The Match-Up: Joanne Sheng and #1 Seed David Frankel


SWM, 21, 6'2" 185 lbs, athletic build, likes tennis, tolerates goats and appreciates the calming powers of Big Bird.

What Hen is this? It is none other than Pomona-Pitzer's junior tennis sensation Dave Frankel. Frankel is a force to be reckoned with as an All-American top twenty nationally ranked player. TSL interviews him to learn more about the man known as Dave.

JO: So I hear that you're a transfer from Williams College?

DAVE: Yeah, I was at Williams for two years; this is my first year at Pomona. I love it here. One reason I transferred was because of the weather - I mean just look outside it's ninety degrees! Williamstown is also very isolated: it's got a population of 6,000, and the nearest interstate is an hour and a half away. And you know, some people love this. They take their four years to really get to know the small community, but I just got restless there, especially with the weather in conjuction with the isolation. I still had a great time though, especially playing for a team that won NCAAs for two years, but Pomona is definitely the right place for me.

JO: I'm glad you enjoy Pomona. So when did you begin playing tennis?

DAVE: When I was little, I played everything - basketball, baseball, soccer, tennis - all in leagues at the local parks. I dropped soccer first because I was everywhere but the ball. It was six-year-old soccer, where everyone runs after the ball, and I was in the corner like "don't let it get near me", so I knew that wasn't the right sport for me. But there's something about the individuality that tennis offers. I started taking it seriously when I was 12 or so. I actually started pretty late for the track that I ended up going on; kids who play seriously usually start out practicing five to six days a week when they're six years old. It's very intense and expensive. I played a lot of catch-up, but by the end of Juniors I was fairly caught up. Exposure to players on a higher level is important for helping you play better. Now I have some friends who play at extremely high levels, and this offers a lot of good experience for me. Last year a friend was competing in the US Open, and I got to hang around in the locker room and stuff.

JO: Okay. What's your favorite color?

DAVE: My favorite color… I would have to say blue.

JO: In ancient Canada, the color blue represented strength and power. How do you feel that this reflects on you?

DAVE: Strength and power… uh, I don't know… are we relating this to tennis? I guess I would say mental strength is more important than physical strength. I always pride myself in finding a way. I believe that whoever fights hardest and just throws themself out there the most will eventually end up on top. This is especially true in Division III because there is no one who I would have absolutely no chance against - if you really want to succeed, then there's always a way.

JO: You guys recently had a match against Middlebury. How did it go?

DAVE: Yeah, we've had four matches in four days. We played Coe, Williams (which was kind of weird), Pac Lutheran, and Middlebury yesterday. I actually sat yesterday out because my elbow's been bothering me, so after three matches in a row, I decided to sit that one out. On Monday, we have another match against a very good team, and I want to be ready. The team lost 6-1 yesterday, and J.R., who normally plays the number two spot, played number one, and he won his match, which was really good. Our team is great and it's nice having someone like J.R. to really push me all the time. We challenge each other in practice and we also play doubles together. He's also a really nice guy, so I consider myself lucky to be able to work with him.

JO: Do you have a game that is especially memorable?

DAVE: My most memorable game in college was my freshman year at Nationals, mostly because I'd never been to Nationals, and I didn't know what I was in for. During semis, we played Redlands, and they were very strong. I ended up going against their number two player and beat him easily because I played very well. It ended up being the clinching match, and it got us the point to proceed to finals. But I would say that the overall experience of winning Nationals was very cool because it's nice being respected as the number one team.

JO: What is your favorite word that starts with the letter "F"?

DAVE: Flexible.

JO: Oh my. Okay, so flexible starts with "F," another word that starts with "F" is feta, as in feta cheese. What do you think of feta cheese?

DAVE: I don't like it. I definitely don't like feta, but I like goat cheese.

JO: Do you like goats?

DAVE: No.

JO: What?!? I think this interview needs to end here.

DAVE: Well, I don't dislike them. I guess they're okay.

JO: Then we shall continue. What are your goals for this season?

DAVE: My goals are to set my own standards. If I set my own standard then I'd like to think that the sky's the limit. I don't want to think about a number in terms of ranking but I certainly think I can do well if I don't settle for much. As long as I am achieving my personal best, I will be happy. In terms of the team, we have the potential to accomplish a lot. There are guys on the team who are driven to do really well this year, and this motivates me.

JO: I have a friend in swimming that kisses her guns before every race. Do you have any superstitions in terms of tennis?

DAVE: Well, I pack my bag the same way for every match. I don't think that this is a superstition as much as it is a way that I like my stuff to be on the court. I guess you can call it a routine. It's a little different in the way that I don't have a lucky quarter to kiss or anything. But keeping a routine is definitely important because when you get in a tense moment, you know you have something to fall back on. It's not superstitious as much as it is practical.

JO: I completely agree with you. How does Sesame Street make you feel? Please tell me in three words.

DAVE: Hm, one… two… three… four. Four words: puts things in perspective.

JO: Can you elaborate on this?

DAVE: Sesame Street is cool because it's a little kids show that I don't watch anymore, but when you've got a little Cookie Monster running around and like, Oscar the Grouch and Big Bird, my problems don't seem that big. You know what I mean? Like, if I lose a match or get a bad paper grade, then it's just like, eh, no big deal. Sesame Street puts things in perspective. There's a Big Bird out there that calms you and makes you… well, you know.

JO: Oh yes. I know how the Big Bird makes me feel. I have one more question for you, Dave. What is the best thing about tennis for you?

DAVE: It's definitely the team dynamic. What makes me want to go out everyday and practice hard and play hard is the coach and the team. If it were a group of guys that I didn't really like or a coach I didn't respect, then I probably wouldn't be playing. The team is the biggest thing for me. In two years, I'm not going be doing this anymore. I really value the friendships I build and what I can learn about myself and other people. Those are the most valuable things, not the numbers and stats. I like representing my school, but accomplishments are secondary.