The Wake

The Big Ten Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships are near (April 27 to April 30), and both teams are aiming to win their respected conferences. But this will be a difficult task considering both the men and women will probably have to overcome division goliaths to win. The women’s conference goliath manifests herself as a wildcat. The Northwestern Wildcats have won seven consecutive Big Ten Championships and they are once again dominating the division with an undefeated conference record. The women’s conference championship will be held in Champaign, Ill.

Meanwhile, the men’s division has been dominated by Illinois, with the Illini winning four consecutive division championships. But this season Ohio State gave the rest of the Big Ten hope when it ended Illinois’ 86 game conference winning streak with a victory on April 2. With the men’s tennis championships at Baseline Center this year, the men hope to use their home court advantage to win their first Big Ten Championship since 1995.

Q&A with D.J. Geatz

The Wake: How do you like the Gopher’s chances at the Big Ten Championships this year?

Geatz: Our opportunities have just opened up big time with Ohio State, the best team in the Big Ten, losing one of their starters. We had them on the ropes and should have won. Every player on our team is getting better and picking up their game. We’re definitely going to be scary playing on our home courts. We feel like we have a huge home court advantage because our courts play different than any other courts around the country. They are so slow and all our guys on our team are used to them. We have good ground strokers and I feel like we have as good of shot as any.

The Wake: What Big Ten team would you like to beat the most at the Big Ten Championships?

Geatz: I would have to say Illinois because they’ve won it the past couple of years and they are a cocky team. They definitely walk around with their nose up in the air and they think they are big time. I think it would be awesome to take those guys down and humble them a little bit.

The Wake: Do you feel added pressure being the men’s no. 1 singles player?

Geatz: Definitely, playing number one there’s a ton of pressure. All the guys on our team are so close; we all beat each other on our day. But by me playing one, every single team’s number one guy in the country is great. Every match I go out and I know I am going to have a dog fight, whereas our number five guy Raul, who is just as good as me, he usually wins easy. Still I love playing number one and I think it is going to make me better in the long run.

The Wake: Since you are a junior, how do you think the men’s tennis team is going to do next season?

Geatz: That’s a good question. I really don’t know. We are all juniors except for one guy who is a very good player for us. We should have a great team and if we can get some recruits in we should have a shot to win it all.

Q&A with Nischela Reddy

The Wake: How do you like the Gopher’s chances at the Big Ten Championships this year?

Reddy: I think we have a pretty good chance. Other than Northwestern, we have a good shot at beating every team in the Big Ten. I think it really depends on how well we play that particular day and if we all really fight at every single spot in the lineup. I would say our chances are good.

The Wake: What team would you like to beat the most at the Big Ten Championships?

Reddy: It would be sweet to beat Northwestern. Just to see the looks on their faces. They would never expect to lose to us. They have pretty much beaten every team 7-0, so it would be pretty entertaining.

The Wake: Do you feel added pressure being the no. 1 singles player?

Reddy: No, not really. Every match counts for one point. I think it is equally important that everyone wins so I don’t really feel added pressure.

The Wake: Since you are a senior, what are your plans after graduation?

Reddy: Oh gosh, I don’t know. I don’t graduate until December so I am hoping to get an internship this summer. After that, hopefully I can get a year long internship somewhere in marketing.