By
Dan Komyati
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Michelle Gough's road to tennis stardom started early, continues strongly
Growing up in Johannesburg, South Africa is a far cry from living in the desert of Tucson. Yet UA senior Michelle Gough has found common ground between the two - tennis.
With the racial tension from apartheid and the continual evolution of a nation into a new democracy, tennis became a constant for Gough in a childhood that was anything but stagnant.
"I grew up in a time where we were going through many changes," Gough said of her upbringing that saw an end to apartheid. "It was very interesting growing up that way, but at the same time, I didn't know any different."
Perhaps the same could be said for her fondness of tennis.
Following in the footsteps of several generations, Gough took up the game when she was 8-years-old and has yet to look back.
Excelling in the sport she loved led Gough to the "states" for the first time in 1998 as a highly touted 18-year-old freshman.
Having recently returned from the NCAA Indoor Championships that showcased the nation's elite collegiate players, Gough has developed into the emotional leader of a young Arizona squad. As the No. 1 singles player for the Wildcats, Gough has embraced the challenge, leading her team to an encouraging start of their season.
One of only two seniors, Gough said she enjoys the responsibility that comes with being one of the team's oldest players.
"Being an upperclassman has given me more goals to focus on and I enjoy the leadership responsibility," Gough said. Ranked in the top 50 nationally and with her team in the top 25, Gough added that she anticipates continual improvement from herself and her team as the season progresses.
UA head coach Brad Dancer said his team's captain has been a positive role model for her younger teammates. Arizona currently carries a pair of freshmen, Perrine Pernin and Debbie Larocque.
"Michelle has really done a great job of just going out and competing," Dancer said. "She is forgetting about the results of each individual point, and just working hard.
"She is more focused and - as a captain - the other players see that and rally around her."
The 2001 season has tested both the players and coaches. The team in particular has been forced to rally around some unfortunate early season controversy and a string of recent losses.
Gough's roommate and best friend, Lindsay Blau, quit the team before the start of the spring season citing conflicting attitudes with the coaching staff.
The two shared No. 1 singles duties for much of last year while developing into one of the top doubles pairings on the West coast.
Gough said the rift between her best friend and the program she represents was initially gut-wrenching.
"It was a very difficult time to go through," Gough said of Blau's decision to leave the team. "Not only for the team as a whole, but as a friend I saw how unhappy she was. We not only lost a good player on the team, but a good person and a good teammate."
Though the Wildcats bounced back to win four of five matches between Feb. 9 and Feb. 28, UA has faced more adversity of late.
In the past eight days, Arizona has dropped matches to No. 3 Duke, Southern California and UCLA by a combined score of 15-6.
In the matches, Gough went 0-3 in singles play, losing to USC's Jewel Perterson - one of the country's top singles players - 6-0, 6-0.
Like a No. 1 starter in baseball, Gough must face the opponent's top player, which often presents challenges to an individual player.
"This was a bitterly disappointing week for the girls as they had honest expectations of going 3-2 over Spring Break and the end result was a winless week," Dancer said. "It was also a time for learning, though."
Gough said despite the team's recent losing streak, the Wildcats aren't ready to throw in the towel.
"We're all super positive and working really hard," she said. "This is probably the nicest team I've been on (at Arizona). Even though we're young, we mesh together really well."
Pulling together and pulling for one another has become a staple for the team.
When youth and inexperience seem an overwhelming barrier for the women's tennis squad, the Wildcats will improve if they follow one simple rule - follow the leader.
