Sports > April 3, 2008

By Allison Lange | Sports editor

Women’s tennis player Christian Tara, junior, has experienced two previously successful years on the women’s tennis team, however this year looks a little bit different.

click to enlarge

(Photo courtesy of Media Relations)

The team, ranked No. 37 nationally, has high hopes for the post-season. Tara contributes to the team at the No. 3 spot with a 9-8 personal record. Her freshmen year, she had the highest winning rate, at .714, with a record of 18-5 in singles play, however last season Tara had to miss most of the season. The Old Gold & Black’s Sports editor Allison Lange sat down with Tara to talk about playing a doubles match with anybody, being a nationally ranked team and her favorite class at Wake Forest.

On her personal goals:

It would be great if the team could have some big wins here. We’re playing some big rivals this weekend against Duke, UNC and N.C. State. Last year we were successful against all of them, so it’d be great if we could do that again. As far as personal goals, I just want to contribute to the team and do whatever I can to help us do well. It’d be nice to pull some upsets at ACCs and do well at Regionals.

On being a nationally ranked team:

I think that we’ve always set our goals pretty high.

Since my freshmen year we’ve done very well, both in the ACC and nationally.

This year the team dynamic is a little different. We have two new freshmen this year who are doing really well in their first year.

I think we just come to practice and try to do our best every day and then when the competition happens, just do the best we can and hopefully get those wins.

On playing a doubles match with anyone:

I’d have to play with one of the Brian brothers. I love watching them play and they always have such great energy.

On her pre-match rituals:

I don’t really have any rituals or superstitions.

I just try to get a good warm-up in and then go out and play.

On her favorite sports team:

Well I try to go to as many Wake Forest sporting events that I can, because I love watching all our teams play. I’m also from Chicago and therefore a huge Cubs fan.

I was disappointed with opening day but I also watch the Bears all the time.

On her favorite class at Wake:

Last year I took Classical Ethics, which is taught by Dr. Powell in the Classics department.

Normally you would think that listening to a man lecture for 50 minutes every day would be boring, but its not.

He’s just such a great story teller that he just brought the books to life and I highly recommend it to anyone at Wake.