Watching from the sidelines was frustrating for Tom Lloyd last year, having to redshirt during his senior year because of a lower back injury that sidelined him for the season.
"It was brutal," Lloyd said. "I don't know how the coaches sit on the sidelines and watch these matches, because I sure had a hard time doing it last year. You feel for the guys out there, and you want to be out there grinding with them, but it's real tough to sit on the sidelines, especially your senior year."
This year is a different story, though, as Lloyd, who hails from Yorba Linda, Calif., and attended Esperanza High School, begins the year as the only ranked player on the UA team.
"It's my first time ever with a ranking," Lloyd said, "and it's a good feeling, but we're a team, so me playing No. 1 or No. 6 is the exact same thing. As long as Arizona gets the W, I'm happy whether I win or lose."
Losing, however, is not something Lloyd has been doing a lot of. He went 7-3 in fall tournaments, including two wins over ranked opponents. He defeated No. 30 Alejandro Tejerina of Tulsa and No. 99 Khaled El Dorry of Texas A&M on his way to being ranked No. 84 in the country to start the season.
"I got to play a lot of matches, and it (had) been by far my best fall," Lloyd said.
Lloyd started out the regular season with a three-set win over Thibault Schram of Northern Arizona.
"I had a lot of expectations coming back," Lloyd said. "I was real excited to be back with the guys."
He got off to a good start in the ITA All- American tournament in Chattanooga, Tenn., in which he won two of three games, defeating Miha Lisac of Georgia State, 6-2, 7-5, and Eric Hechtman of Miami, 6-4, 6-1. He followed with a 3-1 record in the Midland Collegiate Classic, which included his win over Tejerina. To round out the fall tournament season, Lloyd received a No. 9 seed at the Omni Hotel Region VIII Championships, and won his opening round match.
"The multiple matches and the
opportunities that I've had this past fall, I can hopefully bring into the spring season," Lloyd said.
Lloyd, the consummate team player, loves playing tennis for the Wildcats because this is the last time that he will be a part of a tennis team. The pro circuit, as well as many tournaments he's competed in, has been comprised of individual events, making the team aspect very important to him.
"It's a lot different playing a singles tournament because, if you lose, then you lose for yourself," Lloyd said. "Here, you lose for the team, and you let your teammates down. When you win, it's an incredible feeling because you're putting the W next to the Cats. It's pretty sweet."