Matt Fuller '97, the Big Green tennis team's most valuable player who helped lead the squad into the NCAA regional playoffs, is not flashy, but that's because he doesn't have to be.
Fuller spent much of this season wearing his opponents down with his slow and deliberate style of playing, rather than trying to outgun them.
"He is a very steady player and he is relentless with a match," Men's Tennis Coach Chuck Kinyon said. "He stays in every point. He plays the same point over and over again and eventually the other player will break down. Very seldom does Matt beat himself."
Fuller ended his season with about an 80 percent winning average that placed him in the top 10 in the Eastern Region. Fuller also played the number two spot on the team, a particularly impressive jump from the number seven and eight spots he occupied his freshman year.
"He had a great year," Men's Tennis Coach Chuck Kinyon said. "I thought it was a tremendous accomplishment and definitely a significant part of what the team has accomplished this year."
After playing number seven and number eight on the team his freshman year, Fuller's leap to the number two spot was particularly impressive.
And what is the secret to Fuller's quick climb up the Big Green's tennis ladder?
"I think his confidence has built up a lot over the past year," number one player Jim Rich '96 said. "He has also worked on his game a lot. Playing at number two he was also playing against tougher competition and that forced him to lift his game up to a new level."
The adjustment to college tennis and help from older teammates also helped Fuller get better.
"He just got a little more comfortable in his role here at the college and his role on the team," Kinyon said. "He is a more focused player. I think playing doubles with [Team Captain Kurt Bruggeman '95] was good because Kurt played a good leadership role in getting him focused."
Fuller's achievements were recognized by his teammates when he was voted MVP at the end of the season.
"He really deserved MVP," Rich said. "He was one of the hardest workers on the team, and he leads through example. He almost never lost. No one has as much tenacity on the court as he does, and he never quits."
For his part, Fuller speaks modestly of his award.
"It was nice, but at the same time there is hardly any difference between the guys on the team," Fuller said. "On a given day anyone can beat another. I just had a little bit of luck and was able to pull out some close matches."
Mentally, Fuller is known for his calculated actions on the court. Seldom does Fuller rush a point.
"He is a really good overall player," Kinyon said. "He is very focused to the point where he frustrates his opponents. He takes so much time between points. He even drives the rest of us crazy."
Fuller's teammates also acknowledge his consistency.
"He never misses," Rich said. "Matt doesn't necessarily hit the ball as hard as the other top players, but he has more endurance and more fight than most of the other competition. He is very mechanical and calculated so he rarely breaks down in tight situations, and he really just wears his opponents right down into the ground."
Improvements for Fuller have come quickly. While in high school, he played basketball and soccer up until his sophomore year, when he decided to focus on tennis. At that point, Fuller played junior tournaments while keeping his eye on the national rankings.
The late start has kept Fuller fresh and free from the fatigue that often plagues top junior tennis players.
"At the end of the season I'm definitely a little burned out because we play all year long, but as far as long-term burnout, I'm definitely not experiencing any of that."
As far as setting his sights for the next two years, Fuller hopes to make his way into the top four in the Eastern Region and earn a bid to the NCAA tournament -- a goal well within reach.
"I certainly hope he will get even better, and I think he can," Kinyon said. "I think he could be one of the best players in the region."
With a solid overall game, Fuller will need to improve upon the little areas to make his game improve.
"I have to make little adjustments, but nothing too specific," Fuller said. "I think confidence is a big part. If you think you are going to win, then your chances of winning are a lot better. I think a lot of times it's in your mind. What you think you can do is what will happen."
As far as after Dartmouth, Fuller has no specific goals when it comes to tennis. The possibility of playing as a professional for a year lingers in his mind, yet at the same time he recognizes the caliber of players in the United States is extremely deep.
"I might want to play pro for a year, just to experience it," Fuller said. "I would do it in a realistic way though. I'm not expecting to make it to the semifinals of the U.S. Open or anything. I just want to try it out."
Although tennis is an important part of Fuller's life, academics has led him to where he is today.
"When I chose a school to come to, I wanted a school that was a really good school," Fuller said. "I didn't want my decision to be based on tennis."
Fuller, who was choosing between Dartmouth, Wake Forest University and Northwestern University, said he doesn't regret the decision to come to Dartmouth which was the closest to his home in Winchester, Mass.
"Men's tennis is so deep, where you go doesn't make a difference," Fuller said. "I've been playing a lot of nationally ranked players. There is just really good competition in every region."
For now, Fuller's decision has made a major impact on the men's tennis program at Dartmouth. An impact that the Big Green hopes to continue the next two years.
