| Laura Granville | |||||||
|
Birthdate: May 12, 1981 Hometown: Chicago, Ill. Status: Pro (2001) |
Height: 5' 9" Plays: Right handed |
|
|||||
|
NCAA Highlights: - Won 2000-'01 NCAA Girls' Singles Championship - Set a new NCAA record by winning 58 consecutive matches during the 2000-'01 season - Won the singles championship at the 2001 Rolex National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships, one leg of the College Grand Slam - Won the doubles championship at the 2001 Rolex Championships. - Finished the 1999-2000 season ranked No. 1 in the NCAA - Won 1999-2000 NCAA Girls' Singles Championship as a Freshman
Junior Highlights: Interesting Fact: - Grandfather Edwin Lennox was a swimmer on the 1924 U.S. Olympic Team that competed in Paris. |
|||||||
|
SportsLine.com recently spoke with Laura. Here is what she had to say:
SportsLine: When did you realize that you were good enough to make tennis your career? Laura Granville: Throughout junior tennis it was a goal but I never actually said "I will be a pro." I haven't decided when I will turn pro, maybe after this season.
SportsLine: What is your training schedule like? Laura Granville: I play tennis five or six days per week for about two hours and I lift weights a couple of time each week for 45 minutes. I also run sprints and do some agility and aerobic work like biking and running.
SportsLine: What is the strongest part of your game right now? Laura Granville: My baseline game is the strongest, especially my backhand. My forehand is becoming more of a weapon now.
SportsLine: What part of your game needs the most work? Laura Granville: My serve and basic conditioning need some work and I have to improve my quickness.
SportsLine: What is your favorite thing about being on the court? Laura Granville: Competition - I love to compete in big matches.
SportsLine: What do you like least? Laura Granville: The lack of an off-season - Tennis can be grueling on the mind and body. I took time off last summer and it really helped get me get excited about the season.
SportsLine: Who has had the biggest influence on your game? Laura Granville: John Trump, my coach in Chicago. He has worked with me since I was ten years old.
SportsLine: Who has been your favorite player to watch? Laura Granville: I like watching Lindsay Davenport and Martina Hingis. Hingis is amazing, she knows exactly where she is hitting the ball.
SportsLine: Do you ever get discouraged with your game? Laura Granville: Not very often - more so in doubles.
SportsLine: How do you turn that around? Laura Granville: I work harder, especially in practice. It helps build my confidence back up.
SportsLine: Which surface should be outlawed? Laura Granville: I have issues with clay.
SportsLine: Have you ever been intimidated by an opponent? Laura Granville: No, but I've never played the top, top pros. In the future I am sure I will be.
SportsLine: Does the prospect of playing anyone in particular intimidate you? Laura Granville: Either of the Williams sisters because of their power and the intensity.
SportsLine: What would you like your legacy to be? Laura Granville: That I was a great person, modest, and nice to everyone.
SportsLine: In one word, what does it take to win? Laura Granville: Determination.
SportsLine: Do you feel like you sacrificed any part of your childhood because of the demands of tennis? Laura Granville: No, because I feel like I've had as normal a childhood as possible for a tennis player. I went to a public high school, not an academy, and now I'm in college.
SportsLine: What would you like to pursue after you retire? Laura Granville: I would like to come back to finish school. Maybe get my degree in psychology. |
