Stage Set For Laurent To Enjoy Big Spring, And Beyond
01/11/18 | Men's Tennis, @GoDucksMoseley
Two years after moving to Oregon from his native France, Thomas Laurent is carving his name in the UO record books, and thriving in the classroom as well.
A year ago as a sophomore, Thomas Laurent was an all-Pac-12 player on the tennis court for Oregon, and an academic all-conference selection in the classroom.
Originally from Montpellier, France, Laurent moved to a new country, learned a new language, enhanced his repertoire on the court and within two years became one of the top men's tennis student-athletes in the Pac-12. Ranked No. 6 in the country after a record-setting sophomore season and breakout junior fall, Laurent leads the Ducks into the start of the 2018 spring with a pair of matches Friday at the UO Student Tennis Center, against Idaho at 10 a.m. and then Portland State at 3 p.m.
A year after winning a UO single-season record 30 singles matches, and after making the semifinals of both the ITA All-American Championships and ITA Fall National Championships in the fall, Laurent is already in the conversation with players like two-time all-American Sven Swinnen among the all-time greats in Oregon men's tennis.
"He's up at that level – but he still needs to take another step or two," UO head coach Nils Schyllander said.
Laurent's track record suggests he's capable of taking them. And the platform he has at Oregon is allowing for it.
Back home in France, Laurent said, a high school graduate confronts a tough choice: He can continue his academic studies, and sacrifice playing tennis at a high level. Or he can begin playing professionally, while still needing to mature both mentally and physically.
"People stay healthier and stronger longer these days," Schyllander said. "When you come in as an 18-year old, and all of a sudden you're playing 26, 27-year olds, it's tough to break in."
Fortunately for Laurent, he had a third option: Moving to the United States to play with the Ducks.
"A lot of guys in France go pro, but they don't really know what they want," Laurent said. "College gives them a chance to actually improve; people on the tour aren't 18. College is a great option to grow up and improve. And a degree from America shows you're able to adapt to a new environment, and you can work worldwide."
Laurent proved his adaptability from the moment he arrived at Oregon. When an international player arrives in the States, Schyllander says he typically makes time to personally show him around campus and the city of Eugene. When Schyllander called to schedule time for such an orientation with Laurent two years ago, the coach was told not to worry – Laurent had quickly made friends with his roommate in the dorms, who wasn't a tennis player, and the two were getting acquainted with campus on their own.
Academically, Laurent said he focused intently on his first two terms, knowing the language barrier could be an issue. Once he was comfortable with English, he settled into a business major, and as a sophomore he was named Pac-12 all-academic first team. Recently, Laurent decided to give himself more career flexibility by changing to a general social science major, keeping a focus in business – a mid-college course change he said wouldn't have been possible at a university in France.
And on the tennis court, Laurent has been a sponge as well, soaking up the direction of Schyllander and his associate head coach, Jonas Piibor. As a freshman, Laurent played primarily in the No. 3 singles position; his game at that point involved little more than "running, just making balls and waiting, hoping the other guy would miss," Laurent said.
Laurent's repertoire began to expand right from the outset at Oregon, and in part from an unlikely source: doubles play. The concept of playing doubles was so foreign to Laurent when he first joined the Ducks, he sheepishly admits, that "they were laughing at me the first two practices. I wasn't great."
Laurent lost his doubles debut with the Ducks in spring 2016, and was pulled from the lineup. But he found magic in practice with partner Cormac Clissold, and when that duo joined the lineup they ended up winning a UO-record 15 straight matches. Entering Friday's start to the 2018 season, they're at 52 career victories as a tandem, five away from the Oregon career record set by Robin Cambier and Jeff Mullen from 2011-13.
Thanks in part to his doubles experience, Laurent has added a booming serve, and capable play up at the net. The enhancements to his game paid dividends during the historic run last fall, when Laurent used those elements to key a gritty three-set win in the quarterfinals of the ITA Fall Nationals.
"As a freshman, even halfway through his sophomore year, I think the only time he went to the net was to shake hands," Schyllander said. "All of a sudden he started mixing in serve-and-volley, and he completely turns the match."
Laurent said his breakout fall season came as a surprise, after a summer in which he returned home to France and started to feel burned out. But Schyllander said the semifinal berths in the two prestigious fall events were no accident – once Laurent returned to the structure of Oregon's program, he picked right back up where he left off last spring.
"I took a break and I changed racquets, so it put me in a different mindset," Laurent said. "Right away when I got back, I saw the guys and I was pretty motivated. And then right away I played well in the All-American."
Entering the start of his junior campaign Friday, Laurent has 49 career victories. That's just outside the Oregon career top-15, already, and more than halfway to 2017 senior Jayson Amos' school career record of 93. With the steps Laurent has taken with the Ducks, Schyllander said he's positioned to keep piling up wins for years to come, at Oregon and beyond.
"He's going to have a great degree to fall back on as well," Schyllander said. "But if he keeps doing what he's doing, there's no reason he can't play on after college, and for quite a while."
