What got you first interested in tennis?
ES: It definitely goes way back to when I was younger and my mom was really into it. My parents made me pick a sport, so tennis was it.
AR: It goes far back. My parents both played growing up, so my dad just randomly signed me up for it and it stuck ever since.
What led you to pursue it in college?
ES: It’s definitely a lot of work, so not pursuing it after high school wouldn’t have made all the hard work worth it. So, going to school to play tennis was a big thing for me so that I could make the hard work worth it.
AR: I’ve been playing since I was six and was always really competitive. If I didn’t do something with it, it would have been kind of pointless.
Have you ever met a professional player?
ES: I met Maria Sharapova at a tennis academy when I was in like seventh grade, so that was pretty cool.
AR: I got to hit with the Bryan brothers because I won a tournament when I was a junior, so I got to hit with them in between matches.
What will you miss most after senior season?
ES: Definitely the smallness of the team and having a small group of girls outside of everything that I can go to. Also, having a schedule because it keeps you in line.
AR: Just the camaraderie, how close we are and just seeing them every day.
What are your team expectations for this season?
ES: I think we have a really good chance of doing well this season. We have a lot of new players, so there’s a lot of potential. They’re really eager and they want to do well, so I think having basically a whole new team is going to be a good thing for us.
AR: Obviously the goal is to win the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship, and I feel like we’re already on the road there. All the freshmen really want to be here and they’re trying their hardest.
Do you have a favorite professional tennis player?
ES: I like [Roger] Federer. He’s humble, but he’s amazing. He’s the best on the tour, but he’s so humble about it.
AR: I like Federer, too. I think he’s the greatest player in the game and he has so much diversity.
If you couldn’t play tennis, what other Fairfield sport would you play?
ES: Soccer. I used to play soccer. I liked it a lot, but you can’t do everything.
AR: I’ve never really played any sport besides tennis, but I’d say cross country.
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