We’re down to the final weekend of the regular season in the Big Ten but before the guys close out the year we conducted a Q&A with one of the top seniors in the conference, Minnesota’s Felix Corwin. The Elm Grove, Wisconsin, native started off his collegiate career playing at No. 4 in the singles lineup but by the end of his junior year he was up to No. 1 and has remained at the top spot throughout his senior year. During his freshman year, Corwin clinched Minnesota’s first regular season Big Ten Championship in 20 years by winning the deciding match over Northwestern’s Logan Staggs (now at UCLA) 4-6, 7-5, 7-6. Corwin has won 83 singles matches and 76 doubles matches in his time in the Twin Cities and his Gophers are on the verge of qualifying for the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row and third time in the last four years.
CTT: Is it strange being so close to the end of your college career?
FC: It is a really weird feeling being almost done. It was an amazing time here at Minnesota but I am also excited for my future.
CTT: Your Dad, Timon, played at Kalamazoo College, played pro, became AD and Head Tennis Coach at KZoo, and ran USTA Boys National Championships for a long time in Kalamazoo. What kind of effect did that have on your tennis career growing up? Did you work as a ball boy at Kzoo? Did you imagine yourself playing there as a kid?
FC: My dad was a huge influence on my siblings and me growing up with tennis. He was always helping us develop as players but tried to always have a different coach working with us on court. My older brother, Tim, and I were ball boys at the Nationals for a few years. We loved every minute of it. The tournament was our favorite time of the year. We looked up to and wanted to be just like all the talented players in the tournament. I always dreamed of playing in the tournament and winning it. I achieved the first of those dreams!
CTT: How did you decide on Minnesota? Did you consider going warm weather like CA, FL or Texas? What do you like about playing four years for the Gophers? Do you like playing Indoors?
FC: When looking for schools, I wanted to play relatively close to home. I grew up watching Big Ten sports, so I am not surprised I ended up at a Big Ten school. I had a tough time picking a school, but what I was really looking for was a coaching staff that I could connect with and team of guys I could see myself having fun with. In retrospect, I am very happy with my decision. I play great tennis indoors so I have gotten to play a lot in that setting over my college career. This is a great school for someone looking for high quality competition on the court as well as a great education.
CTT:: You hit racquet on your elbow a lot? Is that a superstition? Does it work?
FC: My elbow tap is something I have done since I was very young (maybe 9 or 10 years old). It is just something I do after I win a point. Kind of like a fist pump. It isn’t a superstition but more of a ritual.
CTT: Any pre-match rituals? What does team do night before a match? What is go to food pre match for Minnesota? Do you argue on Away trips where to eat?
FC: I don’t have any specific rituals before the match. I usually like to listen to some music though. Our pre-match food is typically sandwiches or something along the lines of Chipotle. When we are at away matches, we generally try new restaurants if we can. Our assistant coach Urban Ljubic picks where we eat on the road, so there typically isn’t much discussion.
CTT: How does Minnesota travel? Can you fly most places from Twin Cities? Or you in vans and buses a lot?
FC: We almost always fly to our matches. The only cases we have driven by van are to Nebraska, Iowa, or Wisconsin. Those campuses were all around four to five hours away.
CTT: Minnesota making some noise this year. How has team improved since you’ve been there? Do you like being on #1 Court?
FC: Our team is full of really competitive guys that are always up for a good match. I think a huge strength of ours this year is the energy and enthusiasm that we bring to each dual match. I have been playing my highest quality tennis this year, so I have felt very comfortable at 1 singles. I just hope to keep my quality high going into post-season play.
CTT: Do you need to take a leadership role on the team or do guys know what the mission is?
FC: I see myself as one of the guys that the rest of the team looks up to, along with Matic Spec my fellow senior. All the guys on the team are motivated and driven, so we have had great practices throughout the season.
We asked Minnesota head coach Geoff Young what he likes most about Felix and what he brings to the team:
“Two of the more important roles I have as the coach is to help my players stay connected with their passion for the game of tennis, and to teach my players how to remain self motivated. With Felix, I don’t have to do either. To have someone on the team who is always motivated and behaves daily on the court as someone who loves the game is in and of itself great leadership. College tennis is filled with obstacles giving players 100 reasons to go down the path that will tear down ones performance. Felix rarely visits that path, which lets him keep a clear mind and perspective through his journey. Simply put, he is beyond his years with a high level of emotional intelligence. I give huge credit to his parents for instilling this in him.
— All photos via Gopher Sports
Did Felix share his plans post-graduation? Will he pursue a tennis career or something else?
He said he is going to give the pro tour a try after graduation.