The Hurricane’s Chris Hamilton sat down with UM tennis player Megan Bradley. Bradley, a senior, is currently ranked No. 2 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association poll.
The Hurricane: What was it like when you won the Indoor Championship last semester?
Megan Bradley: It was a great feeling. Just to know that I won a National Championship is pretty amazing.
TH: Was there ever a time when you thought about quitting tennis?
MB: Oh, yeah. Especially when I was little.
TH: Have you ever considered starting your own fashion line like Venus and Serena [Williams]?
MB: I don’t think so. I can’t even get my own clothes to match, let alone subject other people to wear it.
TH: You went to school, UCLA and now Miami. Which city has the better nightlife?
MB: I would have to say L.A. Sunset Strip is much more accessible. South Beach is nice, but not quite the same.
TH: Do you think tennis has a steroid problem?
MB: No, although when I see Serena I tend to think so. You don’t need to be really big and strong in tennis. Endurance is much more important.
TH: What would happen if the best pro women’s players played the worst men’s pro player?
MB: The man would win. They serve a lot faster and the game is quicker.
TH: How fast do you serve?
MB: I’m not really sure. Probably in the 110 to 115 m.p.h. range.
TH: Which (tennis) balls do you prefer?
MB: Wilson. They’re a lot heavier.
TH: Do tennis shirts have a secret compartment to store extra balls or where do they come from?
MB: [Laughs] Everyone asks that. We have spandex under our skirts, and we usually just stick them up there. It’s not like the balls appear like magic or anything.
TH: Can you spell Kournikova?
MB: K-O-U-R-N-I-K-O-V-A
TH: Which is a better feeling, serving an ace or acing a test?
MB: Serving an ace because you’re doing it to someone else. You can’t really go up to a teacher and be like, “Hey! I aced your test.”
TH: What is the best tennis movie of all time?
MB: Umm…I can’t really think of any. Do they even make any tennis movies?
TH: Have you ever been in a match you knew you had no chance of winning?
MB: No.
TH: Never?
MB: Well, if I was playing Serena I would have some dose of reality.
TH: Would you rather play a three-set marathon or breeze past your opponent?
MB: Breeze past my opponent. When you play 25 matches a season, you just want to get off the court as fast as possible.
TH: What’s the deal with the noises women make when they hit the ball?
MB: [Laughs] It’s an exhale. When you swing back and hit the ball, you kind of make a grunting noise.
TH: Do you make any noises?
MB: Yeah, I do. I don’t know if some girls practice it, but some can get pretty loud.
TH: What’s one good reason to watch women’s tennis?
MB: We wear short skirts. At least that’s what I tell the boys.
Chris Hamilton can be reached at c.hamilton2@umiami.edu.