FAC Tennis Network; Interview with Jay Baldwin

1. Where did you grow up? I grew up in a lower middle class, ethnically diverse, blue collar neighborhood in southern California, near Los Angeles...my dad was Archie Bunker, my mother, Edith.
2. If not from NWA - what brought you here? I came to Fayetteville for two reasons: First, to finish my doctorate at University of Arkansas; the second, to escape the long winters of north Idaho where I was living before moving here.
3. Martial Status? I think the correct term for my marital status is "unmarried". I'm divorced, no kids.
4. Other than tennis what do you do for recreation/relaxation/hobbies? I read (a lot), mostly academic stuff. I also enjoy fly fishing.
5. What is your current NRTP ranking, how many years have you been playing tennis and what prompted you to play tennis regularly? I'm a self-rated 3.0 player, been playing for about 4 years, USTA for about one. What prompted me to play? I'm not really sure...I guess it looked fun and so, gave it a try. Now I'm hooked.
6. What is your favorite thing/enjoyment about playing tennis? The thing I enjoy most about tennis is the continual challenge to improve...and, of course, the people one meets and friendships made along the way.
7. What is your most memorable accomplishment in tennis so far? Hitting the ball over the net and having it land inside the court on the other side...but the most fun I've ever had playing tennis was a 4-6, 7-6, 0-1 (9-11) doubles loss in the semi-finals at state. The match lasted close to 3 hours, lots of close games, deuces, and longer rallies. The teams were tied 2-2, so everything came down to this match. A crowd of about 30 had gathered to watch, cheering every point (and adding to the pressure).Even though we lost, it was a blast.
8. Do you have a particular pet peeve that tennis opponents do that bother you?
Yes. Since court time is restricted to 90 mins, I want to get the most play in I can. So I sometimes get perturbed when opponents engage in extended change over chit-chat. There's plenty of time to tell war stories and dirty jokes after we're done playing. If you wanted to talk, go to Starbucks, order a cup of coffee and a scone, and gab yourself silly. If you want to play tennis, shut the #&$! up and serve already.
9. Do you learn more from your wins or losses and why?
I don't know if I learn more from winning or losing but the lesson is always the same: humility.
10. What is your favorite NWA restaurant and why? No real fave...but I enjoy all kinds of food, Thai, sushi, etc. Indian is probably my favorite.
11. If you could have dinner with a famous person - dead or alive - who would it be and why? If I could have dinner with anybody, I'd like to sit down with 17 year old me. There's a few things I'd like to tell him.
12. Who is going to win Wimbledon this year - male and female? Novak and Serena.