March 21, 2017
By Jake Wright
The journey from Johannesburg, South Africa, has been a long one for Auburn men's tennis sophomore Brandon Laubser. The decision to leave South Africa was not an easy one. Being so far away from home has been difficult at times, but it is adversity that he has overcome.
Laubser has many unique experiences that have molded him into who he is today. He went to British International College for high school and finished at the age of 16. He then took a gap year before enrolling at Auburn.
Tennis has been a way of life since he was a little boy. Laubser says, "My brother started playing at age 5. Since he was trying it out, I just decided to give it a shot, and I loved it." His love for the game has never faltered in the years since.
Laubser emphasizes that there is a huge difference between training for tennis in South Africa compared to the United States. The competition level in South Africa was not up to the par of American competition. He says, "If I had stayed in South Africa, I probably would have had to give up tennis." Beyond the competitive level of tennis, he feels that the higher education system in the United States is also superior.
When Laubser began searching for a new home in the United States, the family atmosphere and friendly campus set Auburn apart from anywhere else he had visited.
Laubser's accomplishments have accumulated throughout his tennis career. He participated in the Under 16 Junior Davis Cup representing South Africa. He is very fond of this memory. "This was a great experience for me to play for my country. Hopefully I can play in the Davis Cup one day and represent South Africa." He also was the No. 2-ranked under-18 tennis player in South Africa, and won the African Junior Championship two years in a row. All of these are great achievements and honors, but his favorite memory was clinching a match for Auburn against UCF to win 4-3 earlier this season.
Laubser loves playing tennis, and he also studies the game. He watches tennis as a way to improve his craft. His favorite athlete is tennis star Roger Federer. Laubser acknowledges that he tries to learn by watching Federer and other professional tennis stars.
Though tennis is a huge part of his life, Laubser still makes time for academics and free time away from the court. He likes to play darts, pool, hangout with friends, and go to the movies. In school, he is majoring in business and one day dreams to be a CPA.
Laubser feels as if his tennis game has taken the next step since moving to the United States. He truly believes the Auburn program along with his coaches and training are helping him to become the best he can be. "Coach (Bobby) Reynolds is always positive and pushes me to do my best," he says.
Playing both singles and doubles during SEC competition, Laubser is focused on his continued improvement so that he can help the Tigers this season and beyond.
Jake Wright is a student assistant with Auburn athletics communications