For freshman Savannah Slaysman, playing tennis at ASU was love at first sight. Now, she will get the chance to play for the team she grew up idolizing.
Slaysman started attending matches at the Whiteman Tennis Center as an eight-year-old. From that moment on, she felt at home.
“It has always been my dream to come and play on the team (at ASU),” Slaysman said. “I visited a couple of other schools, but I have always wanted to come here.”
Slaysman first got into competitive athletics playing softball. That was the sport her father wanted her to pursue. However, her desire to swing a bat didn’t last long.
Slaysman experienced her epiphanic moment when she was seven while watching the pros compete at Wimbledon.
Except the experience didn’t require a television with access to ESPN — popcorn and an available cushioned seat would do.
“It was literally a movie that I saw in the theaters,” Slaysman said. “I was like, tennis looks so cool. I want to play tennis!”
The movie Slaysman is referring to (“Wimbledon”) is a 2004 British romantic comedy starring Kirsten Dunst as a promising tennis star and Paul Bettany as a washed-out tennis pro.
Shortly after seeing this film, Slaysman put down her softball glove and grabbed a tennis racquet.
Both Slaysman's grandmother and her grandmother's twin sister played collegiately at ASU, and they were the ones that taught Slaysman the fundamentals. Her grandmother was an All-American during her time as a Sun Devil.
“A lot of people think my grandma got me into tennis,” Slaysman said. “(My grandma and sister) coached me, and then it took off from there.”
After a successful junior career playing in the USTA Southwest region, Slaysman was rewarded for her efforts.
Tennis Recruiting Network ranked Slaysman as the No. 1 player in Arizona, and she signed with the Sun Devils in November 2015.
Welcome 5-star recruit & local talent Savannah Slaysman to #ASU! She's ranked No. 28 nationally in the 2016 class! pic.twitter.com/MCzEzGgrSP
— Sun Devil Tennis (@sundeviltennis) November 12, 2015
After turning her dream into reality, Slaysman has enjoyed working with her teammates, head coach Sheila McInerney and assistant coach Matt Langley.
“It’s great having the support of the coaches and my teammates,” Slaysman said. “They're really encouraging, helpful, and they know a lot about the game of tennis.”
Slaysman already has an idea of what wins her matches — it’s just a matter of refining her tool box.
“I like to use my slice and use drop shots and angles so they don’t know what’s coming,” Slaysman said. “I think I need to improve every facet of my game. The college level is a huge step up from the junior level.”
In addition to working on technique, Slaysman realizes the importance of being mentally and physically strong.
“When you're at a level like this it’s all about who is mentally tougher,” Slaysman said. “I’m really big into positive self talk, and I think that makes a huge difference for me.”
Thanks to Slaysman's life-long connection with ASU, Coach McInerney has watched her newest addition grow and develop over a long period of time.
“She has had really good coaching, so she doesn’t have any technical flaws,” McInerney said. “She is not somebody were going to have spend a lot of time changing grips and strokes.”
Right from the get-go, McInerney is noticing qualities that most freshman don’t possess.
“It’s only been a month since she has been here but you can already see her moving up to the baseline looking to dictate. She’s got a really good feel for the net,” McInerney said. “She knows when she puts someone in trouble to knock them off with the volley."
McInerney ultimately views this as a huge plus, adding that it should help Slaysman in doubles.
McInerney acknowledged that Slaysman has surprised her often with her even-keeled nature and a great mentality behind the net.
“She is a great kid and loves to play tennis,” McInerney said. “I think she is going to be a great leader.”
McInerney is convinced that Slaysman will be a great teammate. Sophomore Sammi Hampton couldn’t agree more. Both Slaysman and Hampton walk to class together every day and have developed a great friendship.
“Savannah is always smiling,” Hampton said. “I don’t think I’ve ever been around her when she’s in a bad mood.
“She runs her heart out and works her butt off in the weight room so she doesn’t just hustle on the court, which I absolutely love,” Hampton continued. “It pushes all of us other girls to compete and work hard alongside her."
Slaysman, smiling all the way, is ready to start her Sun Devil experience with Hampton and the rest of her teammates.
“I like to be able to have the opportunity to play a lot of matches, to be able to travel with the team and experience that whole part of college tennis," she said.
Having come full circle, Slaysman plans on making an immediate impact while adding to her family’s legacy of tennis greatness.
Reach the reporter at jjacquez@asu.edu or follow @joejacquezaz on Twitter.
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