Jan. 18, 2017
by Chase Williamson
Olle Thestrup is a sophomore on the Auburn men’s tennis team, who used his redshirt and freshman seasons working to improve his game and make an impactful role on the starting lineup. He is currently ranked in the ITA Top 125 nationally in singles.
Thestrup’s story begins as far back as his memories allow. You could venture as far as to say he was born with a racquet in hand. As a child, Thestrup remembers watching his parents play in the local tennis club in Sweden. He would watch and observe their matches between bouts of playing with the racquet and ball himself.
As he grew older, Thestrup was able to be coached by his father, who is a notable tennis coach in the local community. After tennis practices, Thestrup would often hear stories of his parents’ time playing in America.
Sparked by those stories of college life in America, Thestrup’s focus shifted from the next match to the next chapter in his life – college in the United States. Stories about his mother and father’s time at Southeastern Louisiana depicted a very enticing adventure that Thestrup wanted to experience for himself.
Thestrup decided to follow in their footsteps during his sophomore year in high school. There was only one small hurdle to overcome; Thestrup’s hometown of Vaxjo, Sweden, is 4,791 miles away from Auburn. The challenge was daunting, but with his parents as his guide, Thestrup set forth to achieve his goal.
Being from the same city as Swedish tennis legend Mats Wilander, Thestrup found tennis was a popular sport among many of his peers, most of whom shared his dream of playing in America.
Thestrup’s determination and perseverance set him apart from the pack and led to him being one of the few to realize that dream. He underwent the rigorous immigration process, answering question, filling out paperwork, applying for visas, taking the SAT and even learning a new language. In the end, his hard work was not in vain.
In 2015, Thestrup traveled to Atlanta to start the newest chapter in his life, being an Auburn Tiger. He is still adjusting to life in the States, but it’s been a good transition. Speaking a foreign language in a foreign country sounds daunting, but he says he can always look to his team for advice. Plus, he says the people here are very nice, which eases the process and makes him feel welcome.
Let’s try and help Thestrup and his teammates build an amazing impression of Auburn. Come out and support our Swedish star and the Tigers this season; admission is free to all matches at the Yarbrough Tennis Center.
Chase Williamson is a student assistant with Auburn athletics communications