Women's tennis looks for new No. 1 singles player

The IU women’s tennis team will have to replace an integral part of its lineup from last year.

Leslie Hureau played in the No. 1 singles position since her sophomore year and was a four time All-Big Ten Player. She graduated last year and left behind a hole in the lineup.

IU Coach Lin Loring said Hureau had a great influence on the team, and it will be tough to replace her.

“She was a great team member, a great team leader and obviously she was a pretty good player,” Loring said. “We knew we had a solid No. 1 for three years, and she was just a great competitor.”

Loring has not made a final decision and has been rotating different players in the No. 1 spot. One of the top contenders to make the jump to this position is junior Katie Klyczek.

Klyczek has played No. 1 singles in all of the preseason tournaments thus far and said she is up to the challenge. In the Hoosier Classic, a tennis preseason event, Klyczek went undefeated.

On the second day of the June Steward Invitational, Klyczek won in straight sets as a singles player and won a doubles match alongside Carolyn Chupa.

When asked about the difference between No. 1 and No. 2 singles, Kylczek said, “Obviously every point counts the same for the team, but it’s a big responsibility, and you always have to expect that you’re going to play a really tough match no matter who you’re playing.”

The regular season begins in early January, which means she still has time to practice and improve her game.

“I feel like I still need to work on working through the point and maintaining patience,” Klyczek said. “I just want to stay focused throughout the whole match.”

Although Hureau is no longer at IU, the women’s tennis team wants to retain her firepower and knowledge of the game through current players.

“I would love to play with Leslie’s attitude and demeanor on the court,” Klyczek said. “She always kept her composure, fought for each point, and her game was excellent. So I would like to be able to take that with me.”

Follow reporter Greg Gottfried on Twitter @gott31.