For many students, freshman year can be two of the most difficult semesters of their collegiate tenure. Freshman year was even more demanding for junior tennis player Joana Vale Costa, a native of Portugal, who came to LSU in January 2014.
“Her freshman season, she started in January, which is really difficult for any player, but I think especially for an international coming over and being in a whole new culture with a whole new language,” said LSU coach Julia Sell.
Vale Costa said although the transition was difficult, the tennis season starting right away helped keep her focus on tennis instead of missing home.
In all but two of 26 matches during her freshman season, Vale Costa played at the No. 1 spot for the Lady Tigers. She earned an 11-8 overall singles record, ranking as high as No. 69.
Vale Costa progressed into her sophomore season, reaching the NCAA Singles Championships and earning All-Southeastern Conference First Team honors. She ranked No. 32 in singles and finished the season with an overall record of 31-13.
“In her freshman season she played one, and playing one in the SEC is playing a top 500 player week in and week out,” Sell said. “She had no real concept of how competitive it is. So I think her first semester was really a struggle of not knowing how good college tennis was.
“The next year she was more prepared for the level that was going to come at her each week. Playing one is such a grind to keep yourself mentally sharp for five months straight. Two matches every single weekend is really difficult to handle with that kind of pressure. For her, she’s gotten used to it, but she’s also emotionally matured, and that’s helping her deal with the pressure of playing the top spot.”
To prepare for the upcoming season, Vale Costa trained throughout the summer and competed in tournaments at LSU and Portugal.
In the preseason, she competed in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-American tournament, reaching the opening round of the singles main draw. At the ITA Southern Regionals, she earned four wins and advanced to the semifinals before being defeated by her teammate, freshman Jessica Golovin.
Vale Costa said one of her most memorable preseason moments was beating Lauren Herring, a University of Georgia alumna ranked No. 598 by the Women’s Tennis Association.
“That was a great moment,” Vale Costa said. “I was talking to [LSU coach] Mike [Sell] the day before, and we were actually saying no one would beat me four times in a row. I was confident and knew what I had to do that time.”
Sell said beating Herring shows how much Vale Costa improved over the summer and throughout her career.
“Lauren had previously beaten Joana three times, so it was a little bit of a mental battle for her,” Sell said. “But I think she’s worked so hard on her game this past summer that you could really see the progress and development in her. The more she matures, the better her game gets.”
With one tournament left in the preseason, Vale Costa will prepare to defend her No. 20 ITA ranking when the Lady Tigers start their season Jan. 16.
Sell said Vale Costa ranking at No. 20 at the beginning of the preseason is a nod of respect to a player who works hard.
“To start a little higher and have that respect given right off the bat was a credit to her and her work and what she’s been doing,” Sell said. “It’s all about her going out and getting better every day. All I expect is that she just goes out and gives her all every day, that’s really all I want out of her.”
Vale Costa said there is pressure ranking in the top 20, but she tries not to think about it because she has other aspects of the game to focus on. Her success this season depends on keeping her focus, staying healthy and working to improve her game.
But moving up to the top 10 or top 5 on the way wouldn’t be too bad, she said.
“It’s really up to me and my coaches to keep working hard on the little things I have to work on and keep my mentality on the right path,” Vale Costa said. “Practicing and working hard, taking care of my body, that’s the most important part. I just have to keep working on the little things. I don’t like to think about rankings or anything because I want to be professional, so this is just a step forward to my professional career. But if I made at least top 10 or top 5, I wouldn’t mind that.”