Q&A Session: Andres 'Andy' Alfonzo

Me with Andy after a win against Stetson in spring 2016 for the last season match

On Thursday, I took the time to do a Q&A Session with one of the members on my VIP list: Andres 'Andy' Alfonzo. Alfonzo is a senior on the FGCU men's tennis team and has played for FGCU since his sophomore year

Prior to FGCU, he started his collegiate tennis career at Texas Christian University (TCU) before transferring due to lack of playing time. When he came to FGCU, he was joined by his older brother, Eduardo or Edu, as he was called.

He and I agreed to meet at his dorm and do the Q&A before he started practice for his matches against UNC-Charlotte and Tennessee Tech tomorrow. Alfonzo was really looking forward to it when we talked about it.

Prior to the Q&A session, I asked him if he prefers to be called by his first name or shortened name and he told me and he told he would like to be called Andy since all his teammates would call him that.

Me: What got you to start playing tennis?

Andy: When I was very young, there was a tennis court in the building I use to live in Valencia, Venezuela, and I use to go there and play with my brother and hit a bunch of balls everyday, and that's how I started.

Me: That's where you mainly started your tennis career?

Andy: Basically, yeah. I was 13 years old that I move to the US and started to practice and do everything more seriously.

Me: Before, you went to Texas Christian University of the Big 12 Conference, but prior to that, were there any other colleges that offered you a chance to play there?

Andy: Well since I decided to go to college very late, that was near November to December, I was pretty much rejecting any offer from many other schools. After December, I was in contact with the University of Miami, Virginia Tech, Texas Christian and Barry University.

Me: Like you mentioned, you started your collegiate tennis career at TCU and named a member of the Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team. When you first enrolled at TCU, what was going through your mind when you started there?

Andy: I think it was the beginning of a very special career I would say. I was living something different, something I never experienced before, and I was very happy to be there. I just started to enjoy it every day no matter what.

Me: When you were playing tennis, who did you look up to for motivation to play tennis?

Andy: I would say Rafael Nadal. I started seeing him when he was very, very young. He was about 17 years old when he beat Roger Federer at the Miami Open, and I was probably 11, 12, 13 years old or something like that. Since that day, he became my kind of hero, so because of him, I feel motivated to work.

Professional men's tennis player Rafael Nadal, who was 17 at the time, was the No. 32 seed in the 2004 NASDAQ-100 Open in Miami Gardens, Florida. Nadal had a first round bye and faced wild card Goran Ivanišević and won 6-4 before Ivanišević retired. Nadal would face Roger Federer, the no. 1 seed in the open. Nadal would go on and upset Federer with a 6-3 pair decision before falling to Fernando González in the fourth round.

I talked to Andy about the situation with why he went from TCU to FGCU:

Me: So you transferred from TCU your sophomore year. Why did you transfer from TCU and what was the motive behind your departure?

Andy: Well the main reason was because I wanted to play for a school, and I wasn't really playing much at TCU. My brother was experiencing the same from Barry University where they were nationally champs in division two, but he wanted to play more, so we decided to play for the same school, and we had a better chance to play in the top lineup here and be the difference in the team, so we felt like coming here.

Me: It's interesting that you mentioned your brother, Eduardo. He transferred, like you mentioned, from Barry University, and when it was found out that you two were reuniting together again, what was your reaction, let alone Eduardo's reaction about that.

Andy: Well very, very nice. Very special because we have always been together, we grew up together, helping each other out with our games, and I think it was a good opportunity for us to keep doing that at a college level, so we were very happy to be together again.

Eduardo, Andy's brother, transferred to FGCU from Barry University, a NCAA division two university in the Sunshine State Conference.

Me: When you first came to FGCU to play for the tennis team, what was going through your mind? Were you nervous? Were you excited?

Andy: I think the main feeling was excitement and motivation. We came here with big goals to accomplish, and I that help me to not feel nervous, and made me feel more motivated.

Me: When you met coach C.J. Weber, what did you think of him at first glance on and off the court?

Andy: Well, I think he's a great person. He gave me the confidence and respect I needed. I would say that I feel very comfortable working with him and that made my tennis progress to be more easy.

Me: Do you remember your first tennis match at FGCU?

Andy: Yes. I remember. It was very different from what I expect it to be. (chuckles)

Me: (chuckles) So what was your favorite tennis match you played in whether it was from TCU or FGCU?

Andy: I think one of the best, well I had a couple. I think one of the best was once I was playing in regionals and I was playing a guy who was Number 17 in the country and we were tied in the third set with his crowd and with my crowd, I had only my teammates and coach, so I remember fighting to the last point to close the match and finally I won and it was one of the best win I ever had, so that was very special feeling.

Me: And this was at FGCU?

Andy: Yes this was at FGCU.

Me: You have a variety of awards in your collegiate tennis career overall. Aside from the Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team, you were named A-Sun co-Scholar-Athlete of the Year and First Team All-Atlantic Sun honors last year. How do you feel when you find out that you have these awards?

Andy: Of course very happy and very proud of what I had done as an Eagle here at FGCU, so studying has always been an important factor in my life for me and my family, so when I win these awards, I know that I am making my parents proud and of course achieving some of my goals.

