By Paul Suellentrop

The tennis to pickleball transition is growing more popular for college athletes. Wichita State's LingWei Kong is using that transition to craft a strong finish to her final tennis season.
 
"This is my last season and I have nothing to hold back," she said. "Be fearless. The four years pass really fast."
 
Kong, a graduate student from GuangZhou, China, plans to try pickleball professionally in a few months. For the Shockers, she is playing No. 1 singles and No. 2 doubles with Natsumi Kurahashi and enjoying her final run on a resurgent team.
 
"It helps my tennis a lot," she said. "I love pickle ball. I love the competition."
 
On Friday, Wichita State defeated South Dakota 7-0 at the Coleman Tennis Complex with Kong winning her singles match 6-2, 7-6 over Bea Havlickova. The Shockers (8-8) equaled last season's win total and play Omaha at 11 a.m. Sunday to complete a brief homestand after seven weeks on the road.
 
While away from Wichita, the Shockers appeared in the national rankings (No. 62) for the first time since 2019 on the strength of wins over Kansas State and No. 49 Nebraska. A year ago, injuries cut into the roster so much the Shockers often forfeited at No. 6 singles. With a full squad in 2023, they no longer start each match at a disadvantage.
 
"We really worked to really treat the back end of last season like a springboard for this season," coach Colin Foster said. "We've got reinforcements coming. We felt good about the core we had. Stay positive. Keep getting better."
 
Kong, who moved up to No. 1 in late February, is one of those who kept working. She is more confident and more aggressive, especially at key points in a match. Foster sees it even in difficult matches such as a 6-4, 6-3 loss to No. 12 Sarah Hamner of South Carolina.
 
"She's super-aggressive and powerful, and that's something that can translate at that top spot," Foster said. "She's always eager to keep getting better. She's pushed herself physically, doing extra workouts on her own."
 
Kong started playing pickleball last May and soon decided to prepare for a run at playing professionally. She practices three times a week, in addition to tennis practice, which helps her reflexes and her conditioning.
 
"Especially at the net," she said. "The court is smaller than a tennis court. You have to always be ready."
 
Pickleball is an attractive option for college tennis players because it is less expensive and offers quicker paths to success. Former Shockers Lucy Kovalova and Jay Devilliers are both prominent on the Professional Pickleball Association tour.
 
"There's a lot of money in it, there are lots of sponsors and good tournaments," Foster said. "Professional tennis is so expensive, so hard to break through. It's such a grind. Some players love that and have the means and the support. But it takes years to break through."
 
Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.