Te Kani Williams, a business administration senior from Auckland, New Zealand, is captain of the UTRGV Men’s Tennis Team and competes in singles and doubles.
Q: What do you like to do in your downtime?
A: “I enjoy spending time with my girlfriend [and] hanging out with the boys, whether it’s just at my place watching tennis or playing video games. I don’t mind going to the gym, going to the beach, and I like fishing.”
Q: How did you get into playing tennis?
A: “So, when I was 3, my older sister was actually getting tennis lessons. One day, my dad took me to go pick her up [at] practice. Her coach saw me swinging around one of her rackets and asked me to hop on the court. He threw me a couple balls, and [I was] lucky enough to connect on those shots. It just took off from there.”
Q: What made you want to play here in America?
A: “Since I was about a teenager, a lot of guys from my country, if they [are] good enough, they get to go over and come here and play [in] college. Looking at those sorts of guys and thinking, ‘Yeah, that’s what I want to do.’”
Q: What would you like to say to anyone feeling homesick?
A: “I feel homesick quite a lot. I’d say, if anything, just try and stay in touch with your family and friends as much as possible. Get on the phone with them. Let them know how you’re feeling [and] how you’re doing, because at the end of the day, that’s your biggest support system.”
Q: Who has been your biggest inspiration or role model?
A: “Parents, for sure. One of my older cousins was a big role model for me. My granddad, [too]. He was a huge role model for me growing up, as well. And then, tenniswise, I’d say, [Rafael] Nadal. I felt [he’s] easily the best tennis player that’s ever lived. Just the way he fights, his grit, the way he never gives up, and [he] just hustles, so that’s what I love about him. I tried to emulate a lot of what he does in my game.”
Q: What is your favorite show/movie?
A: “Probably, my favorite show would be ‘Ozark.’ It’s on Netflix. It’s unbelievable. And then, favorite movie [is], probably, the first ‘Avengers’ movie.”
Q: What is your favorite food?
A: “Minced cheese pie.”
–Compiled by Matthew Gonzalez
