By Christian Koskorelos
It’s around 4pm. That’s the time Pete rolls in his brown Ford Taurus. He wears a baseball cap and carries a bag and a tennis racquet. He is ready to play. I stand by a gray wall and a black fence looking at the tennis courts, ready to be played on. Pete walks by, we exchange a few words and he is off to battle. He heads to the first court which I call, “center court” because it’s where the big time players play and Pete has certainly come a long way. Pete has been beating many players down at the park especially in doubles, with his superb volleys, consistent groudstrokes, and athletic ability…
When did you start tennis? In 2006 or 2007 I was jogging in the park and three
guys asked if I would play doubles. I always enjoyed watching tennis on television but barely had played. I jumped in and from the start just concentrated on not making errors. It proved to be quite effective and to this day at a certain level, I believe it beats over 90% of the competition because
people just cant resist going for an ill advised winner. Of course when your playing 4.5 and up you have to adjust accordingly with appropriate aggression.
What’s your favorite shot? Probably a backhand chop slice. It’s kind of my
version of a slice but i guess I don’t follow through as much as others would. I feel more controlled by shortening the motion. I also love winning a point on a drop shot. Very fulfilling when they cant run it down.
What do you like most about tennis? Solving the equation that your opponent
offers you. I like forcing my opponent to due what he is not comfortable doing. Similar to most sports.
Favorite place to play? Overpeck park in bergen county N.J. We have a big group
of people that just show up without having to call anyone. It’s like a club without the dues.
Best win? Not one match individually stands out but me and my frequent doubles
partner Mark have beaten quite a few teams that in theory we should not be beating. Just real solid players with a whole lot more experience then me. I think I’m quite often underestimated due to my unusual style of hitting. Perhaps my intangibles make up for something.
Doubles or Singles? Do you prefer the backhand or the forehand side? I prefer the backhand as it’s a more controlled shot for me. Also I think it’s the bigger pressure side and I’m happy to have the pressure on me. I prefer playing doubles as long as there are 4 solid players on the court.
When everyone is doing their job you can create amazing points. One weaker player though will contaminate the whole set. Singles is great as well but I end up mostly playing doubles.
Do you like indoor or outdoors? Outdoors if the conditions are pretty good. I
enjoy the sun and breathing fresh air. Indoors are cool as well because your shot is exactly as you hit it. No elements to blame.
What is your tournament experience? I have only done 2 doubles tournaments in
my life. Each time we placed 2nd.
What racquet do you use? This will probably surprise you but I’m not even sure.
It’s oversized and I paint it various colors from time to time. Right now it’s painted the colors of the Italian flag, I keep the tension in the high 40’s. Works for me.
What is your best tennis attribute? My speed is pretty good, maybe my net
volleys, and I’m pretty poised on big points. I dont get very nervous. This is all relative to my competition, I’m sure playing against great players I would get more exposed.
What is your weakness? I would say my forehand topspin ground stroke. Probably
what most peoples favorite shot is.
What is your favorite surface? Love them all but I’ve never played on grass. I
think grass would suite my shot as it tends to stay pretty low.
What is your tennis goal? Exercise, Friends, and competition. I’ve competed in sports at a pretty high level my whole life and tennis has struck a chord with me. I come from a wrestling and mixed martial arts background so I guess I’m not your typical tennis player. I’m not built like one, I don’t dress like one but It’s just so damn fun playing a highly competitive match.
Christian Koskorelos, an former college player at Lynn University, FDU and Sacred Heart, is a frequent contributor to this site. He resides in Fort Lee, N.J.
"I love winning a point on a drop shot."
Scoop Malinowski · December 6, 2013 at 6:23 pm
Pete is an uncanny player who has an unusual ability to get the ball back making minimal errors. He’d also be a leading contender for the Overpeck Park Sportsmanship Award ) Well done Pete / Christian.