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Hanzlik Makes a Big Splash
Nittany Lion standout posts 8-4 fall record
UNIVERSITY
PARK, Pa.; Dec. 1, 2011 — 4,344 miles, a 10-hour trans-Atlantic flight
and a four-hour bus ride separate University Park, Pa. and Prague,
Czech Republic. No average 18-year old would make a trip this long to
attend college, but freshman Tomas Hanzlik (Prague, Czech Republic) is
anything but average.
Hanzlik arrived at Penn State just
in time to start the fall semester. With almost no time between the
start of classes and the fall season, the freshman needed a crash
course in being a Penn State student and living so far from home.
“In
the beginning it was a little difficult, but it is getting better,”
said Hanzlik. “I have great teammates, great coaches and the Learning
Center is helping me a lot. All the support is making it easier for me.”
Assistant
Coach Chris Cagle has been working extensively with the Czech Republic
native since his arrival on campus. Cagle has noticed that Hanzlik’s
acclimation process to living and playing tennis in a foreign country
has been a complete team effort.
“Our team is pretty tight
knit,” said Cagle. “We have good team camaraderie and chemistry. The
guys have taken him under their wing and made him feel comfortable.
They have made him feel like part of our team. As a result, I think it
has been an easier transition for him. He has become comfortable with
being a student athlete on and off the court.”
Hanzlik
came to Penn State as a highly-touted European prospect. While
attending Ceskokipska Grammar School, he posted impressive numbers on
the junior ITF circuit, including earning a 71-67 overall record and
reaching as high as No. 83 in the junior world rankings. Hanzlik
garnered the No. 8 junior-ranking in his native Czech Republic.
“He
has been ranked in the top-85 in the world,” said Cagle. “He already
came here as a strong player. He expects to do well and win matches.”
Shortly
after making the biggest transition of his life to date, Hanzlik began
his first fall season as a Nittany Lion. He wasted no time in
impressing coaches and teammates. The freshman stand out won his first
six collegiate matches en route to an 8-4 fall singles record.
Hanzlik
broke into the limelight with a stellar effort in his first tournament,
the Farnsworth/Princeton Invitational, reeling off four straight
victories, including a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 win over Buffalo’s Damien David in
his flight’s championship bout. From there, he never looked back.
The freshman capped off an extraordinary start to his career with a
first round victory over Iowa’s Marc Bruche at the Big Ten Indoor
Championships. Hanzlik changed up his style and pace of play over the
course of a three-hour epic, which ended in a 6-7, 6-3, 7-6 triumph
over the ITA No. 101-ranked singles player.
“It was a
great match,” said Hanzlik. “I played a good player from Iowa. We
played about three hours and I ended up winning 7-6 in the third set.”
Cagle agreed that Hanzlik punctuated his first fall season at Penn State impressively.
“He
played really well,” said Cagle. “It was his best match of the fall. It
shows the things that he is capable of. He can definitely build on that
match and take down even higher ranked opponents in the future.”
Penn
State could be in for a special ride for the next four years with
Hanzlik leading a promising group of young talent, including Big Ten
Indoor Championships contestants, sophomores Russell Bader (Austin,
Texas) and Chris Young (Melbourne, Australia), along with junior Bryan
Welnetz (Laredo, Texas).
“I have been impressed with his
focus and determination,” said Cagle. “It is a trait that a lot of
higher level players have. I do not see there is any reason that he
cannot be a top-50 player in the country. I am looking forward to
watching him grow over the next four years.”
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