Liina Suurvarik is both brains and brawn.
From Womens Athlete of the Year to being nationally ranked by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, Suurvarik has proven that she is an incredible tennis player.
But the native Estonian is a senior this year and looking to conquer even more.
Suurvarik is an honor role student majoring in International Business and maintains a 3.9 GPA. She also speaks English, Estonian, Russian and German.
In 2002 and 2003 Suurvarik was selected to the Verizon Academic all-District Team, making her the only Illinois State womens tennis player to be selected in two consecutive years.
Currently Suurvarik is No. 2 on the Redbirds all-time career victory list with 98. She also was the first Illinois State tennis player to earn a bid to play in the NCAA Singles Championship.
When asked if she is planning on trying to go to the next level and play professional tennis Suurvarik said maybe.
Yes, I have thought about it, she said. If things work out I will try. Right now the most important thing is to stay healthy and try not to get injured.
Womens tennis head coach Chris Hoover commented that, Liina might be one of the best womens tennis players to come out of the Missouri Valley Conference ever.
Hoover also commented on what Suurvarik has to focus on this year.
She is under a lot of pressure this year to perform, but if she goes to the next level she needs to learn how to deal with this kind of pressure, Hoover said.
Besides being a great athlete, Liinas just like any other college student. She loves spending time with her friends on the tennis team and reading books.
When I want to unwind from tennis, I usually read books or watch movies, Suurvarik said.
One of her favorite spots in the community is the Normal Theatre.
I really like going to the Normal Theatre to watch old movies, she said. The building is very classic because the outside looks like it is in the 1950s.
This summer Suurvarik returned to Estonia for a couple of months. She played tennis there, but the trip was mostly to get a taste of being back home.
I played in some tournaments, but I also spent a lot of time with my friends and family, she said. I only go back home once a year, so I try to do as much as I can when I am there.
Besides visiting with friends and family, Suurvarik has traveled the world. She played in tournaments all over Europe and visited Disney World in Paris.
I drove around for a month to Italy, France, Germany and Switzerland for tennis. We drove through the mountains and its so beautiful, she said. We also stopped at Disney World in Paris. For the most part it was very similar to the American ones.
If Suurvarik does not move on to the next level of tennis, she hopes to use her major to manage a tennis facility.
My dream would be to incorporate my major by having a tennis center with all different kinds of surfaces for people to play on, she said. I would like to have pro players prepare for tournaments there.
Right now Suurvarik is not looking at long-term goals but everyday goals.
I am just trying to stay healthy and focus on each tournament.
Written by Jolene Harrison, Student Assistant, Athletics Media Relations
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