USTA NorCal Juniors Smash L1 National Championships

Q: How did you balance playing singles and doubles all week at Kalamazoo? Especially when reaching the final in both events.

A: I was able to balance it by focusing only one match at a time and getting through just that one match. I knew that with two matches a day my body would get fatigued, but if I focused just on the one I was playing and got through that one, I would be able to make it through both successfully. Also, had to make sure I was doing proper recovery after each match and each day so I was ready for the next grueling day as competition got tougher.

Q: How did it feel to win the doubles title this year with Nicholas "Nico" Godsick after finishing second last year?

A: Felt incredible. I’ve made it to a lot of doubles finals and semifinals with Nico with us not finishing on top, so it was great finally getting to close a title of this level of importance with us playing our best match of the tournament, in the most important match of the tournament.

Q: You were named the Dr. Allen B. Stowe Sportsmanship winner, given to a Boys 18 player. What does sportsmanship mean to you, and how do you embody that when you play?

A: It means so much to me. When I was younger I didn’t have the best attitude or sportsmanship, so for me to see how I’ve grown really means a lot. I’ve also grown in the understanding that the best sports generally have the most integrity and love for the game. When I play, I want to embody that and show how thankful I am for tennis; by being a good sport it’s almost like saying thank you and showing respect for the sport.

Q: You earned wild cards into the 2022 US Open for both main draw doubles and qualifying singles. How did you prepare for your Grand Slam debut?

A: I went back to school and did a ton of practice. Worked on the things I needed to work on, but also did tons of treatment so that I was feeling good. This has been a long and grueling summer with tons of matches, so I wanted to make sure I was feeling good and able to compete at the highest level in the sport.

Q: After reaching a milestone in your career by making your first Grand Slam, what advice would you give to your younger self?

A: To keep on working. Earlier this year I was really doubting myself. I was struggling getting my first ATP points and really questioning if my journey would continue after college. Looking back, I would say to trust it. To keep working. Keep doing things the right way and eventually the lightbulb will turn on — which it did for me.

Q: If you could sum up your tennis journey so far in one sentence or phrase, what would it be & why?

A: My phrase for my journey has been to “be more.” This phrase means that in all areas of life is to be more. Be a better teammate, be a better person, be a better athlete, be a better sport, to just be more.

Q: How did you balance playing so many singles and doubles matches all week?

A: It was tough, but when you are on the court you kind of just forget about it and do everything you can to win.

Q: Now that you’ve won a few titles at prestigious tournaments, what are some of your goals moving forward?

A: I feel like I do well in both singles and doubles, but definitely having that push to win some of these prestigious titles even in singles. I’m also trying to start playing the Junior Grand Slams next year, so just developing even further so I can get far in those.

Q: You won your first national ball at Winter Nats earlier this year when you won the Boys 16s Singles title, and followed it up with two more at Kalamazoo. What does it mean to you to add to your collection, especially at such a prestigious tournament such as this?

A: It feels great. I’d say I’m even more happy since it’s been a pretty up and down summer overall. I battled a shoulder injury at the beginning of summer, having to withdraw from many events and pausing my tennis for a month. I didn’t even know if I was going to be able to compete this summer since even after taking that month off, it was still lingering throughout the National Clay Court Championships. Not only getting through, but also performing well at this KZoo meant even more to me because of everything I had on my mind—including college recruiting as I started talking to coaches this past June. It would have been great to get the double gold but there were some things that were out of my control at the end of the tournament. I’m just super happy I could pull off the bronze in singles and gold in doubles.

Q: How did you balance playing singles and doubles all week? You played 13 matches in seven days?

A: Throughout the tournament, I wasn’t really keeping track of all the matches I was playing. I just focused on the match I was about to play as I knew this tournament was going to be a grind. But I really think that living in the moment helped me focus on one match a time and deal with the obstacles as the tournament went on. In terms of taking care of my body, I did my best to keep my body as fresh as possible by doing ice baths after every match as well as rolling out, stretching, and massage gunning. Although some days were a lot tougher than others, I’d say my body held up considerably well with everything going on, especially considering I was coming back from an injury, and in both singles and doubles.

Q: How did you spend your free time off the court?

A: A big reason I love these big national tournaments is because this is one of the few times during the year players from all around the country come to the same place. Hanging out with my friends from around the country off-court definitely helped relieve some of the stress of competing and the tournament in general. That is why when I was off-court, I was usually hanging out with friends at the site, at the gym, and even in the hotel lobbies. I also ate a lot off-court.

5. What are your goals moving forward, as you start transitioning to the 18s?

A: As I start transitioning to 18s, I’d say that my biggest goal is to get stronger and bigger. In terms of tennis, keep improving all my strokes and developing my game overall. I’m hoping to get the Junior US Open wild card into either doubles or singles qualifying, but my goal is to continue playing high-level tournaments while balancing school as I’m taking a very heavy load this year.

Q: What was your most memorable match or moment in this year’s tournament?

A: My most memorable match was the consolation round of 16 qualifier where I saved eight set points in the first set and won the set, and eventually won the match! And the most memorable moment was when I hit two tweeners in one point and won it!

Q: How did you spend your time off the court?

A: I spent my time off the court in my hotel room eating ice cream and drinking Smoothie King since it was raining a lot in Mobile (Alabama). Smoothie King got me through the tournament.

Q: You were the top seed in singles, what was the pressure like on you to win the championship?

A: After losing three singles finals in a row (14s Level 3, 12s Easter Bowl and 12s National Clay Courts) there was quite a bit of pressure to win the whole tournament. In this tournament, I managed to get rid of the nerves and finished all of my matches pretty cleanly.

Q: How did you spend your time off the court?

A: I spent most of my time off the court in the hotel or at restaurants. I also spent a lot of time at the site, waiting out the rain.

Q: What was your most memorable moment from this year’s tournament? 

A: The most memorable moment from this year’s tournament was either winning gold balls in both divisions or having a lot of fun on the ping pong court after.