Serve and Volley: Junior Ashley Bentley
3/2/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
 |
|
Ashley Bentley is quickly moving up the charts on Alabama’s all-time wins list in both singles and doubles. In fact, entering this weekend, Bentley and doubles partner Robin Stephenson need just three wins to become Alabama’s all-time winningest doubles team. She’s also 16-4 this season in singles and currently ranked 83rd by the ITA. But in this week’s Serve and Volley, I found out the reason behind all that fancy footwork on the tennis court.
The Serve: So, do you have any odd talents that we should know about?
The Volley: Yeah, actually I have amazing rhythm and some killer dance moves. What most people don’t know is that Usher has asked me help out with some music videos and I’ve actually choreographed several floor routines for the gymnastics team. I’m a tennis player by day, choreographer by night.
S: Wow! That’s quite a dream. You should use those choreographer skills to come up with a celebration dance. Alright, if you could play doubles with anyone in the world, who would you chose and why?
V: Martina Navratilova because she’s the best doubles player ever.
S: Both your parents graduated from Auburn right? So how did you decide to attend Alabama?
V: Well, Alabama presented me with the best opportunity and it was a good fit for me to come here.
S: So I bet that makes for some interesting conversations around the dinner table.
V: Oh yeah. I was rocked to sleep at night by Glory, Glory to Auburn, but now I know all the words to Yeah Alabama! Plus my sister is here at Alabama at Law School now.
S: Do you have any rituals or superstitions that you have to perform before or during a match?
V: Hm...well it seems like I have a ton of them but I just can’t think of anything specific right now. I have to bounce the ball three times before every serve and I always make sure that I have my lucky blue hat in my bag.
S: What about nicknames?
V: Uh...just Ash. I don’t have nicknames really. Wait, fat kid. They call me fat kid.
S: I’m not touching that one. Other than tennis, what sport do you enjoy playing most?
V: Basketball.
S: Alright, what’s the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to you on the tennis court.
V: Well, this didn’t really happen to me but it was during a doubles match last year against Ole Miss. Robin’s toss on her serve was so bad she fell trying to hit it. I didn’t know whether to laugh, cry or call an ambulance. But she, literally, picked herself up and dusted herself off and we bounced back to win.
S: Okay, I know you watched this show so who was your favorite cast member on Saved by the Bell?
V: Zach Morris. I loved that cell phone that he used.
