Tuesday, January 28, 1997
M.TENNIS:
No. 1 spot, chance to improve his mental game are factorsBy Mark
Shapiro
Daily Bruin Staff
Eric Taino was in a perfect situation. He was up a set and he
had a chance at an early break during his singles match in the NCAA
team finals against Stanford. Essentially, he was getting ready to
sew up the title for the Bruins.
With this done, he would join teammate Justin Gimelstob in
leaving school early to join the ATP tour.
Just five more games to championship glory and the first steps
to a new career. His resolution had been fomented over several
summers playing satellite tournaments around the country, and his
mind was quite made up. With the ring on his finger, Taino was
going pro.
So what is he doing back in Westwood playing at the top singles
spot for the UCLA men’s tennis team instead of seeking his fortune
on the circuit?
Back to Athens, Ga. last May, where the Stanford Cardinal had
just upset the previously undefeated Bruins to take the national
championship out from under them. If you looked at the court where
the deciding singles match was played, you’d see Taino on the wrong
side of the net.
Taino, who had been up a set and at triple break point against a
freshman, crumbled and lost in three sets, thus surrendering the
Bruins’ title hopes.
In losing his match, Taino took his first step away from the pro
tour. Into the breech came his parents and head coach Billy Martin,
all of whom urged him to finish college.
"One thing that he could do by coming back would not have this
be the last match," UCLA head coach Billy Martin said. "That would
leave a much better taste in his mouth."
"He asked me my opinion and I told him it was a good decision to
come back to UCLA," Taino’s mother said. "He’s always wanted to
turn pro."
So what was used as a counter-offer to the lure of the money and
the glory?
With Justin Gimelstob turning pro and Srdjan Muskatirovic’s
eligibility expiring, the No. 1 spot was there for the taking.
Also, with the disappointment of that last tournament effort still
smarting, the shot to reclaim some lost glory would be provided on
the home courts, as UCLA is hosting this year’s tournament.
The first of these opportunities, and probably the most valuable
in terms of his preparation for a pro career, was the promise of
the No. 1 spot. Last year at No. 3, Taino was rarely tested;
instead, he just plowed through most of his opponents. This year,
match in and match out, Taino pits himself against the best.
"It came down to playing No. 1 and getting a bunch of matches
in. That would just toughen me up," Taino said. "You get used to
playing at a high level, which is what you have to do. It will make
my game a little more solid, force me to do everything right. Last
year I could get away with playing a few loose shots. Now I
can’t."
Last November, at a challenger event in Texas, Taino saw
firsthand how important that consistency is.
"I felt like I was going to lose because I wasn’t ready to play
at a high level," Taino said. "He (Taino’s opponent) looked like he
was ready to play every point the best he can and I was just
soft.
"You can’t take any chances with a guy who plays No. 1. It’s
more challenging."
It was the promise of one last crack at a title that proved to
be most pivotal in Taino’s decision. He has been a part of two
Final Four teams in addition to last year’s team that lost in the
finals. With the promise of one last chance, the incentive was more
than enough.
"It’s huge, it’s the No. 1 thing," Taino said. "We’ve been so
close every time (that) it would be really nice to finally break
through and win it."
Taino’s return also vaulted UCLA right back into contender
status. Had he not returned, there would have been a significant
hole at the top of the lineup. Taino’s presence gives the Bruins a
powerful force at No 1.
"Without him, I don’t know if we’d be able to compete for the
NCAA championships," Martin said. "He gives us as good a No. 1 as
any team and he stabilizes us. He gives us all the things you want
and he’s hungry."
It’s not as if Taino has no idea of what the pro circuit would
be like when he breaks in next year after spending three years on
the satellite and challenger circuit. He even got his feet wet on
the ATP tour as an amateur in doubles, when he reached the
quarterfinals of the Hamlet Cup last summer with partner Cecil
Mamitt.
"I totally felt comfortable," Taino said. "There’s not much
pressure on me in the satellite. I expect myself to do well in the
challengers. I’m not scared by the competition by any means.
"I know that it’s going to take a lot of time to adjust and to
fit in. The biggest thing about getting to pro tennis is probably
fitting in, being comfortable seeing other players and getting over
the fear factor."
To aid him on his quest, Taino has one quality that separates
the top pros from the middling ranks. He has a big weapon. Where
Sampras has the serve and Edberg has the volleys, Taino has the
sledgehammer backhand.
"He’s got as good a backhand as there is on the pro tour,"
Martin said. "That side is phenomenal. It’s the closest thing to
(Jimmy) Connors’ backhand that I’ve ever seen."
Along with that, he has the tools to complement it. The speed,
the deep ground strokes and the solid serve all open up chances to
fire that big gun.
While Taino still spends time toning his serve, forehand and
volleys, the biggest obstacle facing him in his rise to the top is
his mental game. When asked about his prospects, it is his
mentality that gives his coaches, both of whom played professional
tennis, the most pause.
"It wasn’t his game that I wanted him to come back for, it was
more trying to get him mentally ready," assistant coach Brett
Greenwood said. "I didn’t think he was mentally ready. He sometimes
gets too within himself, he doesn’t look confident."
Last year’s superstar Justin Gimelstob carried himself like a
professional, exuding a confidence that was easy to sense. It is
that confidence and that demeanor that Taino is looking to
develop.
"Justin, no matter what, you thought you had a tiger out there,"
Greenwood said. "Eric gets a little introspective sometimes, he
gets a little down on himself. He could be a very good pro, he’s as
talented as anyone. He just needs to believe it mentally.
"In the pros it’s so tough because you take some losses,
especially when you first get out there. And if you don’t have the
confidence, you get beaten up. If he wants to play pro he’s got to
start acting like a pro player."
SCOTT O
The disappointment of last year’s loss to Stanford in the NCAA
finals and the promise of the top spot this year lured Eric Taino
back to UCLA for a final season.