Tennis has always been a family affair for Carlee Rizzolo, senior legal studies major.
“My older sister played and got really serious about it, so my parents moved down to Florida, and they got me and my brother into it, too. So really I kind of just got put into it,” she said.
Rizzolo was born in Livingston, New Jersey, but really launched her tennis career when she moved to Jupiter, Florida. Rizzolo was home schooled for high school but competed with Laurel Springs High School’s tennis team and received the Lady of Valor Award.
Rizzolo has big expectations for herself, not only on the court but also in the class room. As a legal studies major and business administration minor, she aspires to go to law school and become a lawyer.
I got the chance to sit down with Rizzolo and ask her a few questions to get to know her better.
Did you play any other sports growing up, or was it always tennis?
“It’s pretty much always been tennis.”
What do you think is the most difficult thing about playing tennis?
“For sure, the mental aspect. Just staying in the game and being positive, not giving up.”
How do you keep that positive attitude during games?
“That’s definitely the hardest part for me. I’ve gotten a lot better about it, but I’d say you just have to keep your composure. You need to think about the end goal. It’s really easy to have five good points and one bad point, and you let that one bad point just wreck everything. You just have to stay focused on all the good shots.”
Do you have a tennis player that you look up to or aspire to be like?
“I like Federer. Before he broke through, he had trouble with the mental aspect of the game. But he’s been able to overcome and become one of, what I think, the best tennis players in the world.”
How do you balance all of the training for tennis and the preparations for law school?
“Time management. I can’t put off my work; I just have to do it when I get it. I have to have a schedule. If I don’t have a schedule, then I’m kind of lost. So if I can plan my day out and then do it, I have no problem.”
Do you want to continue playing tennis after college?
“No. I mean, I would like to, but I’m going to law school next year, so I can’t really continue playing.”
How do you handle losing or dropping a match?
“It depends on the match. But, usually, for the first hour, I’m really upset, but then I start to think about all of the good things that I gained from that match and try to get it to outweigh the negative. But it’s really hard, especially if it was a tight match.”
A lot of athletes always say the practice after a loss is really difficult. How do you deal with that?
“Yeah, it’s hard to just go back out there. Again, I just try to focus on the fact that I need to play another match; it’s not the last match I’m going to play, and it’s not the end. So I have to think about getting better so that I don’t end up in that situation again.”
When have you felt most proud of yourself while playing tennis?
“Pretty recently, actually. I played a tournament and did really well. I think that was a good point for me. Two years ago when I played Rollins, and I had a break-through match with singles and doubles, and I felt really good. I changed my attitude and it only got better from there.”
When you’re not playing tennis, what do you like to do?
“Usually, I’m always playing tennis, and I’ve really just been studying for my LSAT. But probably just going to beach or being with my friends. That’s what I enjoy doing most.”
Have you had a coach that’s been really influential coach on the way you play tennis?
“I did before I came to college. I had a coach who really worked with me and taught me how to control that part of my game. I didn’t believe him at the time; I was really stubborn, and then when I came to college and I started playing college tennis and I noticed how different it was, I realized that it was everything he was telling me to do. It really just hit me then, and I’m so thankful.”
Ph0to Credit: PHOTO PRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM J. PINEDA
