Roy Smith is an American tennis player, age 21. A star player at Baylor University, he's been ranked as high as #310 in the world.
Karl: We are here in Knoxville with Roy Smith, just sitting down to have a chat in the player’s lounge. Roy, you've had a good run at this tournament. I've been having a great time watching you play. And I'm just wondering what inspired you to get into tennis in the first place.
Roy: My grandfather played college tennis at Loyola University, down in New Orleans. So that’s what inspired me to play tennis.
Karl: So, did you hit balls with your grandfather at some point?
Roy: Yes. When he came to Connecticut and visited, I got to hit some balls with him, and he coached me a little bit.
Karl: Okay. You have to give up a lot of other things in life to play this game. What kind of support does your family give you that makes that possible?
Roy: They're really supportive. They just tell me to go out there and do my best every day, and to keep on doing what I'm doing. One day it's going to click, you never know.
Karl: You're just turned 21 years old, right? You have been ranked for three years already. You've spent a lot of time away from home. Who do you keep in touch with when you're on the road?
Roy: I keep in touch with my Dad a lot. Yeah, my Dad, my sisters, my cousins. I just like staying on the phone with them. That helps me out a lot, especially when it gets kind of lonely. This week, I have my Mom traveling with me. So, that's really nice. But it's always nice to hear from my father, hear from my cousins. We are all really close to each other. My sister, Margaret Sexton. She's a lot older than me. She’s an author. She wrote this book called “ A Kind of Freedom”. Good book.
Karl: I will check that out. Have you done any travel to Europe or Latin America at this point?
Roy: I haven't been to Europe yet, but I have traveled to Ecuador and to Mexico. I also have been to Asia.
Karl: Well that is pretty extensive travel at 21 years old. That is epic. Among the places you've been, what are some of your favorites?
Roy: I’d have to say Japan and Korea. I played in Yokohama, And in Korea, we were in Gwangju and Busan, in the south of the country.
Karl: Tell me, what was the trip like to Ecuador? I've never been anywhere close.
Roy: Oh, Ecuador. It was really fun. The food was so good. The people were great. The weather was hot, really hot. it was nice.
Karl: Did you see any scenery, taking in the sights down there?
Roy: A little bit. You don’t get too much time on the tour. There’s too much tennis for that. I see a tennis court. Back to the hotel. But, I got to see a little bit. I like to sample the food. That's what I like.
Karl: What's your favorite food?
Roy: I love crepes.
Karl: Oh, seriously? OK. That's more the European thing than the Ecuadorian thing.
Roy: And I like soul food. My Mom is a good cook….She's from New Orleans so. She cooks good gumbo, jambalaya, po boys. Oh, yeah. She's a great cook when she wants to be. (laughs)
(This interview continues with Roy's thoughts on winning and losing and 'trusting the process'. Visit once a week, and you won't miss a thing.)
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