NOVATennisLeague.com
How long have you participated in your league?
4 years
How did you first learn about it?
I was playing USTA and remember asking someone how to play
more singles matches, as USTA is mostly doubles. He led me to DC Tennis League
where I played a few seasons before joining NOVA.
How often do you play?
3 times a week. I play a mixture of league matches and group
clinics. I get itchy when I don't play for a couple of weeks, even booking a
tennis lesson on a recent trip to Asia.
What do you like most about the league?
A few things: I love how you can play according to your
schedule. I have 6 kids that need to be driven to violin lessons or soccer
games, so I love the flexibility to play a match at 7am or 9pm. I also like how
you can agree on the format of the match with your opponent, either playing 2
out of 3 sets or playing a 10-game match if you're in a hurry or if there's
incoming bad weather. Finally, in NOVA it's really easy to schedule
matches, one time when my wife and kids were out of town I played a match
almost every day, no other league provides that flexibility.
Tell us about your most memorable match(es)
Winning a NOVA 3.25 championship was quite memorable. While I
usually make the season playoffs, it took several years before I managed to win
a Final. It wasn't only memorable because I won, but I was able to look back at
all of the improvement I've made as a tennis player, it's nice to know that
practice and hard work get rewarded. The Miami National Tournament was
also memorable. Meeting players from all over the country and the shared
camaraderie was amazing.
Who are your favorite rivals in the league? Why?
There are players in the league I've played repeatedly over the
years, having some epic battles. Its great tracking your improvement against
them and seeing their improvement as well. There's nothing like having a big match
against someone and thinking about your strategy, knowing the other player is
thinking about how to beat you too!
Do you have any other interesting comments about your
experiences with the league?
When I look back at the
player I was when I first started, I am amazed at how much progress I've made.
I remember my only goal in the beginning was becoming a 3.5, now I am fixated
on becoming a 4.0, and maybe beyond, who knows? I am not the most natural
athlete, but I love tennis, and when you are passionate about something, you
can't help but get better at it!
How did you get started playing tennis?
I was a huge Michael Chang fan growing up and we share the same
last name. I played in high school as like the 15th ranked member of a 16
player team. I proceeded to not pick up a racquet for 25 years, then during the
isolated days of COVID, I started hitting a ball against a wall for something
to do, which slowly led me back to me playing again.
Do you play to compete, or for fun?
Fun, exercise, competition, all of the above. I think tennis is
a unique sport in how much it engages you both physically and mentally. I like
the competition, as you go up in levels, it gets harder and harder to get the
ball past your opponent, I love how tennis continually presents new challenges
to solve.
What level player are you? (NTRP rating)
3.0 NTRP, but I haven't played an NTRP match in awhile, 3.5 TLN
rating.
Tell us a little bit about yourself, for example: What do you
do? Where did you grow up? What are your hobbies (besides tennis)? (Feel free
to share any interesting details about your life.)
I have 6 kids and life is pretty hectic with work and family.
Tennis is a great way to make friends and detach from staring at a screen all
day!
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