Xiuye Xie Makes Fast Improvement, Several Friends in Tennis

Xie didn’t know what to expect when she signed up for the adult classes in June 2021, but her background in a variety of athletics helped her find some early success. She sought out fresh challenges and discovered the Southwest Missouri Tennis Network that Leslie Echols, USTA Missouri executive director, had established.

Xie began participating in the ladder games in women’s singles and got invited to join different USTA Missouri leagues in the process. Xie self-rated as a 2.5-level player with most of her experience coming during her time in China hitting against the tennis backboard. She found her groove competing against 3.0 players, appealed up to that level, then quickly leveled up again to 3.5.

After additional success as a 3.5 competitor, Xie was bumped up once more to the 4.0 level last year. Her USTA Missouri team progressed to the USTA Missouri Valley Section Championship. Courtesy of strong individual results, Xie advanced once again to the 4.5 level this past December when USTA renewed its ratings.

Xie has since appealed back down to 4.0, but her remarkable rise from 2.5 to 4.5 took less than two years. The expedited improvement even surprised Xie. She credited her recreational sports history for the smooth transition to tennis. She said playing games in the backyard as a child helped develop her fundamental motor skills.

“I have a solid foundation that helps me with my footwork, reaction time, court awareness and techniques that transfer from one sport to the other,” Xie said. “The other piece is when I do things, I try to be pretty committed to it. Using the word ‘addicted’ maybe makes sense. I’ve watched so many YouTube videos.

“I’m also a very goal-oriented person. I think about strategies and things I need to work on. I try to have a practice plan every time I am on court. ‘Today I want to work on my footwork. Today I want to work on how to integrate the split-step into my play.’ Mentally I view sports as a medium where you can learn a lot.”

Xie has likewise researched the tactical elements of tennis and strategizes how to combat competitors of varying styles. That knowledge becomes particularly handy against opponents beyond Springfield that Xie hasn’t seen play before. She works to quickly dissect their strengths and weaknesses, developing a gameplan on the fly.

Xie indicated she used to get stressed when competing in ping-pong at the college level, which caused her to overthink and dread match play. That mindset has shifted since her recent deep dive into tennis. Xie better navigates her stress level and emotions and accepts winning or losing. She views tennis as a great tool for self-analysis and improvement in life.

“I always find the more neutral mood and have a more calm brand that can help me for the game,” Xie said. “There are several aspects with the technical, tactical and psychological. Some people play better if you look at the technical part, but maybe they don’t take the bigger moments well because of how they manage their stress. Any of the sports, there are multiple aspects people have to work on. I have been very committed to figure out which aspects I need to work on.”

As an MSU professor in kinesiology, Xie also knows well the physical benefits of playing tennis. The high-intensity nature of the sport, especially in singles action, provides Xie a good cardio workout and elevates her heart rate for an extended period.

“A 186 heart rate when I play singles surprises a lot of people,” Xie said. “Every year at Missouri State, we have a physical exam where we see my lipid profile. My data is getting better and better just simply because I play tennis. My LDL is definitely dropping more. And my HDL — which is the good cholesterol — is higher and higher. That’s because I play tennis. That is very motivating.”

Since her move from Kalamazoo to Springfield three years ago, Xie — who speaks both English and Mandarin — has enjoyed getting enveloped in the passionate local tennis community. She has expanded her social circle, saving the contact information of more than 100 tennis players in her phone the last two years.

She’s grateful for the accountability aspect of being on USTA teams, too, as her friends text her about playing which prompts her to stay physically active. Xie — who has played on women’s, mixed doubles and tri-level teams at the 18+ level — has also loved traveling to new cities alongside her teammates.

“People are so supportive, and they are very friendly,” Xie said. “We have a lot of fun together playing different matches and getting to know people. This tennis community definitely helped me learn more about the local area and meet with friends, hang out. We sometimes have breakfast and lunch. We travel to compete. This is all great memories we have.”