Our Chris Hamilton sat down with former UM tennis player Megan Bradley, who ranked No. 1 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association poll.
First Impression: What was it like when you won the Indoor Championship last year?
Megan Bradley: To know that I won a National Championship is pretty amazing.
FI: Was there ever a time when you thought about quitting tennis?
MB: Oh yeah. Especially when I was little.
FI: Have you ever considered starting your own fashion line like Venus and Serena?
MB: I can’t even get my own clothes to match, let alone subjecting other people to wear it.
FI: You went to school and UCLA and now Miami. Which city has the better nightlife?
MB: L.A. Sunset Strip is much more accessible. South Beach is nice, but not quite the same.
FI: Do you think tennis has a steroid problem?
MB: No. You don’t need to be big and strong in tennis. Endurance is much more important.
FI: 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.
FI: Do tennis shirts have a secret compartment to store extra balls or where do they come from?
MB: [Laughs] 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.
FI: 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.”
FI: 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. Sometimes it gets pretty loud.
Chris Hamilton can be reached at
c.hamilton2@umiami.edu.