It was an exciting weekend of wins for both the NYU women’s and men’s tennis teams in the Bronx.

The women’s team dominated against Rochester Institute of Technology on Saturday and then doubled their win count against William Smith College with a 7-0 defeat on Sunday — marking their first undefeated score of the season. In similar fashion, the men’s team conquered RIT and Hobart College with scores of 6-1. Right now, both teams are in sync with an overall record of 4-1 and the rest of their seasons are looking bright. 

“Our first loss [of the season] was tough, but after this weekend, our spirits are back up,” said senior and captain of the women’s team Jimena Menendez. “It was so nice to be at a home game this weekend. With both the women’s and men’s teams there, the energy was great.”

It’s not easy playing tennis in the city, as finding nearby and available courts is extremely hard, often resulting in a commute. This is especially difficult for student-athletes who have to balance the time-consuming practice and commute with schoolwork. 

Both the women’s and men’s teams practice in the final hours of the day, from 9 to 11 p.m. in the Bronx. They are two of the only NYU sports teams that practice this late. 

“Practice is a lot, but everyone has been so good at giving all their effort at 9 p.m. every day,” said Menendez. “As a senior, though, it has gotten easier. It takes some time getting used to, especially adjusting to the late-night practices and having no weekend. But now it’s second nature to me.”

Despite these late-night practices, players find a way to make the most of them. For instance, on the 45-minute bus ride to the Bronx, besides napping, a lot of team bonding occurs. In a sense, the bus ride and late-night bonding experiences are what make NYU tennis uber competitive, as the teams use their closeness to their advantage. 

“Tennis is such an individual, gladiatorial sport where it’s only you and another person,” said junior Cooper Kline. “However, when I got to college, it became so much more of a team sport. We’re all really close knit, and when it comes to game day, we always cheer the loudest. Having such a close, supportive team can really overwhelm someone with energy. It can be what breaks the other team. I really enjoy it because I grew up playing alone for so long.”

While some are just beginning to adapt to NYU tennis, Menendez says she’s preparing to say goodbye. Menendez has been on the NYU women’s tennis team for four years and a captain for two. In the fall, she became the first Violet to win the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Northeast Regional Singles Championship for two consecutive years. Before she leaves, she’s working on ensuring that the positive team culture will last eternally, because to her, the players are what made her stay in tennis for years. 

“As a senior, I’ve been really nostalgic — I’m surprised I haven’t cried yet,” Menendez said. “I’ve gotten all sappy in my head, like I keep thinking, ‘I’m never going to go to Albany again.’ I don’t really care to go to Albany again, but you know what I mean. But the nostalgia has been making me want to do better. At the same time, though, I want us to do super well — not because it’s my last year, but because I also know that we can do super well.”

Both teams hope to make it to nationals this year — a goal that has each player training day in, day out.  

“There are definitely a lot of moments where it’s hard to keep up the motivation, but I’ve already invested too much time in this sport,” Menendez said. “I got to keep going. And before you know it, the years fly by and you meet so many great people on your team that you get to know on a completely different level. We like to say that we win for each other, and it would be crazy to me not to have any of it.” 

Kline also conveyed his motivation in tennis.

“No one’s forcing you to be a college athlete, so you got to really love it,” Kline said. “I purely love tennis. I love competing. I love that build-up in the week going into a match, where it’s all-consuming in the best way. I love being tired from tennis. I love the mental aspect, making all these fast-paced decisions on the fly, recalculating each thought as you make each play. I love it when the sun goes down and you feel like you really did something that day and put your all out there.”

Both teams will be competing against The College of New Jersey this Saturday, March 15 in Ewing, NJ. 

Contact Isabella Bickenbach at [email protected].