Lou Mannheim, the wise elder statesman portrayed by Hal Holbrook in Oliver Stone’s 1987 classic “Wall Street,” delivered this final piece of advice to Charlie Sheen’s character: “A man looks into the abyss. There’s nothing staring back at him. At that point, a man finds his character. And that is what keeps him out of the abyss.”
Olivia Ward beat the #1 singles player from perennial power Chapel Hill on Monday in a match that ended with a 10-8 tiebreaker. Considering that, only 18 months ago, Ward wasn’t sure if she would ever pick up a racket again, it’s safe to say she found her character long before many grown adults do.
On Wednesday, Ward completed the week by leading Cedar Ridge past Orange 5-4 in the Big 8 Conference opener for both teams at Orange High Tennis Courts in Hillsborough. Cedar Ridge has defeated their crosstown rivals every dual match since they became conference mates in 2014.
Ward won at #1 singles 6-1, 6-4, then joined with classmate Nora Sauers to win at #1 doubles 8-2 to clinch Cedar Ridge’s first dual match of the year. Sauers also won at #2 singles 6-0, 6-0. Brianna Cellini captured another Cedar Ridge singles win 6-3, 6-2. Hannah Shinnick, a sophomore for the Red Wolves, won at #5 singles 6-2, 6-0.
Orange junior Emma Williamson won at #4 singles 6-4, 6-2. Junior Lindsay Jouannet captured the #6 singles match for the Lady Panthers 6-2, 6-4.
Orange’s #2 doubles team of Williamson and Morgan Gwinn won their match 9-7. Jouannet and Sydney Allison won at #3 doubles 8-2.
In May 2018, Ward underwent major thoracic surgery on her right arm at Duke University after suffering shoulder pain.
It all started in February 2018 as she concluded her sophomore year. During a USTA doubles tournament in Greensboro, Ward dropped her racket because her hand wasn’t strong enough to hold it.
Her father Lynn, who was once the women’s tennis coach at Person High School in Roxboro, arranged an appointment at Duke Sports Medicine Clinic for a second look. She underwent an electromyogram test and shock nerve testing. Neither determined any reason why Ward was experiencing pain.
At the end of her visit, a doctor told Ward there was a problem with her top rib.
Ward didn’t have any grip strength in her right hand. She couldn’t even squeeze Doctor Jeffrey Bytomski’s hand. Ward’s nerves had stopped communicating with her muscles, which caused her right arm to atrophy. Another doctor, Tracy Ray, told Ward if she didn’t get surgery immediately, the arm was going to be disabled.
Ward missed the final six weeks of class at Cedar Ridge last academic year. Fortunately, Duke has the top thoracic surgeon in the world. On May 18, Dr. Thomas D’Amico performed Ward’s procedure. D’Amico conducted a similar surgery with former New York Mets pitcher Matt Harvey, who attended UNC.
In her junior season, Ward and her doubles partner Alana Lutz qualified for the 3A State Doubles championships at the Piedmont Indoor Tennis Center in Greensboro.
In her freshman year, Ward helped the Red Wolves win the Big 8 Championship and reached the 3A State Quarterfinals. It remains the most successful tennis season in school history.