They grew up 4,984 miles from each other, and in some cosmic experience, the two would end up playing doubles for the LSU women’s tennis team.
Junior Rocio Fantilli, a native of Puerto Madryn, Argentina, and freshman Lauren Seaman from Metairie, La., prove to be an exciting doubles team week in and week out. The pair has combined for a 9-9 record on the season and defeated three top 50 doubles teams this season.
“They’re both really aggressive and good at the net,” said women’s tennis coach Tony Minnis. “Lauren has improved tremendously since she’s gotten here. Rocio is one of the best doubles players in the country. They’re just real solid.”
The Lady Tigers continue to benefit from the success of the pair. Fantilli and Seaman willed the team to victories over No. 26 Tulane, No. 47 Ohio State and No. 53 Ole Miss, winning crucial matches in each.
Overall, the Lady Tigers (11-10, 3-7 Southeastern Conference) are winners of four of their last six games, including a current three-game winning streak.
Fantilli and Seaman have been impressive lately, handing out defeats to two top 15 teams in the past two weeks. The tandem defeated the No. 1 doubles team from Vanderbilt University, Aleke Tsoubanos and Sarah Riske, and No. 12 Jenny Kuhn and Julie Smekodub from Tulane University.
“They won both of those matches on the road,” Minnis said. “They were both in matches where we had to have it, especially in Tulane, to win it.”
The duo’s losses may be just as impressive as their victories. This season, they lost four close matches to doubles teams that are ranked in the top 30 in the nation — No. 6 from Tennessee, No. 8 from Kentucky, No. 14 from Florida and No. 30 from Tulsa.
Minnis knows the experience the two gain from SEC play will factor into future success.
“I think that as they continue to progress and work hard, it should give them a lot of confidence, especially going into next year,” he said. “And if they continue improving and work hard over the summer, they have the type of style that they can be a top five team, easily.”