Forget about sitting still and being quiet. Don't expect to be lulled to sleep by a slow-paced, boring game. Stephen Rozek wants you to take all of your preconceived notions about the experience at a Virginia men's tennis match and throw them out the window.
"We don't run around in little white shorts and our college shirts and not say a word," Rozek said. "We're pretty intense, and we're fun, and we like to engage with the crowd and have a good time out there."
Even if you are only a casual reader of The Cavalier Daily sports section, you're probably aware that Rozek and his teammates are having a pretty impressive season. The Cavaliers have compiled a 20-2 record, with both losses coming to Baylor, the No. 1-ranked team in the country. A win over Clemson in this afternoon's 2:00 p.m. match at Snyder Tennis Center would complete a perfect 9-0 ACC season and mark the first time in school history that the men's tennis team has gone undefeated in ACC play.
What you may not be aware of, however, is that the men's tennis team is looking for fans: vocal, rowdy, enthusiastic fans. They want the kind of fans who turn out for basketball and football games.
"Fans should know that they can certainly get excited when a good point is played," Virginia coach Brian Boland said. "I think that the students and fans in general should know that they can get as excited about a great shot as they can about a three-pointer or a touchdown."
The only difference is that the men's basketball team didn't make a lot of the three-pointers they threw up during games at U-Hall this season. The tennis team does a much better job of giving fans something to cheer about by winning most of its points on the tennis court.
Boland has made it a personal goal of his to increase the fan base and the level of enthusiasm at Virginia tennis matches and says he is a firm believer that it makes a difference to the players when they know they have a vocal crowd supporting them.
"That's what home-court advantage is," Boland said. "Not only playing where you're comfortable and knowing the speed of the courts but, most importantly, the fact that you have your own home crowd giving you that extra motivation and push when you're out there competing."
For the Cavaliers, sometimes that extra motivation comes from an unorthodox source. When Virginia took on N.C. State last season at the Boar's Head Inn, starter Nick Meythaler had several of his fraternity brothers and pledges turn out for the match. Some of his supporters were wearing sports bras and halter tops; others were dressed in pink pajamas, while some simply painted their chests. The Cavaliers cruised to a 7-0 victory over the Wolfpack.
Not exactly the kind of crowd you expect to see at Wimbledon -- But that's the point. This isn't Wimbledon. College tennis is on another level when it comes to fan participation.
"In Georgia, where they hold the national championships every year, they're really rowdy," Rozek said. "They'll be doing the 'Bulldog bark' while you're tossing your serve in the air. It gets pretty intense. We'd love to have that kind of atmosphere here at home."
Unlike almost every other Virginia sporting event, tennis gives fans the opportunity to get close enough to the action so that the opponent can actually hear every word that comes out of their mouths. From your seat in the 20th row of the upper bowl in U-Hall, it doesn't matter how loud you yell at J.J. Redick, your message is not going to make it to his ear. But if you wanted to remind Clemson's No. 4 singles starter Ryan Young that he has had some problems measuring up to ACC competition this year -- compiling a 1-5 singles mark -- he will have a hard time ignoring you.
The tennis team is also providing pizza and drinks for any fans who come out to the courts nestled between Mem Gym and Nameless Field. Even if you're not exactly an expert when it comes to tennis, you'll still be welcome, according to Rozek. And if you're not sure when exactly to cheer, just don't think about it and go nuts whenever it feels right.
"I would encourage fans to come out, push the limits and enjoy themselves," Rozek said. "The referee will let them know when they're out of line."
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