Despite recent adversity, Thea Rabman leads UNC women's tennis to 4-0 sweep over SMU

Sophomore Thea Rabman had a long conversation with her coaches on Thursday. 

She’d lost her last two singles matches. Against No. 9 Duke on Wednesday, she fell in straight sets, paving the way for a Blue Devil clinch. Last weekend, she lost momentum in a third set against No. 10 N.C. State. Rabman was one of two Tar Heels to lose their singles match. 

So the day before North Carolina’s match versus SMU, she turned to her coaches for advice. They talked for a while about how well she’s been playing, even with the results. Head coach Brian Kalbas instructed her to stop getting down on herself — something she has struggled with in those recent losses. 

“Sometimes, when she gets frustrated is when she wants it to go quicker, easier,” Kalbas said. “She doesn’t quite put in that footwork work, that shot selection work, that grinding work.”

Her success follows when she’s out-working her opponent, according to her head coach. And against the Mustangs on Friday, she did just that. Coined “one of the most improved players of all time” by Kalbas, Rabman clinched the 4-0 victory for No. 4 UNC women’s tennis against No. 61 SMU, winning in straight sets, 6-2, 7-5. 

“I decided to come in with a positive attitude and a ‘every point counts’ mentality,” Rabman said. “Being there for my team, getting kind of loud, I feel like that really helped me today.” 

Last season as a first-year, Rabman played primarily as the team’s No. 5 or No. 6 seed. She finished the spring with a No. 84 national singles ranking. 

In fall 2024, she broke into the semifinal round of the ITA All-American Championships, upsetting back-to-back opponents ranked in the top 12. Then, after clinching a berth into the singles bracket of the NCAA Individual Championships, she earned All-American status by advancing to the round of 16. 

She’s now ranked 15th in the nation. She jumped from the bottom half of the team’s lineup to the No. 2 seed by ACC play this spring. 

Still, playing as the second-best player on every team didn’t feel like much of a change to Rabman. 

“I feel like everyone’s good,” Rabman said. “Everyone’s always had a target on everyone’s back. It’s tennis.”

Even so, she admitted she sees growth in her game. She has expanded her offensive weapons, working to go beyond being a “counter-puncher” and defensive player. She trusts herself more. She’s constantly working on building up her confidence. 

She also adapted a mentality of accepting that she’s playing really talented opponents, but ultimately, letting her will to win speak for itself.

“Embracing the moment, she’s done so well with,” junior Reese Brantmeier said. “She was in a very different position her freshman year, and it’s a very different role playing top of the lineup. But her confidence and her competitiveness is an amazing thing to watch.” 

But the new position in the lineup has come with some setbacks. She faced the brunt of those challenges in the past two weeks. 

Despite Rabman dominating most of the match on Friday, her SMU opponent tied it up 5-5 in the second set, looking for a comeback to force a third. Rabman had been in this position before against N.C. State and blew it. This time, she didn’t panic. She tried not to let her confidence waver.

“I honestly just said to myself every single point, ‘Energy. Intensity,’” Rabman said. 

She doesn’t have a big, powerful serve or forehand like Brantmeier — the team’s No. 1 seed. She’s the shortest player on the team at 5-foot-2. 

But Rabman plays “uncomfortable tennis,” according to Kalbas. Her opponents struggle against her unique style. 

She responds to hard-hit groundstrokes with slices or drop shots that return to her opponents low to the ground. They’re hard for more powerful players to attack. 

Most players are used to getting balls returned above the waist — in their strike zone. Rabman aims lower. Then, she pounces.

Up 40-15 in the final game, Rabman survived a long rally and sliced another ball low to the ground. Her opponent returned it into the net.

Game over. The bounce-back win the sophomore had been waiting for. 

“I was really happy to do it for the team,” Rabman said. “[I felt] a little sense of relief.”

@carolinewills03

@dthsports | sports@dailytarheel.com

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