Q: Where does your passion for coaching Tennis come from?

A:My passion comes from the time i was very young. I was always outdoors playing many sports but tennis seemed to be the one I was more inclined to play. Tennis is the one sport I love the most and i have been a part of it all my life. I played in college and a little in high school. I started coaching at the age of 18 years old.

Q:Who are some of the world ranked players you have worked with in the past?

A:I have worked with several in the past. I worked for the Thailand National team and during that time we had Paradorn Srichaphan who was ranked as high as top ten in the world. We had several other talented Thai players, some of which were ranked as high as top 15 in the world as juniors so we had a good mix. Also Tamarine Tanasugarn who went on to achieve a Top 20 ranking in the women’s tennis association.

Q:What’s a major difference between international tennis and American tennis?

A:I think because tennis is very diversified and a global sport, you see a lot of similarities but the differences are the playing styles. The European players perform a lot better on certain surfaces like clay courts and the Americans doing better on hard courts. So you see slight differences but the games are very similar.

Q:What’s one of your most memorable experiences in your career in training and coaching?

A:I had a girl from New Zealand who finished 26th in the world rankings as a junior. She won the Asian Junior Championship. This was the biggest tournament in Asia so that was very rewarding and memorable.

Q:If you could play against any professional tennis player in the world right now currently playing or retired, who would it be and why?

A:It would be difficult for me to compete with players on the tour now with the way the game has progressed and since I’ve been coaching for the last twenty years. I can hit with them but I cannot play long matches.

Q:Before accepting the coaching position here at Loyola, you worked with the Tennis Academy of Asia. What is the purpose of the Academy or what services does the Academy provide?

A:I think in Asia, we were missing one single location for Asian players to come and train. For several years, they would come to the U.S. to train because there was nothing in Asia. The U.S. had bigger academies which drew players from all over the world. This gave me the idea to start something so Asian players could have base to come from and compete. The program offered full-time training five days a week, five hours each day and also the chance to travel with me to tournaments around the world. That was the main objective of the academy.

Q:What’s something people may not know about you?

A:I’m reserved and quiet but I do have a strong work ethic along with perseverance. When I want something I keep going for it. You may not see that but it’s always in the works. I’m constantly working toward achieving something.

Q:Who is your favorite pro tennis player, male or female, or who do you enjoy watching play tennis the most?

A:Roger Federer because of his all-around game, he can do anything with the ball. Rafael Nadal for his mental strength, he is the toughest player out there and Serena Williams because she is a great athlete and talented player.

All questions and answers compiled by Craig Malveaux
He can be reached at [email protected]