Head coach Mike Axford of the women’s tennis Huskies has the unenviable task of replacing two prolific winners in former co-captains Silvia Oliveros and Samantha Jang-Stewart. Fortunately, junior Nathalia Rondelli appears poised to take on a more important role this season after going 10-1 in the number two singles slot last spring.
“Nathalia is a really good athlete,” said Axford. “She’s a complete player. There are no weaknesses in her game.”
Rondelli’s 29 singles wins over her first two seasons are second only to fellow junior Asel Otunchieva’s 31 victories among returning players for Axford’s squad this season. She will return to the number three singles slot in the lineup, where she went 7-4 last season.
“Last spring, she was able to mix the game up and make it really difficult on her opponents,” said Axford. “She’s also a really good defender. She’s able to run the balls and always make her opponent play one more shot to win the point.”
The lineup spot paid off for Rondelli and the Huskies right away on Saturday, as Rondelli earned a straight set victory over Cortney Heileman of Saginaw Valley State.
Born in Belfold Poxo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Rondelli grew up with the opportunity to play tennis both in her home country and in the neighboring countries of Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina. This competition experience prepared her for life in the GLIAC.
Rondelli will be expected to take on a leadership role in doubles this season as well. She will start the season partnered up with sophomore transfer Ploy Suthijindawong. Over two seasons with Oliveros as a partner, Rondelli racked up 31 wins.
“Doubles and singles are different. You don’t necessarily have the same confidence in both,” said Axford. “Silvia and Nathalia worked well together. Ploy and Nathalia need to talk a lot and they need to work together.”
The duo has opened the season 1-1 after defeating Debra Hammond and Yunjiao Shangguan of Saginaw Valley State.
On top of being an outstanding player on the court, Rondelli is strong in the classroom setting as well. A psychology major, Rondelli carries a grade point average over 3.0.
“At Michigan Tech, we want athletes who are students first,” said Axford. “Those kinds of players are good fits in a lot of places.”