Beyond the Game – Leduc

Note: The following appears in the May issue of Orange: The Experience. For full access to all of the publication’s content, join IPTAY today by calling 864-656-2115.

Q. Where are you from?A. I’m from a small town near Montreal in Canada.

Q. Do you have any siblings?A. I have one older brother, who is studying and working part-time right now.

Q. Who has been your biggest inspiration throughout your tennis career?A. I’ve always really looked up to Rafael Nadal. I like how he plays.

Q. How did you first become involved with tennis?A. Actually, neither of my parents had ever played tennis before I took it up. It was my aunt who played tennis. I tried it, and I liked it. So I kept going.

Q. What is your major?A. I major in justice studies.

Q. What is your favorite class at Clemson?A. Criminal justice, which I’m taking this semester. It’s a great course.

Q. What has been your favorite memory as a Clemson student so far?A. It would have to be when I went to California, which was my first trip as a Clemson tennis player. That was a really fun trip. I went last fall to play in an All-American tournament and stayed for eight days. I had never been to California before, so I visited for a little bit. It was a great experience.

Q. What has made your sophomore season so special?A. Everything is coming together. As a team, we’re a lot closer than we were prior to this season.

Q. What are your goals for the remainder of your Clemson tennis career?A. I definitely want to help lead the team as best I can, hopefully as far as the NCAA Championships. As for me, I’m aiming to make the NCAA Championships in singles and doubles.

Q. How has playing college tennis impacted your life?A. I played in professional tournaments before I came to Clemson. I was also on the national team in Canada, and college tennis is far different than anything else I’ve been a part of. College tennis is very team-oriented, and the focus is more on the program than the individual, and that has had a positive influence on my tennis career. Even in my life, I have more friends now that I play tennis for Clemson. Playing college tennis has helped me lead a more complete life.

Q. What pushes you in your tennis career?A. A lot of my drive comes from my own personal motivation. Also, my dad was always really involved in my tennis career. He had a major hand in pushing me and keeping me focused, which was very helpful along the way.

Q. What lasting impact do you hope to make on the Clemson women’s tennis program?A. I actually talked about this with my teammates earlier in the season. I’ll strive to leave a positive legacy behind with the Clemson’s tennis program once my college career comes to an end. I hope to help bring the program to another level. I also want to inspire future Clemson women’s tennis players through my play, as well as my discipline and commitment on and off of the court. I plan to stay true to the mindset of the team for as long as I’m at Clemson and want that to be my ultimate lasting legacy here.

Q. What do you love most about the Clemson area?A. I’m from a small city just outside of Montreal, and I don’t really like big cities. So I really like the fact that Clemson is small and everyone seems to know everyone here.

Q. What are your hobbies?A. Aside from playing tennis, I like watching Netflix and hockey. The Montreal Canadiens are my favorite NHL team.

Q. What are your postgraduate aspirations?A. I might go pro in tennis, or I might pursue a career that relates to my major. My dream has always been to play professional tennis. It would be great to play on the tour and make a living out of it.