A Maine Inspiration and Superstar: Nick Mathieu
TOPSHAM, ME - When reflecting back on his younger self, Nick Matheiu might not have thought that he would eventually become such a huge inspiration to children his age. However, as he developed into an accomplished tennis star, as well as an academic scholar, he has become just that – an inspiration. Not only is Mathieu an active member in the Maine tennis community but he has also become a role model for young aspiring student-athletes, and it all started on the court.
“My love for tennis started to develop when my father would take me down to the tennis club in the morning before school to hit. This experience – and also one of my favorite memories about tennis – is what motivated me to begin playing more tennis and taking tennis more seriously,” Mathieu said.
Ultimately Mathieu’s passion for tennis matched with his undeniable skill, is what drove him to seriously pursue tennis. When Mathieu was in high school, he played and won numerous tournaments at Maine Pines and Apex. He also won many esteemed tournaments all over New England. During his high school career, Nick reached the finals of the Maine State Singles Tournament twice (his freshman and sophomore year) and won the state title twice (his junior and senior year).
“It is a very humbling experience and amazing thing to look back on everything I have accomplished. However, when I look back at my involvement in Maine tennis, I don’t reflect on my success. Instead, I focus on the contribution I can make to the Maine tennis community,” he said.
To this day, Mathieu lives out his vision. In the summertime, he dedicates his time to coaching tennis to aspiring young children at the Bowdoin College and Brunswick High School tennis courts.
“At the end of the day, it’s not my wins or titles that matter, but it’s how I can inspire younger kids to achieve greatness too,” Mathieu said.
Nick Mathieu is from Topsham, ME.
In addition to the tennis court, for aspiring young tennis players who also want to excel in the classroom, Mathieu is the ideal mentor. His academic journey started at Colby-Sawyer College, where he played number one singles. He then transferred to Clark University, where he also played number one singles and felt he had more academic opportunities. After graduating in 2020 from Clark University with a degree in chemistry and the highest honors, Nick enrolled into Western University in Ontario, Canada, where he currently attends. More specifically, Nick is a student of the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, pursuing his Ph.D. in protein chemistry. For Nick, his academic success can be attributed to his journey and accomplishments on the tennis court.
“Being successful on the court and learning how to manage my time, failures, and successes, has allowed me to excel in the classroom. I believe it was fundamental for my future to learn the skills I acquired on the tennis court such as time management and a good work ethic. Those skills helped me perform in my undergraduate degree and are now helping me succeed in my graduate degree,” said Mathieu.
Although Nick has not played competitively in Maine since winning his high school titles (meaning competing in local tournaments), he still feels a tie back to the Maine tennis community.
“I haven’t played tennis competitively in Maine since states, but I have maintained a lot of close relationships with people I played with in the past and play with today. I just love the people in the Maine tennis community,” said Mathieu.
From tennis to his academics, Nick is a true inspiration to the Maine tennis community and has big plans for his future.
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