Lauren Lui’s nickname, “Speeds,” is an apt description of the way she maneuvers the court. The left-handed senior is known for her quick, bold play.

But if you ask the team, there’s more to Lui’s name than meets the eye.

Lui may cover the court at high speeds, but ironically, the Houston-native is better known among her teammates for her lack of pace. Lui’s tendency to walk several strides behind her teammates to class prompted her future doubles partner, Georgia Rose, to teasingly dub her “Speeds” as a freshman.

“She does everything slowly and methodically and is very deliberate in everything she does,” coach Claire Pollard said. “What’s ironic about her is that she’s this unbelievably risky sort of tennis player, which does not fit in with her personality at all.”

Lui’s dynamic play has helped No. 1 Northwestern jumpstart its campaign for the NCAA championship. Lui posted a 4-0 singles record at the ITA Team Indoor Championships and earned Big Ten Player of the Week honors.

In last weekend’s loss at No. 17 Notre Dame, NU showed signs of fatigue after a grueling ITA schedule. With no lag in the schedule, the Wildcats will have to gear up to face Illinois on Friday and Georgia Tech on Sunday. Lui’s endurance and leadership will continue to be an asset in light of the tough schedule, Pollard said.

“I’m not so sure I have always been a natural leader; I have sort of just picked up things from the older girls in past years,” Lui said. “But I have always tried to lead by example, and that’s what Sam and I are trying to do this season.”

Lui has been leading on the court since freshman year, when she posted a perfect dual record in the Big Ten. In her sophomore year, Lui was paired with Rose, and the duo reached the quarterfinals of the NCCA Doubles Championship in 2009. They were both named ITA All-Americans in doubles for their performance.

Now that Rose has graduated, Pollard is looking for the right doubles partner for Lui at the No. 1 spot. Her experience and strong left-handed volleys make her a coveted partner. Lui has played most of her matches with sophomore Elena Chernyakova. The duo delivered an impressive win in the finals of the ITA tournament, coming from behind to take down North Carolina’s No. 6 doubles team in the nation.

“She’s a really great partner to play with both because of how she plays and the way she is mentally on the court,” Chernyakova said. “Anyone is lucky to get to play with her.”With none of the doubles teams from last year still intact, Pollard has spent much of the preseason trying to find the most effective pairings.

In singles play the Cats posted just two wins at Notre Dame last weekend-one from Chernyakova and one from Lui. But strong performances in the ITA final against No. 12 UNC from junior Maria Mosolova and senior Samantha Murray gives NU momentum as they take on two unranked teams this weekend.

“Our best performance this season was at the ITAs, and that was because every single player stepped up to offer something,” Pollard said. “We need leadership from players like Lauren, but at the end of the day, everyone has to contribute.”[email protected]