SAN DIEGO – San Diego State men's tennis senior David Hough was enjoying a career year when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the Aztecs' season.
A native of Traralgon, Victoria, Australia, Hough was leading the team with 12 victories in singles competition, including a 5-2 mark in dual matches.
Among Hough's wins was a straight-set conquest of Boise State's Michael Bott on Feb. 23, which clinched SDSU's first road victory over the Broncos since 1994, a span of six matches.
Earlier, Hough captured the first Mountain West Men's Tennis Player of the Week award of his career after playing a key role in the Aztecs' 6-1 thumping of UC San Diego on Jan. 18.
In the wake of the campus shutdown, Hough, a business major, plans to complete his degree from Australia this spring.
Before returning Down Under, GoAztecs.com caught up with Hough, who reflected on his abbreviated season and his college career as a whole among other topics.
GoAztecs.com: We're any of your family or friends impacted by the Australian wildfires?
David Hough: Not in a way that any of our property was burned. I was home over the Christmas break when the fires were going. We were on a family holiday in the affected area, but we were told to return home early at the time because it was raining embers. Our house wasn't affected though.
GoAztecs.com: Were you concerned at all after returning to SDSU for the second semester.
DH: I had some initial concern because I know historically the worst month for fires in our country is February, so it was only going to get worse. For a while, I was worried because we live in a country town where it was very possible for the fires to reach us. But then again, the fires are a yearly occurrence in Australia like here in California, but they do well to fight them there. It later became unlikely that the fires would impact our property.
GoAztecs.com: What was the key to your success this season?
DH: When playing tennis, the main thing is confidence. Even though we do play as a team, it's still an individual sport and collectively it adds up to a team result. Compared to last year when I was a junior, I missed at least six months with a herniated disk, which put me out for the fall season. I barely played any matches during that time, which was a very big hit to my confidence. I was struggling a little bit mentally and so when spring came along, I probably wasn't quite ready to compete as much as I could've been. It was very difficult to get going, especially when we have so many good players on our team. There's that pressure to perform from the start as well. It's hard to go in there and start playing well. It takes like three, four or five matches in a row, playing all the time, to get back that consistency and rhythm. Yeah, it was just difficult my junior year because of that injury. Coming back for my senior year, I think I had arguably the best fall semester as anyone on the team. I played well and I brought a lot of experience with me. I felt less pressure as well because I had nothing to really prove anymore. I had been around, so everyone knew my level. It's funny because my very first match of the fall was terrible but after that, things just snowballed and got a lot better. I guess that carried over into the spring semester as well. I was playing a lot of matches and I think once I got going, I had all the confidence in the world and that really helped.
GoAztecs.com: What is the one thing you'll remember about SDSU?
DH: It's hard to say. I think the biggest thing in my experience by far has been the people because our team is extremely international. Most of us are from different countries and different parts of the world, but we also have a lot in common. Seven of the 10 guys on our team are all in a foreign country. We're extremely close. I've never had friends who are as close as we are on our team.
GoAztecs.com: Are there any specific matches that stand out?
DH: There are a couple that ring a bell from last fall. I had two good wins in our tournament at the Aztec Invitational. I started off the first match (vs. Mateusz Smolicki of UC Irvine) and I think I lost the first set in like 10 minutes or something but came back to win in three. I remember Coach (Jeff) Thomsen came over and said that was a really good win for me because that guy plays near the top of their lineup. Then I went ahead won my next match (vs. Connor Rapp of UCLA), which I was not expected to win; I was the underdog. But I can say pretty confidently that the two wins in that tournament gave me a boost and set me up for more success later in the season.
GoAztecs.com: When did you start playing tennis and what got you interested in the sport?
DH: The very first time I picked up a racket and hit a ball, I would have been maybe five years old. No one in our family played, my parents didn't play. It was a small town, there really wasn't much to do. I think my grandma played just social tennis during the week and apparently I went down and watched one day. Shortly after that, I got super-interested and wanted lessons, which my parents organized. It's funny because until I was maybe 12 or 13, I was still taking tennis lessons, but I was playing other sports like soccer and basketball.
GoAztecs.com: What brought you to San Diego State?
DH: I think I was 16 at the time I decided I wanted to play college tennis. There are two options really. You finish high school and try to turn professional, but you're on your own. It's very difficult and expensive. The other option is college where you can still play at a high level and get an education to fall back on if you get injured or it doesn't work out. I decided that college tennis would be the best for me. I really worked hard my last two years of high school to put myself into position for that. When I graduated, I started looking at different schools around the country and reaching out to people. I always had in mind that I wanted to be on a coast similar to Australia, nice environment, good weather and stuff. Being on a coast was a must for me. I was close to signing with another school, but Jeff (Thomsen) the assistant coach reached out and messaged me on Facebook. We got talking and that's when I knew San Diego State would be the all-round perfect fit for me. It was closer to Australia. I didn't have to take two flights to get to the other side of the country and the weather was great, so this was the best option.
GoAztecs.com: Has the experience lived up to your expectations?
