TEN QUESTIONS WITH...

I started playing tennis at age seven and I played my first tournament when I was eight.

2. In 2005 you represented your home country of Malaysia in the Davis Cup, what was that experience like?

Playing Davis Cup was a wonderful experience. It is a very unique experience because you are playing for your country and you can feel the passion, love and pride that you have for your country. It is an experience where there are so many people following you and rooting for you, it is really unique.

3. The members of your team come from all over the world. What is it like to have a team filled with such a diverse roster?

It is nice. It’s different, you get a chance to learn about so many different cultures and I think that it gives us a special bond as a team.

4. Do you have a pre-event routine and if so, what is it?

One of the most important things that I do is visualization. I sit in the locker room alone and think about my match. I visualize myself hitting different shots, taking different strokes. Also, the day before my matches I have a notebook with me and I draw a court and draw out the shots to keep me in tune for my matches.

5. How does it affect your game, if at all, playing indoor matches vs. playing outdoors?

Not really. Sometimes when we are outdoors but it is still cold it affects your hands and your wrists when you hold the racket, but after you get warmed up it is fine. But playing indoors or outdoors doesn’t affect the way you approach the match.

6. You have played both #1 and #2 singles, is there a noticeable difference between the two position?

Playing number one or number two I think is pretty much the same. The level of competitiveness might sometimes be a little different but it still comes down to having the same mental attitude in either position. People think that it might be more competitive at number one but to me I think that number one and two are basically the same.

7. What are your goals and expectations for the rest of the season?

To win the conference and qualify and hopefully go far in the NCAAs.

8. What has been your favorite moment as a student-athlete at UB?

When we beat Northern Illinois last year in our match last year. It was a close match and we pulled it out right at the end. That was my favorite moment.

9. If you could play any other sport at UB, what and why?

I would play soccer, because in my home country we are big fans of soccer. I like to play games that involve a lot of skill and soccer involves a lot of skills, so I would like to play soccer.

10. What do you like to do in your free time?

I make music. I make songs, I’m a guitarist and that is how I spend most of my free time.