TEN QUESTIONS WITH...

You were born in Jakarta, Indonesia. Why did you decide to come to UB?

When I first came to UB, Russ Crispell was the coach and I heard he was a great coach, so that’s one reason and the other reason is one of my former teammates went here, they graduated from UB, so those are the reasons I came to UB.

You have an 13-10 singles record and a 15-9 doubles record so far this season. Which game do you prefer, being on the court alone or playing with a partner?

I prefer playing doubles because I can share my thoughts, I can share the mental aspect that is probably sometimes a problem, so I prefer doubles.

The men’s tennis team is comprised of seven guys from six different countries. What is it like playing on a team with so much diversity?

It’s a one-of-a-kind experience. I’m from Indonesia, I played with Indonesians almost every time I was a junior. Now there are seven guys from different countries, obviously I had to adjust to the culture and everything, but we get along pretty well.

This season, Sharif Zaher was named the 11th head coach in the history of UB men’s tennis. What do you think someone who enjoyed so much success as a player brings to the men’s tennis program at Buffalo?

He’s a great coach, he has a lot of playing experience, a lot of coaching experience with Sacramento State, and big success at Sacramento State. Obviously, with his records so far and good results so far, Sharif helps us individually with our strokes and everything and mentally as well.

Your former teammate Nick Zieziula joined the men’s tennis coaching staff two years ago as an assistant coach. How has his role changed and is it hard to adapt to him as a coach rather than a teammate?

Nick hasn’t changed much, except that he is more mature, in gearing towards us, the players, and in terms of coaching, he has been great for us, a great addition for us.

At the end of last season, you were named the team’s Most Improved Player. What did you do to elevate your game prior to last season and what do you think you have improved even more this season?

My game is steady but the one thing I improved so much was my attitude towards the team, my attitude outside of the court. I became more of a team player rather than an individual, so I think that is the reason I got the award.

You play matches both indoors and outdoors. What are some of the important differences between the two settings and which do you prefer?

I prefer outside because I grew up playing outdoors, but after three years of playing most of the matches indoors, I got adjusted, indoors is harder because it’s faster, but it doesn’t really matter right now.

Do you have any plans after you graduate?

Probably do an internship for a year and then let’s see what happens.

Besides tennis, what is your favorite sport to play and watch?

Football, definitely. The first night I came here, I watched a championship game and I have liked football since then.

What has been your favorite moment as a UB Student-Athlete?

I think it was in my freshman year when we went to the conference championships and we beat Toledo for the first time. Coach Crispell told us that we had gotten to the second-round of the conference championships for the first time since UB joined the MAC. Everyone was so happy, some of us were crying, I think it was a great moment.