How I achieved success: by playing against top-notch opponents who were better than me and by playing against the opponent I could never beat — the wall. I enjoyed the process to the point where I eventually earned eight trophies, four of which came from tournament championships (3 hard-court city championships, 1 USTA clay championship); two from skills-challenges (Fastest Serve and Best Volley); a Most Improved Player award during my senior year in high school on the varsity tennis team when I went 19-0 in singles and 18-1 in doubles for the season; and a Most Valuable Boy award while on the University of Virginia's Junior Tennis Team. I always sought to learn and challenge myself. I also valued the process of improvement. More than winning, I prized the challenges I was placed up against and ultimately that was what improved my game the most. I watched how the pros played then implemented my own style, mastering the use of my strengths while improving my weaknesses.
