Alabama Men’s Tennis Senior Duo Are Teammates, Roommates and Brothers
2/12/2021 4:35:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Sam Fischer and Grant Stuckey have gone from rivals to friends to teammates and roommates to brothers over the course of the past dozen years
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Most collegiate student-athletes arrive on campus, meet their teammates and begin the process of building a team that changes year-to-year as new people join and others graduate.
Sam Fischer and Grant Stuckey got a jump on that process, starting early in their junior tennis career and continuing on to the present day, with both in their final year with the Crimson Tide, looking toward graduation and life beyond.
"I don't remember the first time I met Sam, but we've known each other since we were maybe 11 or 12 and kept seeing each other at tournaments," Stuckey said. "And then at some point when we were 15 or 16 we started hanging out at tournaments and became friends."
Later, when the time came to pick schools, both ended up choosing the Crimson Tide, though that was mostly a matter of chance more than something they planned out.
"I didn't even know Sam was planning on going here when I was looking at Alabama," Stuckey said. "But when I found out that he had signed here, I thought it would be pretty cool to be teammates with him."
The two arrived in Tuscaloosa and were paired as roommates as well as teammates, and over the years, that relationship has grown even more.
"We're like brothers now," Fischer said. "And just like brothers, we're around each other all the time, we fight, we're super competitive in everything. We're beyond close and I'm not sure a lot of people have that kind of relationship with their college roommate, it's been great."
Having your teammate and roommate also be your best friend, can help with the ups and downs that come with being a student-athlete. Stuckey in particular has had six surgeries over his first three seasons on campus, limiting his playing time.
"He's always been there for me to talk though things and he's always been on my side, so that's been great," Stuckey said. "And I've always tried to do the same for him when he's struggling. It's been great to have someone to talk through the difficult times with."
In addition to being teammates and roommates, the duo also have the same interests off the court and in the classroom.
"We're both interested in science," Fischer said. "So in addition to practicing and living together, we've also taken a lot of the same courses together and studied together. We've really pushed each other both on the court and in the classroom to be the best we can be. It's been competitive in the best way."
Both Fischer and Stuckey are set to graduate after this season, though neither is done with their education. Fischer is planning on medical school, while Stuckey is set to pursue a master's degree in finance at UA.
What will they miss once their time on the team is done? Both landed on the same answer - their teammates and the bond that they've built both on the court and off.
"I'm going to miss just being a part of this team, that's what I'm going to miss the most," Fischer said. "The time spent in the locker room before practices, the time after matches, seeing each other on campus. We've had the same team pretty much since I got here, and everyone is so close. I don't think it's hit us yet that time of seeing each other every day is coming to a close."
"Before coming here, I never thought I'd meet such a diverse group of people and get to know people from different countries, so it's really broadened my horizons in terms of meeting different people from different places," Stuckey said. "I've really grown to appreciate how close we've gotten to each other over the past four years and knowing that these are life-long connections."
The Crimson Tide's 2021 season continues Saturday with a doubleheader against Tennessee Tech at 1 p.m. and 5 pm. CT. Alabama heads into the weekend with a 6-2 record, while the Golden Eagles are 0-1. The Tide is 4-1 all-time vs. Tennessee Tech, with all five matches being contested between 1975-88.
Due to health and safety considerations in addition to the current guidelines, attendance at Alabama tennis home competitions is on a first-come, first-serve basis until reaching capacity if the matches are played outdoors. Facial coverings must be worn at all times unless eating or drinking. If matches are played indoors, there will be no spectators allowed.
Get all the latest information on Alabama men's tennis by following AlabamaMTN on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. General athletic news can also be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and AlabamaAthletics on Facebook.
Players Mentioned
