Roster:
Brian Tashjian – Senior
Claudio Mifano – Graduate
Robbe Simon – Senior
Heather Shen – Sophomore
Serena Lin – Freshman
Kristen Law – Sophomore
Teams defeated this season: UC Davis, St. Mary’s, UC Santa Cruz, Sacramento State, USF, UN Reno.
Q: How did you first hear about the Tennis On Campus program? What made you decide to actively take part and also become a leader on your campus? How do you feel about TOC and being a captain?
I first heard about the TOC program freshman year at the activities when the club tennis team was advertising that they compete on a national level. I’ve always been a huge fan of tennis and wanted to take on a new leadership role. I love what TOC does (getting competitive, non-varsity athletes playing the sport that they love), and being a captain on a TOC is very rewarding for similar reasons.
Q: How did you enjoy your National Championships experience last year?
We had a fantastic experience last year, finishing 10th and competing closely with the top teams in the nation.
Q: What does it mean to be back? Was it a more difficult road to return to Nationals?
It means the world to us. Our team’s goal every year is to make Nationals, so to be back means we have accomplished something. It was a bumpy road to nationals this year but we are confident and ready to compete!
Q: In what ways has your team improved this year?
I think something we worked on this year was team bonding, and our improvement really shows in the way our teammates interact off the tennis court.
Q: What do you tell new players about Nationals, or players that are traveling for the first time to compete for your school?
First we explain the rules of World Team Tennis (WTT). But really what we stress is enjoying the sport and having fun.
Q: Who was your toughest opponent at past Nationals and how did they challenge you to become better?
Michigan has been our toughest opponent in recent years (knocking us out of Nationals two out of the past three years). They are really tough competitors and push us to work harder in practice.
Q: Does your team actively use social media to stay connected? If so, what social media platforms are your favorites? Does your team use social media in any special way that you feel sets you apart from other teams?
We have a twitter account that we will be using during Nationals, but other than that, social media isn’t a huge part of Stanford Club Tennis.
Q: Do you have many seniors on your team? Do you think they know about opportunities after graduation like “Sets in the City” or young adult social leagues? Do you think anyone on your team would be interested in starting one?
We have two seniors on our team this year but neither of us have heard about tennis opportunities after graduation. I also don’t believe that either of would be interested in starting a social league immediately after graduation.
Share with us some of the ways you help out in the local and global communities in the name of tennis.
We help out with Stanford’s USTA Kid’s Day run by Dick Gould and Tim and Peanut Harper. It’s a wonderful experience and our team loves volunteering every year.
Share with us a funny story about the 2015 team or team member(s).
Whenever Claudio misses a shot we always say, “Oh, it was looking so good, but then it was out…” and give him a hard time. He takes it well and often responds when he makes a good shot with, “Oh, it was looking so good, and then it was a winner…”
If a local newspaper was to write a story about your team what is the one thing you’d want to make sure they included?
We would want them to know that we have a wide range of competitive levels on our team. Some people want to make tennis a huge part of their college career, but we are happy to have players that are just looking to stick with the game.
