The Fordham men’s tennis team began its 2017 spring season on Jan. 28 with a matchup against Davidson College. Despite losing with a score of 0-7, the team made up for it the week after with a 6-1 win over Saint Peter’s University. One of the student-athletes on the team is senior Nick Borak. This will be Borak’s last season on the team, and is sure of the fact that he’ll truly miss the time he has spent on the court.

“I am obviously going to miss my teammates. We have [had] each other’s backs and had a good time,” Borak said.

Borak began playing tennis when he was four years old and said he continues to play because he enjoys the competition and intensity of the sport. His favorite part is the individual battle between himself and his opponent. He compared the matches to a one-on-one man fight to the end, where there is no time limit and the best man wins. After he graduates from Fordham, Borak plans to continue training and take part in international tournaments. He does, of course, want to come back and support the team when he can.

Although he shares many wonderful memories with the team, Borak said that his favorite moment occurred last year after the Atlantic 10 conference tournament. The team went out to grab dinner and celebrate. He said that they were able to laugh about the matches they did not perform as well in, but that they also celebrated the ones they were successful in. He said it was “a solid season, and so far we’re primed for an even better one [this season].”

When asked regarding this season, Borak said he is looking forward to winning. For Borak, the better goal would be to rank among the top four teams heading into the Atlantic 10 tournament. He expects “the team to show up for the end, because [they] have a strong team now, and have barely lost to the stronger teams in the conference thus far.” Currently the team has won 10 games, lost seven, and tied in four.

When it comes to tennis, Borak said he has quite a few inspirations. The first one is 35-year-old Roger Federer, who he admires as an athlete and tennis player for his “beautiful game, impeccable greatness, and for proving that he can compete regardless of his age.”

As for after graduation, Borak plans to put his degree in finance to use. Currently, he is deciding between getting an office job with a big firm or starting his own business, but is leaning towards the latter. He credits his professors for helping him get to this position in his life. He said he enjoyed the professors that gave him insight on doing what he wanted to do, rather than what was expected of him. He said that from there he was able to “play [his] cards right in such a way that opened many doors.” He said that no matter which direction he chooses in life that he has “the knowledge, patience, and determination to succeed.”