Natalie Martin has had a perfect start to the tennis season, but she is not satisfied.

The junior from Montreal is 5-0 at No. 2 singles, while Eastern is also 5-0 as a team.

Beginning the season with a win streak is nothing new for Martin. She started last season with 12 consecutive wins at No. 2 singles and finished the season 20-2.

“She definitely could have won in both of the matches she lost,” said senior Stephanie Harmazy.

Martin was named to the All-Ohio Valley Conference First Team last season, and was the lone Eastern player to win in the Panthers’ OVC Tournament semifinal loss to Murray State.

After being so close to a perfect individual season last year, and beginning 5-0 this year, Harmazy can’t help but think about the possibility of an undefeated season.

Harmazy said Martin has the physical ability and mental toughness to finish the season without a loss.

Martin is tough to beat because of her strong all-around game. She has a good serve and the range to cover the entire court.

She has also made it a priority to stay aggressive in her matches. That allows her to set herself up for easier shots and end the point faster.

Going undefeated, though, is more than just being better than the opponent. She knows the mental aspect is just as important as physical.

Harmazy said above all of her tennis skills, Martin’s biggest strength is that she just knows how to win.

“Tennis-wise, I’ve always felt I could beat anybody,” Martin said. “But sometimes last year I would go out and get nervous and my game would slip up.”

She’s learned from that, and has become a more confident player this season. Showing a positive attitude has been a part of to her success.

“This year I’ve been working on my confidence, and it helps when I realize what a great team we have,” Martin said.

The team is where she is most focused.

“Going undefeated would be a bonus, but it’s not something I’m thinking about,” Martin said. “The most important thing is for the team to win conference.”

She can help the team achieve that goal, not only by winning her matches, but also by providing leadership to the team.

Harmazy said Martin knows what to do on the court, and sets a good example for the team. She said Martin helps her teammates by giving advice and discussing strategy.

Martin said she is ecstatic with the way the team has started the season, and she said her teammates are coming into practice with excitement and enthusiasm for their next matches.

“It feels great,” Martin said. “We’ve been working hard, and it has been paying off. But we are never satisfied. There is always room for improvement.”

She said she wants the team to keep working hard as well as keep the great start from getting to their heads. While a perfect start is nice, Martin’s eyes are on the future.

“We have to think of the big picture – which is conference,” she said. “It’s fun to be 5-0 in non-conference matches, but the best is yet to come.”

The Panthers will put their undefeated record on the line when they play Illinois State at 7 p.m. Friday in Normal.

Micky Deming can be reached at 581-7944 or at jmdeming@eiu.edu.

Junior Tennis Player Natalie Martin enjoys passing her time on the road with ravaging games of Truth or Dare. (Bryce Peake/Daily Eastern News)

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