Fortunately for Schyllander and the Ducks, Laurent still has two more years of collegiate eligibility left. His junior campaign begins Friday, and with it the chance to further cement his legacy with the Ducks, while continuing the development on and off the court that Laurent said only the U.S. collegiate experience could have provided.
Originally from Montpellier, France, Laurent moved to a new country, learned a new language, enhanced his repertoire on the court and within two years became one of the top men's tennis student-athletes in the Pac-12. Ranked No. 6 in the country after a record-setting sophomore season and breakout junior fall, Laurent leads the Ducks into the start of the 2018 spring with a pair of matches Friday at the UO Student Tennis Center, against Idaho at 10 a.m. and then Portland State at 3 p.m.
A year after winning a UO single-season record 30 singles matches, and after making the semifinals of both the ITA All-American Championships and ITA Fall National Championships in the fall, Laurent is already in the conversation with players like two-time all-American Sven Swinnen among the all-time greats in Oregon men's tennis.
"He's up at that level – but he still needs to take another step or two," UO head coach Nils Schyllander said.
Laurent's track record suggests he's capable of taking them. And the platform he has at Oregon is allowing for it.
Back home in France, Laurent said, a high school graduate confronts a tough choice: He can continue his academic studies, and sacrifice playing tennis at a high level. Or he can begin playing professionally, while still needing to mature both mentally and physically.
"People stay healthier and stronger longer these days," Schyllander said. "When you come in as an 18-year old, and all of a sudden you're playing 26, 27-year olds, it's tough to break in."
Fortunately for Laurent, he had a third option: Moving to the United States to play with the Ducks.
"A lot of guys in France go pro, but they don't really know what they want," Laurent said. "College gives them a chance to actually improve; people on the tour aren't 18. College is a great option to grow up and improve. And a degree from America shows you're able to adapt to a new environment, and you can work worldwide."
Laurent proved his adaptability from the moment he arrived at Oregon. When an international player arrives in the States, Schyllander says he typically makes time to personally show him around campus and the city of Eugene. When Schyllander called to schedule time for such an orientation with Laurent two years ago, the coach was told not to worry – Laurent had quickly made friends with his roommate in the dorms, who wasn't a tennis player, and the two were getting acquainted with campus on their own.
Academically, Laurent said he focused intently on his first two terms, knowing the language barrier could be an issue. Once he was comfortable with English, he settled into a business major, and as a sophomore he was named Pac-12 all-academic first team. Recently, Laurent decided to give himself more career flexibility by changing to a general social science major, keeping a focus in business – a mid-college course change he said wouldn't have been possible at a university in France.
And on the tennis court, Laurent has been a sponge as well, soaking up the direction of Schyllander and his associate head coach, Jonas Piibor. As a freshman, Laurent played primarily in the No. 3 singles position; his game at that point involved little more than "running, just making balls and waiting, hoping the other guy would miss," Laurent said.
Laurent's repertoire began to expand right from the outset at Oregon, and in part from an unlikely source: doubles play. The concept of playing doubles was so foreign to Laurent when he first joined the Ducks, he sheepishly admits, that "they were laughing at me the first two practices. I wasn't great."
Laurent lost his doubles debut with the Ducks in spring 2016, and was pulled from the lineup. But he found magic in practice with partner Cormac Clissold, and when that duo joined the lineup they ended up winning a UO-record 15 straight matches. Entering Friday's start to the 2018 season, they're at 52 career victories as a tandem, five away from the Oregon career record set by Robin Cambier and Jeff Mullen from 2011-13.
Thanks in part to his doubles experience, Laurent has added a booming serve, and capable play up at the net. The enhancements to his game paid dividends during the historic run last fall, when Laurent used those elements to key a gritty three-set win in the quarterfinals of the ITA Fall Nationals.
"As a freshman, even halfway through his sophomore year, I think the only time he went to the net was to shake hands," Schyllander said. "All of a sudden he started mixing in serve-and-volley, and he completely turns the match."
Laurent said his breakout fall season came as a surprise, after a summer in which he returned home to France and started to feel burned out. But Schyllander said the semifinal berths in the two prestigious fall events were no accident – once Laurent returned to the structure of Oregon's program, he picked right back up where he left off last spring.
"I took a break and I changed racquets, so it put me in a different mindset," Laurent said. "Right away when I got back, I saw the guys and I was pretty motivated. And then right away I played well in the All-American."
Entering the start of his junior campaign Friday, Laurent has 49 career victories. That's just outside the Oregon career top-15, already, and more than halfway to 2017 senior Jayson Amos' school career record of 93. With the steps Laurent has taken with the Ducks, Schyllander said he's positioned to keep piling up wins for years to come, at Oregon and beyond.
"He's going to have a great degree to fall back on as well," Schyllander said. "But if he keeps doing what he's doing, there's no reason he can't play on after college, and for quite a while."
Fortunately for Schyllander and the Ducks, Laurent still has two more years of collegiate eligibility left. His junior campaign begins Friday, and with it the chance to further cement his legacy with the Ducks, while continuing the development on and off the court that Laurent said only the U.S. collegiate experience could have provided.
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