At Greenwich High School, he went undefeated, winning 63 straight tennis matches. At Fairfield, he has been named MAAC Player of the Week twice this spring, and has a record of 20-6 in singles and 23-6 in doubles.

Erik Kremheller ’13, prides himself on his work on the court, and in the classroom. He recently talked to The Mirror about his mental toughness, combating his junk food habit, and how he prepares for matches.

 

The Mirror: What is the biggest challenge you face on and off the court?

 

Erik Kremheller: I would say the biggest challenge I face on and off the court deals with the mental aspect of both tennis and life. Tennis matches are 100 percent mental, if you aren’t confident then you won’t succeed.  The same can be applied in my life off the court, if I’m not confident in everything I do especially school, then I won’t be able to succeed.

 

TM: How long have you been playing tennis?

 

EK: I’ve been playing tennis for fun since I was 3 and competitively since I was about 13.

 

TM: How did you manage to have an undefeated record of 63-0 in high school?

 

EK: Going 63-0 in high school was the toughest and best feat of my tennis career. What really allowed me to succeed and perform at such a high level was the support of my teammates, friends, and family. Without them cheering me on and helping me through each and every day, I don’t think I could have pulled off such a feat.

 

TM: How do you prepare for a match?

 

EK: I hydrate at least 24 hours in advance. I also have to make sure all of my rackets are properly strung and ready to go.

 

 

TM: It has been said you love junk food. How does your unhealthy food obsession get in the way of your maintaining a great tennis physique?

 

EK: (laughs) My unhealthy eating habits have been a real hindrance to my tennis game. It’s hard for me to quit a habit that I’ve had since I was a little kid. When I know I have a match coming up, I try to lay off the junk food for 2 days and stick to strictly water and healthy food. It’s extremely tough for me, but it’s nice to know after every match I can satisfy myself with a soda and an unhealthy snack.

 

TM: What is your favorite thing to do off the court?

 

EK: Relax. And be with my friends.

 

TM: Describe a typical day in the life of Erik Kremheller.

 

EK: A typical day for me includes waking up at 8 or 9:30 most mornings for classes, then around noon I go to practice for about 3 hours. After practice I usually like to chill out and relax for a few hours before I buckle down and get my work done in the evening hours.

 

TM: If you didn’t play tennis what would you do?

 

EK: Play baseball because it’s my second favorite sport to play and my favorite sport to watch.  I used to play competitively until I was about 14 years old…. and then tennis took over my life.

 

TM: What would your ideal day be? Would it involve playing tennis?

 

EK: My ideal day would not involve playing tennis. It would involve doing something relaxing with my friends, or not relaxing if we are going out.

 

TM: Who is your toughest competition this year?

 

EK: Marist. We lost to them last year in the MAAC Tournament finals so we’re hoping we can get revenge this year and beat the sh-t out of them.

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