Ronney gains international perspective on summer tour

It's not much, but that's not the point.

$100 in prize winnings won't lift you into the rarified air of Serena Williams or Maria Sharapova, but it certainly helps with tournament fees and probably paid for some tapas that night.

What that cool Benjamin represented for Montana's Julia Ronney was something much more valuable to her and her Grizzly teammates, something that is uncommon for an American collegiate tennis player: success on the professional stage.

Earlier this summer, Ronney got the opportunity of a lifetime to travel to Spain where she not only qualified for her first International Tennis Federation (ITF) professional tournament but advanced through to the main draw with three-straight wins and put in a good showing against one of the top 700 players in the world.

The San Diego native who earned All-Big Sky honors her freshman year at UM spent three weeks immersing herself in Spanish culture and playing in two warm-up tournaments in Barcelona before qualifying for her first-ever ITF professional event, the $15,000 Madrid.

When she stepped on the big stage in Madrid, Ronney was at her best, winning three-straight matches to advance to the main draw of the tournament where she held her own against a highly ranked opponent to earn the $100 consolation prize.

"I honestly had no idea what to expect," said Ronney. "I knew some of the girls in the qualifying draw were ranked in the top 800 in the world, so I knew it wasn't going to be easy."

She started hot in her first match of the qualification draw, dominating Spaniard Victoria Lisson 6-0, 6-3 to get off on the right foot. She followed that up with a three-set, come-from-behind win over Canadian Keira Blackbeard (1-6, 6-4, 6-4), then earned a place in the main draw with another three-set win over Italian Elena De Santis (6-2, 4-6, 6-4).

In the main event, Ronney squared off against Spain's Maria Jose Luque Moreno, who has been ranked as high as 643 in the world this year. While Luque Moreno built an early lead, Ronney fought back in the second set, picking up three games before falling 6-0, 6-3.

"It was an awesome experience to be able to play her, but she was very good. I started coming back in the second set, and I was actually in it. So, it was awesome to realize I'm not too far away," she said.

Impressive stuff.

Perhaps more impressive though is that she advanced that far after having to adjust her entire game, transitioning from the fast-paced American hard court to the slower, more methodical Spanish clay courts.

"Clay court is a lot different than hard court because the points are a lot longer and the balls bounce a lot higher. It's hard to win points off what feels like a winning shot. I feel like you have to hit more than ten balls on every single point," she added.

"But the biggest thing about clay is that you have to slide with your feet, which I had never done. So, it was a hard transition."

Ronney's three weeks in Spain were about more than just playing high-level tennis, however. The Grizzly tennis family reaches far and wide, so she took the opportunity to spend time with former Griz Victor Casadevall and Ignacio Tejerina, both Spaniards who helped introduce her to the new culture.

She also extended an early welcome to a future teammate at UM, getting lunch with incoming freshman Claudia Reguant of Barcelona.

"It was super cool to meet her. I'm really excited because when I was coming in, I didn't really know anyone, didn't know the team, so it was awesome we got that bond started," said Ronney. "We're excited to have her at Montana."

Ronney With del Potro — Ronney with Juan Martín del Potro

The trip had other highlights as well, including a brush with greatness in meeting former US Open champion and current world No. 4 Juan Martín del Potro after playing a warm-up tournament in Barcelona.

"I had just lost, and I was upset. So, I'm walking off the court, and I look to my left, and there was del Potro hitting casually, and I started freaking out," she laughed. "Everyone else was playing cool, but I was freaking out."

Ronney says all of this adds up to an experience she'll keep with her for the rest of her life, but also an experience that will help her as she prepares to return to Griz tennis in the fall to build on one of the most successful freshman seasons in program history.

"I had to change my whole mindset on how I played against these girls on clay. So, it was a mental training thing where you have to figure out a way, which I can take anywhere I go, but especially in college because you have to figure out a way no matter who you're playing," she added.

Now entering his eleventh year as Montana's women's tennis head coach, Steve Ascher sees Ronney's experience as a springboard for her, but also for his entire squad. He says, to reach the heights his team saw in the not-so-distant past, all eight players on the roster need to be getting out there and seeing what the world of tennis has to offer.

"It's awesome what Julia did. I feel like everyone needs to take these kinds of opportunities,"
Ascher said.

What is obvious to anyone who pays attention to the way Ascher builds his nonconference schedule, is that he believes in the adage that to be the best you have to beat the best.

"Going pro" (a unique capability in college tennis) is something he says can only benefit the entire team, especially if you begin the process early.

"Players talk about this idea of going pro. Why can't you do that now? Why does it have to be at a later stage? College might be the best time you have to immerse yourself in pro events, and she took that opportunity," said Ascher.

"So, she's already gone pro. She's done it, and she had some success. Now she gets that feedback that she belongs. Now the other piece is, what I need to do to hit my next goal? What's next?"

What's next for Ascher and the Griz is rebuilding a program that was a regular contender for the Big Sky championship up until the past two seasons where they have failed to make the postseason tournament.

Ascher says that the more his team opens themselves up to opportunities during the summer, the better off the Griz will be come April when the conference tourney rolls around.

"I want them to realize they can just go do these things and it will make us better. Go do something different. Go learn. Go play. Go to Spain. Go to Canada. Go to Joplin, Missouri… Anywhere. Just go. I hope her experience rubs off because if we're all doing things like this, they'll be held accountable to the group," said Ascher.

As for Ronney, she says she'll be as prepared as ever when it comes time to return to Missoula and work her way back to the top of UM's lineup like she did as a freshman.

"It was an eye-opening trip because I was right there with some of the top girls in the world," she said.

"More than anything it motivates me to go and crush this next season. We have a tough schedule, and I know I'll see a similar level there, so it makes me realize I'm not that far off and I can totally compete."

Montana's complete 2018-19 schedule will be released in the coming weeks. With an exciting recruiting class inbound this fall and experience like Ronney's rubbing off on an already young, but talented squad, UM's prospects are looking up.

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Ronney gains international perspective on summer tour

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