This week, the ASU tennis team welcomes back its top player.
Junior Nadia Abdala has been sidelined with mononucleosis, but she will see her first action of the season at the exclusive ITA Regional Championships in San Diego, Calif.
“I’m not expecting much,” Abdala said. “I haven’t played in a while, but inside I know I can do well.”
The tournament begins Thursday and will continue through the weekend. It will be made up of the top 128 singles players and 64 doubles teams in the region.
“This is a hard tournament for her to start with,” McInerney said. “Her rhythm and timing will put her at a disadvantage.”
But the coach also stressed how nice it is to have a player of Abdala’s caliber back in the fold. ASU resumes team play Nov. 7 with the start of the ASU Thunderbird, a tournament hosted in Tempe.
“Nadia is a great player,” McInerney said. “I’m excited to have her back on the court. Any time you get a player like her back it can only make your team better.”
Players from Pac-10 Conference rivals USC, UCLA and UA will also be competing this weekend. Other conference players have already competed in the Northwest region.
Abdala will be playing for the first time in more than three weeks and is looking do shake off the rust. She missed three tournaments and is looking to get back on pace with her teammates.
“I have to be patient and do the things that will help me in the long run and not just this tournament,” Abdala said.
Improving timing and staying consistent are at the top of Abdala’s to-do list this week.
Representing ASU alongside Abdala will be sophomore Kelcy McKenna, who enters competition with plenty of confidence following her victory at the All-American Championships.
Abdala (19) and McKenna (20) were both ranked in the ITA’s preseason top 30 rankings; the pair makes ASU very tough at the No. 1 and No. 2 positions.
McInerney said she is hoping to get eight other players into the singles draw including senior Laila Abdala — Nadia’s older sister — and sophomore Micaela Hein.
Reach the reporter at todonnel@asu.edu.
