Former Purdue tennis player
gains experience
By Doug Healey
Assistant
Sports Editor
Former Boilermaker Jennifer Embry is gaining valuable
experience.
Embry and doubles partner Abigail Spears qualified
for the U.S. Open by winning two qualifying matches last weekend; however,
the duo lost in the tournament's first round on Wednesday. They were
defeated 6-3, 6-2 by second-seeded Virginia Ruano Pascual and Paola
Suares.
Mat Iandolo, Embry's coach at Purdue, went to Flushing
Meadows, N.Y., to watch her play.
"They held their own against the No. 2 doubles
team in the world," said Iandolo. "It's another step toward competing
against the best players in the world."
Embry's former coach said the environment of a
Grand Slam tournament can be exciting and intimidating.
"It's just a great experience (for Embry)," he
said. "But she's still a little awed by it. As she began to relax, she
began to play better. It's just a matter of being in those situations
more often."
This isn't the only major tournament Embry's qualified
for though. Embry played doubles at Wimbledon with Amanda Augustus,
losing 6-2, 6-1 in the first round to Laurence Courtois and Lina Krasnoroutskaya.
But even though Embry has lost in the first round
of each Grand Slam tournament, Iandolo expects her to keep improving.
"She has the talent to be a top 25 doubles player,"
he said. "A year from now she'll be between the top 25 and 50 doubles
players in the world."
Although he knows she'd like to win every match,
Iandolo said Embry keeps a positive attitude.
"I think she's more encouraged than frustrated,"
he said. "She's at the highest level in tennis, and you've got to be
encouraged about playing against the best."
After watching her play in the U.S. Open, Embry's
former coach said he can see changes in the way she carries herself
and the amount of confidence she has.
Iandolo also said it's hard to make a difference
in her game because he's not her coach anymore.
"She'll ask for advice and we'll give it, but I'm
in more of a support role now," he said.
Embry, a native of Houston, graduated from Purdue
in May 2000. While at Purdue, she was a three-time All-Big Ten selection
and two-time team most valuable player. She played in three NCAA doubles
championships and holds the Purdue record for doubles victories in a
season (24).
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