Alabama
Intercollegiate Tennis Association
Zhe Zhou Gets A Second Chance at the First Tournament of His Freshman Season
1/21/2021 5:58:00 PM | Men's Tennis
The fifth-year senior and the Crimson Tide open play at the ITA Kickoff Weekend on Friday against NC State
RALEIGH, N.C. – As the Alabama men's tennis team makes its way to Raleigh, N.C., this weekend, Zhe Zhou, in his fifth year with the Crimson Tide, will have the chance to make up for a missed opportunity that goes back to his first days with the team.
When Zhou joined the Tide for the 2017 spring semester, he was hobbled by an injury and stayed on campus the last time Alabama was invited to play in the ITA Kickoff Weekend.
"I missed out the last time around," Zhou said. "I'd just gotten to school, was hurt and could barely walk, so I stayed in Tuscaloosa. This weekend is kind of a second chance for me – five years later."
This season as a whole is a second chance for Zhou and his classmates to go out on their own terms after the COVID-19 pandemic cut their first senior season short last March.
"We've been working together for a long time and built very special relationships," Zhou said. "I know we have each other's backs and are competing not only for ourselves but for each other. I feel like we hold each other accountable and everyone has the same goal. I really enjoy the team and am very comfortable competing with them as well."
And this weekend, as Zhou steps onto the court at the J.W. Isenhour Tennis Center, he understands things that would have been lost on him at the start of his rookie season.
"This is my last time around when it comes to competing for the Tide, and I really, really appreciate the opportunity I have right now," Zhou said. "It is my fifth year competing, so there are obviously a lot of good memories and experiences. That helps fuel me to compete in every match and finish strong."
In addition to the drive of not wasting his second chance, Zhou brings the experience of playing in hundreds of matches for the Tide to bear on this season.
"I feel like I have a deeper understanding of college tennis and tennis itself," Zhou said. "I know how much it means to compete for The University of Alabama. I have a better understanding of everything that goes on and I know where I should be."
Part of a large veteran contingent, this year's road trips, even though they have been altered by COVID-19 protocols, bring a special joy built on the last four years and the relationships the team has built over that time.
"We really enjoy the trips, we all bond and hang out with each other," Zhou said. "Going somewhere to represent the University is always really special for me and for the team. Whatever memories happen on the road, good or bad, you tend to really hang on to the good memories. That's what I will take with me."
While the character and fight of a team are often built during matches, the personality of the team and camaraderie that lasts a lifetime comes from the time getting to and from matches, the practices and the time away from the courts.
"This team has a great atmosphere and we have guys who always make it fun and bring the team together," Zhou said. "All of the relationships are really tight. We laugh and joke together, but also push each other and hold each other accountable. We all love and respect each other and have fun together."
The Tide opens the weekend on Friday at 10 a.m. CT against the homestanding NC State Wolfpack. On Saturday, Alabama will play either Tennessee or Ole Miss. If Alabama wins both of its matches, it will earn a berth to the ITA National Team Indoor Championships Feb. 12-14 in Champaign, Ill.
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