Outlooks on McMaster tennis teams

C/O Travis Nguyen

As the Ontario tennis season comes to a close, there’s lots to look forward to in the coming year

After more than a year and a half of the COVID-19 break, the Ontario University Athletics made a return, which got student athletes back in the spotlight. One of the sports to make a comeback was tennis, who had their season start in September and subsequently end in October. 

Going into the new season, both of the McMaster teams had no previous championship-winning experience. In the previous years the OUA championships were dominated by the Western Mustangs and University of Toronto Varsity Blues, with the Mustangs winning six out of eight times in the Men’s category. 

Overall, the season for both the Marauders men’s and women’s tennis teams did not end as well as they’d hoped. Both teams failed to make it past their regional qualifiers and therefore missed out on the OUA championship spot which took place in the Western Tennis Centre on Oct. 23. The OUA championships ended with the Varsity Blues winning in the women's section, while the Mustangs clinched their third successive title in the men’s section. 

Jovana Paramentic, one of the women's varsity tennis players, described how it felt to be back on the court after such a long time away from it. 

“Obviously, the break affected me as a student athlete more than I thought it would. I grew up playing tennis on a regular basis, so not being able to play whenever I wanted felt odd. It definitely did alter my ability overall, but I am glad that after such a long time I am able to play once again,” said Paramentic. 

When asked about how she felt to be back, Paramentic described how happy she was to be representing McMaster once more. 

“Representing McMaster in any varsity sport is a big deal. I was looking forward to trying out and playing last year, but that obviously wasn't possible. The tryouts did make me a little bit nervous, but I was confident and I managed to get in. Even though it wasn't the best season performance-wise, I am just really happy that I am able to play with some competitiveness,” explained Paramentic. 

When asked about outlooks on the next season, Paramentic explained that she is certain that the team will continue to improve.

“This season wasn't the best, but I am confident that next will be better. I am sure that during the off season period we will all work hard on improving and hopefully come back stronger,” said Paramentic. 

Although the season for the Marauders has ended for this year, there is a lot to look forward to for the 2021-2022 season, in which McMaster will have another chance to impress in the OUA qualifiers.