TEN QUESTIONS WITH...

The MAC Championships run from Thursday until Saturday at the UB Tennis Complex. Is it primarily a team or an individual format?
It’s a team competition that is similar to our regular season matches. Three doubles matches are played, with the winner of at least two of them earning one team point. The other six team points awarded in the match come from the six singles competitions.

There are six Mid-American Conference men’s tennis teams. If we win our first-round match, we will face the number one or two seed in the semifinals.

What expectations have you put on yourself and your team for the MAC Championships?
Certainly we want to take things one match at a time. So, our immediate goal is simply to advance to the second round. On a personal level, my goal is to win the matches that I play in to help the team out.

This season, your team posted a 10-10 record. How would you assess the 2001-02 campaign?
It really has been a great season. Everybody worked hard, and that is why we had success. Hopefully the team will have the same attitude next year and we will be able to put together an even better overall season.

You grew up in Indonesia. How does the athletic climate there differ from what you've encountered here in the United States?
Actually, the weather is one of the biggest factors. You’re able to play outdoor tennis year-round in Indonesia – something that you can’t do here in Buffalo. That can make a big difference during matches, as well. The heat can really be a factor, where as it’s not really a factor here at UB. I’ve been in the United States for five years now, so I’ve definitely adjusted to the way sports are played over here.

Describe your overall and athletic experiences at ESI International Academy.
It was really a great experience. The school is very small, but that has benefits. I was able to get all the attention I needed at the Van der Meer Tennis Academy. The experiences at ESI were some of the best of my life.

Coach Crispell and your teammates have said you have a strange diet. Detail some of the foods that you regularly eat.
Well, I eat a lot of fish – especially salmon. I also eat a lot of food from my native Indonesia, as well as some Thai food from a Buffalo restaurant. It’s obviously a lot easier to have Indonesian food when I return home, but I get some in Buffalo too.

How much did your brief sophomore stint at first singles help you throughout this season?
I wouldn’t want to say that it didn’t help, but I’ve gotten a lot more experience this year. Last season, I faced a lot of non-conference opponents at first singles. But this year, I’ve been going up against the best in the MAC on a full-time basis. There is a much higher level of competition in the MAC, and I really just got my first taste of it this season at first singles.

You had a great match with Bowling Green's Milos Jirout last Friday. Talk about that.
It was a good match, but I didn’t play my best. I lost in a tiebreaker after we split the first two sets. For some reason, it seems like every match I have against a Bowling Green opponent comes right down to the end – except I wind up on the wrong side. There’s definitely some frustration because of that.

How much has head coach Russ Crispell helped to improve your game?
I think back to my freshman year, and that is when Coach Crispell helped me out the most. He taught me how to be patient during a match. He always emphasizes having fun and loving the game as well, which has undoubtedly helped me to become a better player.

In the men's tennis media guide, you list golf as one of your primary hobbies. How much time do you have to golf, and do you draw any parallels between tennis and golf?
Over the summers I am able to find some time to golf. I’m really competitive in every activity I participate in, so I put everything I have into it at the course. That’s the same attitude that I have on the tennis court.