Senior Ivana Stefanova has started her final Monmouth College tennis season with an undefeated record, continuing through her first five matches. After three years of playing, she has gone into the final season with a different mindset.
“This year, I wanted to have fun. I want to enjoy what I am doing, like playing tennis, no matter the results,” Stefanova said. “I keep telling myself in matches, calm down, everything’s fine, and I think winning has come as a result of that.” Instead of putting pressure on herself, she is focusing on enjoying the sport and staying calm on the court. “I’m not letting my frustrations take over my game. So that’s my main focus, just staying calm.”
However, she doesn’t want to rely only on scores and winning or losing, but on the opportunity to finish the last four years loving the sport she has spent so long playing. This year has given her time to reflect on her past seasons and take that pressure off herself. Now, in her last year at Monmouth College, she can see how much she has improved as an athlete and with her overall mindset toward the sport.
“I think the level of tennis I’m playing, I’m happy with,” she said. “I had a lot to learn, but I think I’m a lot better than I was when I came in my freshman year.” Stefanova continued to find ways to improve, even in her fourth season, which has helped her find the results she wanted. Developing those skills since freshman year has allowed her to let go of past frustrations and play with an entirely different mindset.
Stefanova’s new approach to the sport has helped her produce results that she is proud of. She hopes to carry on with these results while making the most out of her season. As she moves forward with the rest of the season, she will continue enjoying her last matches as an athlete with Monmouth College.
