University of North Carolina Athletics
Carolina Spotlight Of The Week
March 4, 2007 | Men's Tennis
March 4, 2007
TarHeelBlue.com continues its Q&A sessions with members of the 2007 University of North Carolina men's tennis team. This week's featured player is Stefan Hardy; a freshman from Santa Maria, Calif. Hardy competes in both singles and doubles, partnering with Sebastian Guejman in doubles and playing the two and three singles spots.
THB: You compete in both singles and doubles for the team. How do you, in the short amount of time between the two, get yourself mentally and physically ready for the singles after doubles? How do you change your state of mind?
Stefan Hardy: After a doubles match, you have so much adrenaline, it kicks into your singles match pretty easily. Also, if you have a big win in doubles, it's a lot easier to carry on and go into your singles match with a lot of authority and adrenaline. It is a good way to get your energy up in general. A lot of it is willpower and Coach [Paul] and Tripp [Phillips] give us a lot of conditioning.
THB: How do you prepare yourself 24 hours before a match up to the time of the match? Are you nervous? How do you keep a calm state of mind?
SH: Twenty-four hours, of course I'm nervous; actually more excited than nervous. It is what I've been looking forward to the entire week, playing a solid match against good opponents. Right before the match, I'm pretty nervous, but once the game starts, I usually get in a roll.
I listen to music and talk to some of my teammates about the game plan. Having a good, solid game plan usually helps me calm my nerves. And Tripp and Coach help me out a lot with that.
THB: As a freshman you find yourself in the starting lineup playing number two and three singles. How did you work yourself before the season to get in to that position? What are your strengths on the court?
SH: I consider myself a well composed player. I like to serve and volley. I have a good forehand. I've had many years to practice a lot. I started when I was really young and was learning as we go from watching many different players and how they respond to different situations. That helps me a little bit.
THB: How do you approach a match? How do you keep your composure?
SH: With as much ease as I can. I'd say I'm clam on the outside, but most of the time, I'm thinking on the inside. I think I hide it well.
THB: You are teamed with the only senior on the team, Sebastian Guejman, in doubles. How do the two work well? Has he taught you a lot? Do you feed off each other in a match?
SH: I love it, C-Bass has been a great partner. He's taught me a lot in terms of loving the situation you're in. We were in a tiebreaker of a doubles match and he whispered to me, "you have to love this moment." That is what he has taught me; when we are in a pressure situation, you have to want it. He has been great. We haven't lost yet and it's a really good match up.
We mesh well together. He is a lefty, I am a righty. And in doubles, it is good to have that for strategic reasons. It is easier for him to return on a deuce side because he is a lefty. He has a backhand cross court. I'm a righty, so on the outside, I have a nice backhand cross the court. It's just easier to hit the shots. He pumps me up a lot and I tend to think I do the same for him also. We have good energy.
THB: You and Chris Kearney are both from California. Is it good having another player on the team from California? Are you excited about going back to California over spring break?
SH: He is my roommate, we get along really well. I've known him for a few years. We are in the same section in Southern Cal and we used to play tournaments in Southern Cal and hang out. We know the same people.
I am really excited about spring break. It's going to be a lot of fun. I get to see my parents and possibly my brother; I haven't seen them in awhile. It will just be fun to go back to San Diego; I've only been there a couple times.
THB: What has been the hardest transition for you into collegiate tennis?
SH: Probably just because it is so far away. You tend to get a little homesick. In tennis retrospect, probably the fitness level; coming out here everyday and working as hard as you possibly can.
THB: The France v. Italy World Cup Championship game is listed as your biggest sports thrill. Are you a big soccer fan? Who were you pulling for?
SH: I didn't use to be. But I went to France, well Europe, over the summer and got to see, not the actual game, but the game on TV in France. I was in Italy too during the semifinals. But that was the biggest sports thrill because it was crazy. It was really awesome. I wanted France to win since I was in France.
THB: Who is Hugh Bream and why has he had the greatest influence on your athletic career?
SH: He is my tennis coach back home. He is actually my godfather too. We are pretty close. He has been my coach since I was seven years old. He has taught me a lot about life in general, life choices. He has been a big figure in my life.
THB: Why did you list Switzerland as your favorite vacation spot?
SH: The mountains and glaciers up there, it is so beautiful. It is peaceful. It is really just beautiful. I went on a senior trip over the summer and got to visit many places.
THB: Why did you choose UNC? What were your deciding factors?
SH: UNC is the spot for me. I visited here and the campus is so much better than any other school I have been to. One of the main reasons why I came was that the guys seemed like they got together so well and really meshed well. That was one of the main things I was looking for was to see how the teammates got together. Other teams, I kind of witnessed that the teammates were kind of stand offish and didn't get to know each other very well.
THB: What has been the best thing you've experienced at Carolina?
SH: Probably the best thing I've experienced here was my first match; winning my first college match. That was a thrill, just being out there, experiencing college tennis with my teammates and the support from all my teammates.
