Psychology senior Kristyna Mamicova went 2-0 in singles with wins over Texas State University’s Maria Lora 7-5, 7-6 and Emma Carr 6-3, 6-3 at the Texas State Invitational last fall. AURA VELASQUEZ/THE RIDER PHOTOS
Senior Kristyna Mamicova is a member of the UTRGV Women’s Tennis Team. Mamicova is from Prague in the Czech Republic. She is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology.
Q: What do you do for fun outside of tennis?
A: “I love to read. I love to cook, that’s my big passion. And I love to drive. So, when I can go somewhere with a car and into nature, that’s what I love to do.”
Q: What are some of your favorite dishes to cook?
A: “I love to do, like, it’s a Czech dish, ’cause I’m from [the] Czech Republic. It’s, like, a little potato dumpling, basically, filled with beans. So, I love to do that. And then I love to bake.”
Q: Any shows you’re currently watching, or ones that you would like to recommend?
A: “Yeah, I love, right now, the [Netflix series] ‘Formula 1: Drive to Survive.’ That’s what I’m currently watching. It’s very entertaining, too. … They’re recording the background of Formula 1. … How is it with the managers, what actually is going on behind the scenes that we don’t see, and it’s actually really interesting.”
Q: How did your love for tennis come about?
A: “Actually, it started when I was pretty little, because my dad is a tennis coach, so, yeah. … I kinda grew up around it, and I just learned to love the environment and the culture and everything, and it was just, like, a natural thing for me, I would say.”
Q: What has been your proudest moment in your athletic career?
A:. “I would say my proudest moment was definitely getting here as a tennis player. It was a big achievement for me to get a full scholarship, to have that opportunity. And, also, [this is] more like a team thing, but because last year, we managed to beat some pretty good teams, and just those clinching moments when we all can celebrate as a team. … Those moments are very, very special.”
Q: Do you have someone or something to keep you motivated and playing?
A: “For sure, my teammates. My teammates keep me motivated, and just wanting to be better for the team, and also my dad. My dad is a big influence to me, and also my conditioning coach back in Prague, too. And also coach West [Nott], too.”
Q: What advice would you have given to your younger self?
A: “I would say, enjoy it. Enjoy the ride, even if it gets stressful, even if you get anxious about the future. Just let it go, let it flow and, yeah, just let the things figure themselves [out]. Just do your best.”
Q: Is there anything else you would like to add?
A: “Yeah, I mean, I would just say that this is a super special place to be, even though I know some people don’t even know about McAllen. … I didn’t know about McAllen, and yeah, I actually really learned to love it here, and yeah, it’s really, really nice. … I know I will always be coming back here for some special occasion.”
–Compiled by Julien Juarez