DH: Absolutely. I don't regret anything. I mean, just all the people I've met and all the contacts I've made, I'll be able to use for the rest of my life and be friends with as well. I couldn't recommend it enough to anyone else looking to do the same. It certainly has had its ups and downs. We've had some tough losses, but that's why I like being part of a team. There are others there to pick you up when you're not feeling great and then you do the same when they're down … When we first get here after graduating high school, we're almost like children so to speak, and I think we have to grow up extremely quick and mature a lot, becoming more independent over the course of four years by the time we're seniors. There are just so many incredible life lessons you take away from the experience.
GoAztecs.com: Were there any upperclassmen that you looked up to when you arrived at SDSU?
DH: Yeah, when I was a freshman, there was Marko Goles-Babic and Milen Ianakiev. They were both seniors. I played doubles with Marko for most of that season. I think that was a great advantage to be able to play with him. He had a load of experience that he could share and help me through that time when I was a new player. Both he and Milen were very helpful during that transition to the college game.
GoAztecs.com: How would you describe your tennis game?
DH: I'm probably play more aggressively as opposed to counter-punching. I don't like long rallies very much. I like to come forward and use my strength. I think I have a strength advantage over a lot of players, so I don't like to be out there having long rallies. I like to use my serves to set up points. I love hard courts, too, I'm not really a clay court player or anything like that.
GoAztecs.com: You played as high as No. 3 in the Aztecs' singles rotation. Do you pay much attention to your spot on the ladder?
DH: Yeah, initially in my freshman year. But as I progressed, I learned that it wasn't a true reflection of everyone. There are 10 players on the team, and anyone can play at a high level on a given day. I just don't get too involved with all that. Of course, there's always the motivation to work toward something, but at the end of the day when you're playing another school, it doesn't matter if you're playing at No. 1 or No. 6. Each match is worth one point. It's the same value. Wherever you're playing, as long as you get the win for the team, that's all that matters really. It doesn't concern me too much. I've noticed many, many times over my college career that you can have 1s, 2s and 3s or whatever that aren't necessarily as good as 4s, 5s or 6s. I think in tennis the matchup is important and there are certain styles that work better against others, while some players struggle against another style. So it can be complicated to assign a number to someone. But I think that motivates some people and it motivated me at one point as well.
GoAztecs.com: Talk about your experience playing in the Pacific Coast Doubles Championships at La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club.
DH: It's always an honor to play in a tournament with that kind of history behind it. The quality of people who have played there in the past is truly remarkable. It's great to have that event in our own backyard and the fact that we get to play it every year is very nice because we can experiment a little bit with different doubles teams we wouldn't normally send out there. We're fortunate to play that tournament and hang out down by the beach each year. They always manage to get very strong schools to come play, so the quality of competition is always at a high level.
GoAztecs.com: Describe the difference between doubles and singles play.
DH: Doubles is a much, much quicker game. Everything happens very fast. There's another player at the net, so it's far more important to take charge. You have to be the one dictating and going up to the net, otherwise your opponent will. It's just really a matter of who wants it more in doubles. In singles, there's more of the court that one person has to cover. You have to take time, fire and grind it out. But in doubles, the ones who really take charge first at the net are most often the ones who come out on top.
GoAztecs.com: If you're able to extend your eligibility because of COVID-19, do you plan to return to SDSU?
DH: It certainly depends. I think there are a lot more details to be ironed out. Unfortunately, I'm a senior and I'll be graduating with a business degree. As far as I'm aware, there isn't a one-year master's program at SDSU that interests me or would suit me very well right now. There is a possibility of me coming back and doing a half-year next spring just so I can finish the season the way I'd like. Since it's only six months, it would go by so quickly. Maybe there's like a certificate or another degree that would be worth doing so I could finish my season the way I'd like. Unfortunately, to do a one-year master's program would not work out in my situation right now.
GoAztecs.com: Do you plan to play tennis beyond college?
DH: Yeah absolutely. That's always been a goal of mine once I've finished. Obviously, it's going to start a little earlier than I planned with this whole situation. Once I get home, I'm going to start putting things in place to figure out the best course. I want to really put everything I can into tennis for the next year, year-and-a-half at least and see what happens because I've never done that before. I've always been juggling tennis and schoolwork together through high school and college. If it works out, fantastic; if it doesn't, I'll probably look do a master's program in Australia.
GoAztecs.com: What will you miss most about the city of San Diego?
DH: Definitely the Mexican food, the beaches and the weather. I don't think there's any place in the world that has better weather for tennis than San Diego. Not only is it always sunny, but there's hardly any wind, so I think the conditions are just fantastic to play outside. It's such a fun city, too, and I think it's the perfect size as well. It's not too big like some cities, especially L.A. But it's not too small where there's nothing much to do. It's just perfect. There are so many nice things about this city, and the people are great, too.
GoAztecs.com: Last question, who is the biggest character on the team?
DH: I would have to say without a doubt the craziest guy is Jan Kirchhoff. You just never know what to expect whenever he plays. He's always a bit crazy, often hilarious and unpredictable, but he brings a world of energy as well.