10 Questions With ... Chris Nero -- Men's Tennis

Our next "10 Questions" feature is courtesy of Orange Coast College men's tennis player Chris Nero, who talks about the sport of tennis, his all-time dream matchup and life after his tennis career is over.

1. Do you remember when you first started playing tennis? What is it about the sport you love so much? And … tell us how you made it here to OCC??

"Basically, I began playing in the eighth grade. I grew playing baseball because that's what my brother did. It was OK, but I didn't like the team aspect … I'm more of an individual sport fan. I've been playing for 5-6 years now, including playing at Edison HS before coming to Coast. I knew I wanted to go to OCC because I wanted to take part in their aviation program. Why not play tennis too?"

2. Last year, you got a taste of playing for OCC before the season was stopped due to COVID. What has it been like during this pandemic and what have you been able to do to stay sharp as we head towards the 2021 season?

"Once the season stooped in March, I didn't play much for the first three months until after July 4. Once things cooled down a bit, I started to go out and play more when I didn't think it was as dangerous. My friend, Nick Tran and I would play 3-4 hours a day all the way up until the first week of practice. Nick and I are very competitive, so it was a great matchup every time we played. Once we got back, it definitely showed who had been playing and how hadn't. "

3. Take me through the art of playing tennis. There's so much more than just getting to each shot and hitting back towards your opponent. Heading into matches, do you have a game plan on how to play a certain opponent? What are some of your strengths/weaknesses on the court?

"Before I go play a tournament or a team, I'll check the UTR rankings and I'll see where my opponent is. If he's higher, then I know it'll be a hard match, but if its lower, then I know to just play my game. A key to success for me is if I miss a shot, I need to just let it go. You don't really know how good your opponent ever is so you really have to focus on what you do. I'm very headstrong, but here and there, I'll lose it … but I try to keep my head. As long as I work hard, but the guys is just better, that's OK – I can live with that. I play an aggressive style and the strongest part is my serve. I'm not the tallest person on the court (5-feet-9), but I can cover the court and hit the ball hard."

4. How has it been playing for Chris? He comes off as such an annoyingly nice guy. Is that how he is as a coach as well? What have you learned from him during your time at OCC?

"He's one of the nicest people I've ever met. He's always down to help you and on top of that, he's also one of the best tennis coaches I've ever had. He hasn't changed my game completely, but he talked to me about going for less errors and waiting for my shot. I'm now playing a much smarter tennis and it's helped tremendously."

5. OK fun question for you … if you had the opportunity to play tennis against any player who ever lived, who would you pick?? Also … pick the venue you'd play the match at … Roland Garos on clay?? Wimbledon on grass?? Arthur Ashe Stadium on the hard court??

"It would definitely be Centre Court in Madrid and my opponent would be Dominic Thiem. He's 27 years old and ranked No. 3 in the world, but he's not a big, world-wide name. But in my opinion, he's the most aggressive player out there. He's so fast and not afraid to go for every shot. I'd put him just ahead of Rafael Nadal as my dream opponent."  

6. If I gave you a 24-hour pass from COVID and you could do anything that you used to do, what would it be?? What do you miss the most from this isolation??

"I'd go to the gym and go surfing all the time. Plus, I'd like to hang out with my friends again, some of them have been scared to leave their house so I haven't seen them in months."

7. All kids like to eat … what are your favorite meals??
   1. Favorite food in general – "Steak … all kinds!"
   2. Favorite pre-match snack – "In the morning … 4 eggs with rice/protein. Before the match, maybe a couple granola bars or a peanut butter sandwich."
   3. Favorite post-match meal – "We usually go to In 'n Out from time to time, or Raising Canes."
8. When you're not playing tennis, what do you enjoy doing?? Any hobbies or interests???

"My biggest hobby is flying. I usually take off out of John Wayne airport and it's just great … the freedom is incredible. I know it's not for everyone. I also surf a lot when I'm not playing tennis."

9. In the COVID world, we've all been binge-watching TV shows. What have you been watching during this isolation time?

"I'm really not a huge TV fan. I'm kinda on the nerdy side so I've been playing a ton of video games, especially League of Legends."

10. What are some of your plans after OCC?? Perhaps a career beyond tennis??

"After college is over, I want to be a pilot. That's been my whole goal. When I'm 21, I want to go to the American Airlines Cadet Program in either Texas or Arizona. If I get accepted, it's a five-year program and I want to get all of my licenses, including my CFI license, which will allow me to teach other kids how to fly."