Jeff Sloves '02 was a fixture at No. 2 singles this year for the men's tennis team, second only to graduating captain Rob Chen '00. I asked Jeff if he expected to assume the lead spot next year.
He shrugged: "Who knows." Well, perhaps he would like to comment on the strengths of his game? His leadership role on the team?
At this point he called out to my friend who is sitting at the next table in Collis and asked her about a Yale opponent of his that she knows. I waited patiently, then informed him that he hadn't escaped the questions. He squirmed and told me that he doesn't like to talk about himself, and threw out something to the effect of: "I guess that next year the whole junior class is going to have to step up and set good examples." I sighed.
Luckily, I was able to find other sources to answer my questions. "Jeff's got a natural intensity that rubs off on his teammates," volunteered Chen. "His leadership will be really important next year."
Sloves has been impressive for the Big Green, working his way up to a solid No. 2 this year after hanging out at Nos. 4 and 5 as a freshman. He managed to accumulate an 11-9 overall singles record and even nab a couple of Ivy wins over the course of a frustrating year for his team as a whole, which went 5-14 overall and 0-7 in the Ivies.
"What was so frustrating was that we could have won a lot more matches," he said. "We all had great streaks, and everyone beat some great players " we just couldn't all turn it on at the same time."
This summer, Sloves plans to forgo his Sophomore Summer in order to return home to Colorado, where he hopes to play in a few pro tournaments. "I want to try to keep my game up to par with the time I have," he said.
When asked about his goals for the coming year he paused and said, "To be All-Ivy." For the team as a whole his aims are equally high and, of course, more elaborately stated. "Our imminent goal this fall will be for each player to get their game turned on the point that, come spring, we're playing our best ball of the year and ready to compete for the Ivies."
Sloves rattled off a list of impressive accomplishments of the '04 recruiting class as he discussed next year's prospects. "I love the way the program is running," he added. "We have a great coaching staff, and with the new facility, I don't think there's much of a limit on the future success of this team."
Chen summed up Sloves' personal commitment, saying: "I've seen him more than once get in teammates facts when they weren't giving their best, which does make him sometimes tough to get along with, but it makes him a lot more respected."
In reflecting on a tough year, Sloves remained positive in his outlook and focused on the task at hand. "I feel like I can come away from this year with some good wins and experience, " he said. "Competitive sports are a reward in and of themselves."
He smiled, suddenly pleased with himself. "Now there's a good quote you can put in."
