Rocio Fantilli did not have much time to prepare for the women’s spring tennis season. The junior from Puerto Madryn, Argentina, and No. 116 singles player in the nation, had an expired passport, which delayed her return to school.
“I got here, and three days later I’m playing matches so I didn’t have time to practice with the whole team,” Fantilli said. “But so far I think we’re playing matches pretty well.”
Fantilli owns an 11-5 overall record in singles play on the season, and along with freshman Lauren Seaman, are ranked No. 60 with an 8-3 mark in doubles competition.
LSU head coach Tony Minnis said Fantilli deserves to be ranked among the world’s best players, and she only will get better.
“Rocio has the most potential of anybody on our team,” Minnis said. “When she gets a little tougher and competes a little bit harder, she’s going to be a great player.”
Fantilli/Seaman lost to Florida State’s Dumiescu/Gheorgle 8-2 last Saturday.
“The last match I didn’t play as well as I wanted to, but I think I’m fine,” Fantilli said.
      Fantilli started playing tennis when she was six-years-old, though no one else in her family played any sports.
“I just wanted to play tennis,” she said. “I don’t know why.”
Fantilli finished her high school career as a highly-ranked doubles player and as the second-ranked singles player in the Argentinean national rankings.
As a freshman she finished the season ranked No. 27 in doubles, despite missing part of the fall season due to late enrollment. Fantilli said she has improved many parts of her game since she stepped onto campus.
“Since I got here, if I compare how I’m playing right now with my freshman year, I think I’ve really improved mentally,” she said. “I’m competing better and fighting more in every match.”
After college, Fantilli would like to join the professional tour, and it has always been a dream for her. She is confident her abilities will take her there.
“I just think it depends on how well I do in the next two years,” she said. “If I have the chance to play some pro tournaments after, then definitely I will.”
Until then, Fantilli wants to continue playing well on hard courts, which she used to play on in Argentina.
“I really want to be [in] the Top 50 in college at least this year,” she said. “I think I’m very capable of doing it.”