After his incredible success at the New England Regional tennis tournament, it’s no surprise Joey Fritz ’14 is our campus celebrity this week. Seeded sixth in the tournament, Joey went on to win six straight matches and be crowned champion of the tournament. Joey is a seasoned tennis veteran. He played tennis for the first time when he was four, and competed in his first tournament at age eight. He has been in the top six on the Amherst varsity ladder ever since his freshman fall.
Joey’s final match of the tournament was against none other than a Williams opponent. Joey lost the first set of the match, but came back to win the next two sets quite convincingly, with a score of 6-0 in the second set, and 6-4 in the third and final set. After Joey hit the final, winning shot of the match, he felt, “Relived; excited, and mostly just really relieved.” Joey maintains his confidence and focus during a tough match by trying to stay relaxed and not over-think every shot. “Sometimes I try to get a song stuck in my head. That’s calming.”
Off the court, Joey enjoys playing the piano and eating a lot of food. He also gives great hugs! If you haven’t seen an Amherst tennis match yet, be sure to make it down to the courts to see Joey in action, although sadly you’ll have to wait until the spring, because there are no remaining home matches this fall.
And finally, the ultimate question as to where Joey’s loyalties lie:
Federer, Nadal, or Djokovic?
Joey: Nadal!
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Amherst chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.