The theme: location, location, location.
Sheridan Snyder Tennis Center in the heart of Central Grounds provides the perfect site for Virginia's NCAA Division I men's and women's tennis teams to display their talents, besides being an excellent facility available for recreational use by the University community.
The $1.4 million, 13-court complex was completed in 1997 and has been recognized as one of the finest collegiate tennis facilities in the country. It features state-of-the-art lighting and ample room for spectators on the adjacent hillsides.
"I like playing at Snyder because it's near Mem Gym, close to the Corner and right by Alderman," senior Henriette Williams said. "It's near where people always walk by, so when they see us, they'll stop and watch for a little bit."
Having the home-court advantage is important in achieving a fan base that inspires energy and electrifies the atmosphere, necessarily making the match more exciting.
"We have an advantage over other teams when they come to play us at home, specifically because of the people," Williams said. "With Snyder situated in a part of campus that people walk by, it creates a crowd of fans which can be intimidating to the other team, and it always helps when the fraternities that play their loud music."
It is easy to think of the impact of fans in sports like football and basketball, whose facilities can accommodate thousands of students, but the effect of the crowd's support is in no way diminished for tennis simply because of the organization of the courts or the lack of a stadium.
Senior Jennifer Tuchband remembered a specific match against Richmond during her freshman year where the excitement of the fans made all the difference.
"We were playing doubles after singles, and it came down to my doubles match, and everyone was watching," Tuchband said. "We were playing on one of the end courts and everyone was packed around the court, watching us, which made it so intimidating, but also exciting to know that everyone wanted us to win so much."
Coach Phil Rogers cited the possibility of distractions that comes with playing at home. He too, however, emphasized the impact of the spectators.
"It's a really comfortable place to watch a tennis match," Rogers said, "There aren't that many venues in tennis that are right on campus, so it gives some awareness to the public of the high caliber of the teams."
Snyder's courts are in impeccable condition, which makes productive practices and clean matches possible.
"The courts are in good condition, since they're so new," Williams said. "The facility overall is really nice and open."
It is a well-known fact that to play at home, especially in the ACC, provides a priceless advantage over visiting teams.
"We do seem to show up and play better when we're at home," Rogers said. "I don't know what it is about playing at home, maybe because of the fans or the comfortable surroundings, but we do seem to play some pretty good matches here."
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