Player Profile: Alan Artin - Building Friendships through tennis

We caught up with Alan Artin based out of TennisOC.com. He's played an amazing 27 matches in 4 short months of joining.

Tell us a little bit about yourself, for example: What do you do? Where did you grow up? What are your hobbies (besides tennis)?

I am an aspiring marriage and family therapist, with a passion for music and tennis. I grew up in Switzerland and came to the states when I was 6 years old. I’ve always strived for mastery and achieving my full potential, whether it’s playing a musical instrument such as piano or mastering a sport such as tennis. My biggest difficulty in life has been consistency which I am now starting to get good at in my late 20s, and my ability to believe in myself, which I am also working on.

Which league are you a member of?

I am a part of the OC Tennis League.

How long have you participated in your league?

I have been participating in the league since June of 2020.

How did you first learn about it?

I googled tennis clubs near me and found of tennis league to be the most fitting and affordable league based on the search results.

How often do you play?

I like to play 4-5 times a week.

What do you like most about the league?

I like being able to play different players of different skill levels, backgrounds, and styles of tennis. I also like how there are prize pools.

Tell us about your most memorable match(es)

My most memorable match was the match that I lost to who is also incidentally one of my close friends who I referred to the league. I knew going in I was an underdog but I tried to keep my mind calm and not be results oriented. Turns out when you win every match prior, you start to feel increased pressure to sustain your win streak as long as you can. I lost and it took a difficult mental toll on me. I had talked to friends as to how I can overcome this horrible feeling of my only loss. Turns out losing was one of the best things That could’ve happened to me. I learned about how important it is to not become fixated on score but rather become more committed to the process of playing better and improving during each game. From that point forward I moved throughout my succeeding matches with a much clearer goal and relaxed mindset that was less results oriented and more process oriented, and it is some of the most satisfying tennis I’ve been playing since. 

Who are your favorite rivals in the league? Why?

There are 3 rivals I like playing in the league. Their names are Tyler, Daniel, and Vincent. I’ll explain each one briefly.

Tyler- Tyler is a better player than me which forces me to play better.

Daniel- Daniel has the most potential to surpass me as each time i play him he hits slightly harder and more consistent 

Vincent- Vincent puts the most mental pressure on me based on his game style

Do you have any other interesting comments about your experiences with the league?

Yes I found some close friendships from playing tennis to the point where we could come out for one another’s matches to offer moral support on the sidelines. We often run match highlights by one another via text and discuss our plans for upcoming matches on what we want to focus on during match play. 

How did you get started playing tennis?

I started playing in high school. From there I played club tennis in college and took lessons for some time. I did make a leap to other racquet sports at one time (table tennis, racquetball) but I find nothing compares to tennis quite like tennis. 

Do you play to compete, or for fun?

When I’m playing someone at or above my skill level I play to compete. When I play someone below my skill level I play to improve.

What level player are you? (NTRP rating)

I would say I’m a 4-4.5. I am striving to become a 5.0 player

What do you love about tennis?  

The aspect of self-reliance. Tennis is an incredibly mental game in my opinion and understanding how your thoughts and emotions translate into your game play can be the most important aspect to developing a long term successful game strategy. 

Who are your favorite pro players? Why?

Roger Federer- his grace, etiquette, and ability to play at a top level well past his prime.

Nadal- his ability to grind down his opponent through Pure physical exertion.

Djokovic- his mental game.

Dustin Brown- his unorthodox game style and his magic drop volley touch shots.