For senior tennis player Adam Edwards, winning tennis matches is something he has been doing for years now. From a very successful high school career that has carried into his collegiate career, winning has become common in his game.
But when Edwards won his singles match against Christian Brothers two weeks ago, he entered a whole new arena of winning.
Edwards did something that no other Harding tennis player has ever done: he had a perfect match. A perfect match is when a player wins every single point of the match (48 points) to earn a flawless 6-0, 6-0 victory.
Edwards did not take the accomplishment lightly. He said winning 48 straight points is just as difficult as it sounds.
“It’s very difficult,” Edwards said. “It’s hard to keep concentration throughout a match like that especially with the possible thought of a perfect match.”
Junior tennis player Alex Ford agreed.
“It is a very impressive feat no matter how talented the competition may be,” Ford said. “Doing something like that, whether it is in high school, college or at the professional level, is very impressive. I think it may even be tougher than throwing a perfect game in baseball as a pitcher.”
Edwards is decorated with many accomplishments that he has achieved throughout his tennis career. According to Edwards, however, this ranks at the very top.
“This ranks very high,” Edwards said. “I had a perfect set in high school and I was one game away from winning my match at the conference tournament against a top 15 school. But I would say this is number one.”
According to Edwards, he normally starts at double on Harding’s No. 2 or No. 3 team, and normally plays No. 6 singles. In his perfect match against Christian Brothers he played No. 3.
“I’ve learned patience and determination and also confidence,” Edwards said. “Tennis is a game where one point can decide a whole match, kind of like one big play in football can change everything. So being patient and being determined along with having confidence will help you out in all aspects of life.”
Edwards said the thing that has made him most successful, however, has been the people who have surrounded him both on and off the courts.
“I think (what has made me a successful tennis player is) just practice and being surrounded by great teammates that lift me up when I’m down and push me when I need to be pushed,” Edwards said. “I grew up with a great tennis doubles partner in high school that now plays for (the University of Kentucky) and my family was always very supportive. So I think having support and people pushing me to do better is what has made me successful.”
