Patrick Galbraith Q&A at the NCAA Championships

Patrick Galbraith, five months into his two-year term as USTA Chairman of the Board and President, was on hand as the Texas men and Stanford women claimed NCAA titles this weekend at the USTA National Campus. The individual tournaments, in which Galbraith has some personal history, got underway on Monday.

A former UCLA Bruin, Galbraith won the NCAA doubles title in 1988 before turning pro and eventually becoming the No. 1 doubles player in the world in 1993. A three-time All-American in his college days, the Washington native's tour-level highlights include a pair of US Open mixed doubles titles, in 1994 and 1996.

USTA.com: As a former NCAA student-athlete and doubles champion, how special is it to bring the NCAA Championships to the USTA National Campus?

Patrick Galbraith: It’s great. I think college tennis is one of the pinnacles in our sport. The players that play in it and the excitement they bring, it’s great to have it on our National Campus.

USTA.com: You've played and had success at both the college and professional levels. What stands out about the collegiate game that makes it so unique and exciting?

Patrick Gailbraith: You don’t get to play for your team very often. So in college tennis, it’s the one time that you’ve got teammates and that you’re fighting not only to win for yourself, but for the team.

USTA.com: Looking back on your collegiate career at UCLA, what stands out from your time with the Bruins?

Patrick Galbraith: Definitely the wins and losses we had as a team. I don’t remember individually how I did, but I remember how our team did. It's the strong bonds you develop over the four years of playing with guys.

USTA.com: How has the college game changed since you played in the late 1980s?

Patrick Galbraith: They’re a lot bigger. They’re bigger, stronger, faster... just like all the sports have done. The level of play is really good. I was really impressed.

USTA.com: How much of the team event did you get to watch? Were there any particular matches or players that stood out to you?

Patrick Galbraith: I watched the semifinals on Saturday and the finals on Sunday. Really, on the Top 3 courts, it was an extremely high level. I would expect that those players, you're going to see playing in the pros someday.