This story originally appeared in the December 2011/January 2012 issue of Gator Country Magazine. VIP subscribers to GatorCountry.com receive the magazine in the mail every month, and copies are available throughout Gainesville.
By Chris Lee
Q: How did you get started in tennis?
A: In the beginning, my brother was playing a little bit. I was about six-years-old the first time. I went to this family fun day at the University of Miami. The guy running it actually ended up being my coach years later. He pointed out my two brothers and me and asked us who our parents were. He told my mom to put us in tennis and she got me a lesson.
Q: Why did you decide to play collegiate tennis?
A: I had been injured and definitely knew I wasn’t ready to turn professional yet. I wanted to get an education and knew what it was like to be injured. I knew how easy it could be to just get knocked off the court, so Plan B. Also, I can develop here. It’s a great place to develop.
Q: Is that why you picked the University of Florida? Were there other schools?
A: One of the main reasons I’m here is because I know I’m capable of developing into a professional tennis player.
Q: You knew Frank Carleton before coming to the University of Florida, right?
A: Yes, we were at the same tennis academy. It was the USTA Federation in Boca Raton. He was bathroom sweep mate; actually I knew most of the team before I came here. He is one of the later guys I’ve known and that was like three years ago. Everyone else I’ve known since I was 10.
Q: He is also your doubles partner, right? Do you think that helps you on the court having that familiarity with each other?
A: For sure, you’re able to communicate better. Communication is key in doubles, because you’re not the only one on the court.
Q: What was the biggest shock during your first year of collegiate tennis?
A: It wasn’t really shocking. It was just different, like I didn’t really understand the meaning of the SEC and the meaning of being ranked in the NCAA tournament.
Q: So the team aspect kind of threw you?
A: Yeah, the team was a little bit shocking, because you could still lose and win.
Q: You also have to play doubles, was that something you were use to playing before collegiate tennis?
A: Before collegiate tennis I also played doubles, so that wasn’t too shocking.
Q: What has been your biggest focus on improving your game since last season?
A: The main thing was to continue being healthy, because health was the main thing that was keeping me off the court. I’ve been working on my serve a lot. It’s a really important part of tennis, because it’s the starting shot.
Q: What were your injuries?
A: I had broken my tibial plateau, which is the bone that connects into my knee. It was my left knee and so I had to get two knee surgeries. In between the two knee surgeries I also broke my left wrist and in total I was out for 18 months.
Q: During that time what were you able to do tennis wise?
A: Rehab all day long. Sometimes I would hit out of a chair sitting on the court just hitting forehands. I couldn’t use my backhand because of my broken wrist.
Q: So do you have a two-handed or one-handed backhand?
A: Two-handed.
Q: What was your best match of last season?
A: The main match was when I clinched against the University of Miami and that was the clinching match to get us to the next round and that was pretty cool.
Q: Do you prefer doubles or singles?
A: I like singles a lot better. Doubles is fun. It’s almost like you don’t have to be so down on yourself, because you have your teammate. Singles is definitely what I like better.
Q: Who is your favorite pro player?
A: It’s always been Leyton Hewitt. I loved Leyton Hewitt since before he was No. 1 in the world, which was a long time ago. People would always compare me to him and I just liked his style of play.
Q: Do you have more of a return kind of game, stay-on-the-baseline-kind-of style?
A: Yeah, my return game is definitely stronger than my serve game.
Q: What about net play?
A: It’s not like I’m serve and volleying, but I like to close out points at the net.
Q: Transition?
A: Yeah exactly.
Q: What weaknesses do you need to overcome?
A: Not overplaying. Just realizing shot selection and knowing when to go for certain shots.
Q: You said the strength of your game is your return of serve, so do you try to be aggressive off the return or just get the ball back in play?
A: It all depends on the server. I’m going to be as aggressive as possible, with a bigger server you can’t take as big of cuts. You’ve got to block them back and neutralize.
Q: So you don’t do a James Blake where you blast the return every time?
A: Sometimes you got to back them off and scare them a little bit. Then they will start going for more on their serve, the more they go for the more that they will miss. Then you will get second-serve opportunities and then you can attack on those. So it’s just kind of a game you have to keep playing with them.
Q: What about the mental aspect of tennis? Has that been a strong part of your game?
A: I think so. I like to think of myself as being mentally stronger than the rest. I’ll be negative with myself a little bit in between points. Once the next point starts it’s done and I’m pretty good at letting it go.
Q: What is your goal for this season?
A: I’d like to do whatever I can to get the team to win and that’s first. Whatever number I’m playing at I want to be winning. I set my goals very high. I just hate lose, so I’d just like to be able to win every single match.
Q: How did you feel about this past season?
A: Last spring I was kind of thrown into the season. I had graduated from high school early and was 17-years-old for the entire semester. I came off the 18 months of being injured and just got kind of thrown into it. I hadn’t played matches in forever, so my match play, my experience was low and my confidence was low. I wasn’t playing my best tennis, but I was still able to have a winning record. Overall, I wasn’t impressed with my season. This fall I think I’m off to a good start; I let a couple matches get away from me.
Q: Fall is a little different, though?
A: Yeah, it was my first fall. I didn’t really understand the importance of the tournaments I was playing, but now I know for next fall what I’m actually going to be playing for.
Q: So where’s your favorite place to play?
A: Definitely home.
Q: I guess other than here?
A: They’re all equally bad. I don’t like playing anywhere (else). When you’re there you just accept the situation you’re in. Georgia’s courts are made of something different. It’s almost like you’re sinking into quicksand. When you’re not at home everyone is against you, which is fine. I sometimes thrive off that. When you have the home crowd behind you and you’re on the courts you practice on every single day. You know what to expect on the court.
Q: What is your favorite thing about tennis?
A: It’s really fun. I love the feel of the ball on my strings, because the racket’s almost a part of me now. It’s like second nature. The racket is part of you and when you cleanly hit the ball, it feels so solid and being able to run down balls and have exciting points …
Q: Unless you lose those long exciting points? There’s nothing worse?
A: There is something worse. It’s when you don’t get the exciting points. Exciting points are fun, win or lose. The winning just tops it off.
Q: Any superstitions?
A: Yeah. I think tennis players are the kind to have superstitions. Certain color underwear I will wear depending on the round. Certain foods I’ll eat and certain balls I use during the match. I can’t tell you all my secrets. If I’m doing something in a tournament I won’t change it up, there’s no way. I’ll eat at the same restaurant for 10 days straight and eat the same meal every day.
Q: What about outside of tennis?
A: I play every single other sport. I also really enjoy acoustic music. I really enjoy (the band) “Slightly Stoopid.”