Cassandre Thebault grew frustrated as she remained on the sidelines with a leg injury through the Terrapins tennis team’s first 13 matches. The freshman hadn’t anticipated such a long rehab process after a preseason injury, but she wasn’t cleared to begin practicing until a few weeks ago.
Even then, Thebault was unable to compete in matches and watched as her teammates trudged through a stretch of eight losses in nine contests.
This Friday, however, Thebault made her season debut in the Terps’ 7-0 loss to No. 1 Duke. Thebault lost, 8-2, in doubles while partnered with Olivia Gaudreault, but was satisfied to play her first match in team competition as a Terp.
“I was really happy to play again,” Thebault said. “But also nervous because the match is not the same as practice.”
Coach Daria Panova said Thebault handled nerves well against the Blue Devils.
“The first match is about getting the little jitters out of the system and just learning to be back into the match,” Panova said. “There’s not that much of expectation. I think she played very well for her first day.”
Thebault didn’t compete in singles against Duke, but her presence caused a major shakeup in the usual doubles pairings.
Gaudreault was surprised Friday morning when she learned she would be playing with Thebault and not her usual partner, freshman Alexandra Stanova.
Gaudreault and Thebault didn’t practice together before the match, and the two struggled to find chemistry during play. Despite falling in No. 3 doubles, Gaudreault commended her teammate’s effort.
“She’s just coming back from being out a really long time,” Gaudreault said. “I think she did really well for this being her first match back. I’m really proud of her.”
Thebault hadn’t played since the fall semester, when she had mixed results. During the Cissie Leary Invitational tournament in Philadelphia in September, she received a bye in the first round and lost in the round of 16 in singles, but paired with freshman Kristina Hovsepyan to reach the round of 16 in doubles.
In doubles against Duke, though, the freshman had trouble returning to form after her extended absence.
“There are many things that I can improve a lot,” Thebault said. “In doubles, there are many skills I lost, like the reflex to be quick and know which ball to take.”
Thebault felt doubles competition provided an appropriate workload for her first match back. She said she would have lacked the conditioning to play singles and expects to improve with more training.
“I still have some difficulties with the cardio,” Thebault said. “I’m coming back, but it’s not easy.”
Thebault’s return didn’t propel the Terps to victory, and they extended their losing streak to six matches after failing to register a point against the Blue Devils.
But upcoming matches against No. 24 Notre Dame and Syracuse provide Thebault and the Terps a chance to rebound. And now that she’s finally returned to the court, Thebault can focus on her improving her game.
“I have to play matches in practice to get it better,” Thebault said.
