SE: Turco Rides Competitiveness, Motivation to Success for K-State Tennis
Apr 04, 2019 | Tennis, Sports Extra
By Corbin McGuire
Anna Turco has always had something to prove on the tennis court.
K-State's sophomore, tied for the team lead in wins (11) this spring, has been around the game since she was 7 or 8 years old. She started out just watching her older brother and father play each other. At some point, she grew tired of sitting on the side and turning her head back and forth.
"I wanted to compete," the Italian said. "Instead of him, I wanted it to be me playing on the court. I wanted to show them that I'm good, too. As soon as I had the opportunity to play, I was so excited. I think I fell in love with it pretty much from the beginning."
More than a decade later, Turco's love for the game has her playing it more than 5,000 miles from home. Still, every time she takes the court, she does so the same way she started: With something to prove.
Lately, however, it's been about what she believes she can do. Not others.
Turco lost her first three Big 12 matches this season, all in three sets, two of which were against ranked opponents. The last one, against No. 105 Bojana Markovic from Texas, ate at Turco. She lost the last set, 5-7, amplifying her frustration but also her drive.
"I think that gave me the motivation because I was always so close," Turco said, "but was never able to close the match."
Since the Texas loss, Turco has won three straight Big 12 matches.
She cruised to wins against Baylor (6-3, 6-0) and TCU (6-0, 6-2), before facing a big challenge in Texas Tech freshman Kennedy Bridgforth, a five-star recruit out of Florida. Turco dropped the first set, 2-6, but dominated the second, 6-1.
Even so, doubt crept into Turco's mind. She had lost all four three-set matches earlier in the season. Why would this one be any different?
"I'm at this point again."
"I never win in these important moments."
Turco said both these thoughts entered her mind. She managed to overcome them, however, as well as a 3-5 deficit in the third set. She won four games in a row to win it, 7-5. Monumental would be a fitting way to describe what the win meant to her.
"I proved to myself that I can do it," she said. "I was down but I kept fighting. In those important moments, especially 5-all, I played a really good game, so I'm, like, 'OK, I can actually do that.'
"It was really good for me to close that set, to win this match, especially for my confidence."
The difference this time, Turco said, was finding a balance of aggression and consistency. She tried to dictate the match more, as opposed to reacting to it.
Turco also played well on her heels. On one point, Bridgforth ran Turco back and forth on the baseline three times. Each time, all Turco could do was weakly return it and try desperately to get to the next one. After Turco's third return, Bridgforth slammed the ball into the net.
The momentum swing was palpable.
The moment was a short, yet impressive glimpse into Turco's success this season. With three regular season matches left, including a pair at home this weekend against West Virginia and Iowa State, Turco has already surpassed her dual win total (10) as a freshman. Even more, she's 7-2 at the No. 3 spot, a year after spending most of her time at the No. 5 position.
"I think part of my game is just to fight and stay in every point. The other girl has to deserve it," Turco said. "It's good because the other girl feels the pressure. She has to feel that I'm always in the match and I will always fight. Every ball I will try to get to, so she really needs to win the point and deserve it. That's part of my game."
Turco developed that part of her game since she was a young girl. Since she started the sport playing against her older brother — faster, stronger and more experienced than her — she constantly had to find ways to keep a point alive. Her competitiveness refused to allow herself to give in, which led to such intense on-court battles with her sibling that they sometimes went a day or two without talking afterward.
Not much has changed since then. Turco still finds motivation from across the net.
"It was a good environment for competition. We always played together, so we always motivated each other. More than competition, it was more motivation," Turco said. "I still come in and try to pump myself up with everything. I'm better when I'm a little bit more motivated."
Anna Turco has always had something to prove on the tennis court.
K-State's sophomore, tied for the team lead in wins (11) this spring, has been around the game since she was 7 or 8 years old. She started out just watching her older brother and father play each other. At some point, she grew tired of sitting on the side and turning her head back and forth.
"I wanted to compete," the Italian said. "Instead of him, I wanted it to be me playing on the court. I wanted to show them that I'm good, too. As soon as I had the opportunity to play, I was so excited. I think I fell in love with it pretty much from the beginning."
More than a decade later, Turco's love for the game has her playing it more than 5,000 miles from home. Still, every time she takes the court, she does so the same way she started: With something to prove.
Lately, however, it's been about what she believes she can do. Not others.
Turco lost her first three Big 12 matches this season, all in three sets, two of which were against ranked opponents. The last one, against No. 105 Bojana Markovic from Texas, ate at Turco. She lost the last set, 5-7, amplifying her frustration but also her drive.
"I think that gave me the motivation because I was always so close," Turco said, "but was never able to close the match."
Since the Texas loss, Turco has won three straight Big 12 matches.
She cruised to wins against Baylor (6-3, 6-0) and TCU (6-0, 6-2), before facing a big challenge in Texas Tech freshman Kennedy Bridgforth, a five-star recruit out of Florida. Turco dropped the first set, 2-6, but dominated the second, 6-1.
Even so, doubt crept into Turco's mind. She had lost all four three-set matches earlier in the season. Why would this one be any different?
"I'm at this point again."
"I never win in these important moments."
Turco said both these thoughts entered her mind. She managed to overcome them, however, as well as a 3-5 deficit in the third set. She won four games in a row to win it, 7-5. Monumental would be a fitting way to describe what the win meant to her.
"I proved to myself that I can do it," she said. "I was down but I kept fighting. In those important moments, especially 5-all, I played a really good game, so I'm, like, 'OK, I can actually do that.'
"It was really good for me to close that set, to win this match, especially for my confidence."
The difference this time, Turco said, was finding a balance of aggression and consistency. She tried to dictate the match more, as opposed to reacting to it.
Turco also played well on her heels. On one point, Bridgforth ran Turco back and forth on the baseline three times. Each time, all Turco could do was weakly return it and try desperately to get to the next one. After Turco's third return, Bridgforth slammed the ball into the net.
The momentum swing was palpable.
The moment was a short, yet impressive glimpse into Turco's success this season. With three regular season matches left, including a pair at home this weekend against West Virginia and Iowa State, Turco has already surpassed her dual win total (10) as a freshman. Even more, she's 7-2 at the No. 3 spot, a year after spending most of her time at the No. 5 position.
"I think part of my game is just to fight and stay in every point. The other girl has to deserve it," Turco said. "It's good because the other girl feels the pressure. She has to feel that I'm always in the match and I will always fight. Every ball I will try to get to, so she really needs to win the point and deserve it. That's part of my game."
Turco developed that part of her game since she was a young girl. Since she started the sport playing against her older brother — faster, stronger and more experienced than her — she constantly had to find ways to keep a point alive. Her competitiveness refused to allow herself to give in, which led to such intense on-court battles with her sibling that they sometimes went a day or two without talking afterward.
Not much has changed since then. Turco still finds motivation from across the net.
"It was a good environment for competition. We always played together, so we always motivated each other. More than competition, it was more motivation," Turco said. "I still come in and try to pump myself up with everything. I'm better when I'm a little bit more motivated."
Players Mentioned
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