.
According to Ueshima, it was at this point when her game elevated to a higher level.
"I wasn't a good player until I was 17," Ueshima said, "After 17, I started to find some good results."
On the court, Ueshima models her game after professional tennis player Martina Hingis. Ueshima, like Hingis, has to rely on her endurance and quick thinking to fight through matches in order to make up for her small stature.
"Martina Hingis is not that tall and she's not that strong, but she plays really smart tennis and that's how I want to play," Ueshima said.
Ueshima and the rest of the No. 16 Lady Bulldogs (6-0) will have to play smart today as they get ready to take on No. 3 Georgia Tech (8-2).
The Yellow Jackets are led by 10th-ranked Kristi Miller. Miller and her supporting cast of seven other Top-100 players look to give the Lady Bulldogs their first blemish of the season.
The Yellow Jackets boast wins over No. 1 Stanford and No. 2 Notre Dame while navigating through one of the toughest schedules in the country.
Georgia will try to beat the Yellow Jackets for the first time in three years while Ueshima's teammate, No. 11 Natalie Frazier, vies for her 100th career victory as a Bulldog.
Ueshima is looking forward to the match because much is at stake.
"I'm totally pumped about this and so are all of my teammates," Ueshima said.
"I think we are in really good shape to beat Tech.
We're mentally and physically ready."
Ueshima and the women's tennis team will have their shot at taking the sting out of the Yellow Jackets today at 2:30 p.m. at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
WOMEN'S TENNIS
No. 16 Georgia (6-0) hosts No. 3 Georgia Tech (8-2)
When: 2:30 p.m. today
Where: Dan Magill Tennis Complex
Admission: Free
Naoko Ueshima has provided an immediate impact for the Lady Bulldogs, starting the season with five straight wins in singles.
Ueshima's game relies on her patience and consistency, traits that coach Jeff Wallace loves.
"Naoko plays smart and you know what you're going to get and that's a great competitor," Wallace said.
Ranked as high as No. 4 in the juniors in Japan, Ueshima moved to the United States for the second time when she was 17 - this time to attend Heritage Academy High School and train at the Van Der Meer Tennis Academy in Hilton Head, S.C.
According to Ueshima, it was at this point when her game elevated to a higher level.
"I wasn't a good player until I was 17," Ueshima said, "After 17, I started to find some good results."
On the court, Ueshima models her game after professional tennis player Martina Hingis. Ueshima, like Hingis, has to rely on her endurance and quick thinking to fight through matches in order to make up for her small stature.
"Martina Hingis is not that tall and she's not that strong, but she plays really smart tennis and that's how I want to play," Ueshima said.
Ueshima and the rest of the No. 16 Lady Bulldogs (6-0) will have to play smart today as they get ready to take on No. 3 Georgia Tech (8-2).
The Yellow Jackets are led by 10th-ranked Kristi Miller. Miller and her supporting cast of seven other Top-100 players look to give the Lady Bulldogs their first blemish of the season.
The Yellow Jackets boast wins over No. 1 Stanford and No. 2 Notre Dame while navigating through one of the toughest schedules in the country.
Georgia will try to beat the Yellow Jackets for the first time in three years while Ueshima's teammate, No. 11 Natalie Frazier, vies for her 100th career victory as a Bulldog.
Ueshima is looking forward to the match because much is at stake.
"I'm totally pumped about this and so are all of my teammates," Ueshima said.
"I think we are in really good shape to beat Tech.
We're mentally and physically ready."
Ueshima and the women's tennis team will have their shot at taking the sting out of the Yellow Jackets today at 2:30 p.m. at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
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