Me: Out of all the teammates you played doubles matches with whether it is from TCU or FGCU, who did you like playing with the most in doubles? (chuckles)

Andy: (laughs) That's a good question and I feel like I played with many different guys with many different personalities and some led me on the court and some I have to lead, but definitely playing with my brother is one of the best. I had other opportunities to play with Jordi Vives, former number one on our team two years ago and he made it very easy for me and he was a great player.

Me: Like you were saying you were playing with Edu and Jordi, family is always special for games like that. You must have had a lot of intensity

Andy: (chuckles) yeah.

Me: You played with Oliver Landert too.

Andy: Yes. We had really good tournaments together. We actually won once in fall 2015 at the Dick Vitale tournament and that was a great accomplishment I would say.

Me: Out of all your years of playing college tennis, what was your favorite year and why?

Andy: I think my junior year. My junior year was when I got to play my best tennis during the season, and I just enjoyed it a lot. Being around my brother and know it was his last day of college, so I was happy to be there for him anytime that he needed me and we just fought together these last months in college tennis.

Me: It was vice versa with Eduardo saying the same thing to you?

Andy: Of course.

Me: You recently have dealt with some injuries, including a broken finger and back issues too. What is the status so far with your recoveries?

Andy: The saddest part is being on the tennis courts and not being able to play. Of course, I'd rather be hitting the ball than not, and knowing that anytime I have to stop, of course the tennis level is going to drop a little bit and it takes time to come back to the best shape.

Me: What do you do to prepare yourself before every match you play? Do you have a certain ritual like you listen to a certain song playlist or do meditation to help you focus?

Andy: I have different routines and rituals that I do sometimes. Definitely when I play matches, I like to just listen to my favorite music or some motivational speeches that I have saved on my playlist. So those help me a lot.

Me: What was the main song you listen to on your playlist?

Andy: (chuckles) I can't think of one right now. 

Me: Some Latin to keep you moving and grooving and put a little pep in your step onto the court (laughs)

Andy: (laughs) Yeah well I just have a lot. I don't have one favorite.

Me: This is your senior year. The last year that you get to play for FGCU’s men’s tennis team. What emotions are you going through your head as you prepare for each match you play for your last season and why?

Andy: It makes me feel happy and sad at the same time. It makes me think of giving 100 percent every day doing my practice, studying, nutrition and recoveries. Everything I do, I strive to give 100 percent best so I can maximize my performance.

Me: If you decide not to go and play professional tennis, what are you going to do after you’re finished with FGCU? Any backup plans?

Andy: So far, I'm working on it. I don't know what I am going to do. One of my friends called me today telling me that he's looking for a sponsor waiting to play doubles professionally in Venezuela. It's always been one of my dreams, so we'll see. Right now, I'm open to many options and one thing that I would like to be in the future is a wealth manager. It's defintely in the back of my head.

Me: Why a wealth manager?

Andy: I don't know. I think it's interesting, I love numbers. I guess I get to know a lot of people through tennis and help them achieve some financial goals as a wealth manager.

Me: What is one thing you will always remember when you spent your time at FGCU?

Andy: Working hard and having little time to socialize and have free time. I'll remember that for the rest of my life.

I mentioned to Andy about last years A-Sun men's tennis championship tournament.

Me: Do you remember the A-Sun Championship Tournament match last year?

Andy: Yeah I do. We were in USC Upstate in Spartanberg.

Me: I knew at that time you were the No. 1 seed coming into the tournament and you fell to Upstate, who was the No. 4 seed. When that happened, what was going through your mind at that point?

Andy: Well, you always have to know that anything can happen in sports, and being the number one seed and being number four doesn't mean you're suppose to win or not. We are now playing at home. We came from beating them 6-1 at FGCU, but when we went out there, everything was different. The courts were a little faster on a windy day. Many things changed for the tournament, and I think you just got to stay humble, accept the loss and learn from it and keep going from there.

Me: The A-Sun tournament is at home for a home court advantage. How do you feel about it?

Andy: I feel very happy that it's going to increase our chances to win. This is where we play every day. This is where we're used to play. We have the support of our community and it's very exciting to play at home, so we're very happy and motivated and hopefully we can have the whole team play.

Me: If it doesn't happen, at least you remember it as one of your best moments that you could imagine?

Andy: Yeah, that's the last week of my college career. Of course, it's gonna have something to teach me and something special to fufill. I am sure going to remember that I don't forget about any tournament or championship tournament I have ever played.

I thank him gratefully for doing the Q&A session with me and he said something in the end that made me feel special.

Andy: Thank you Pat. I appreciate it. Of course, thanks for your support and always being there for us and showing the interest in helping us and showing some love. We appreciate that and me, personally, I really do, so thanks for your time.

After I left his dorm from the session to go back to my dorm, I had a couple of tears in my eyes because how he mentioned that the whole tennis team is always happy for me to support them and show them that I care about them and want them to succeed in their careers.

It really brought a smile to my face as well as theirs, and how Andy said that on behalf of the team was a very special moment I will never forget.