Survivor

Nicholas Valenzuela Arizona Daily Wildcat Senior tennis player Adnan Novo returns a shot from a UCLA player Jan. 30. Novo, a native of Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina is in the No. 1 spot with the UA tennis team.

The native of Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, has come a long way, and not just in terms of the distance he has traveled.

From a war-torn country to a community college to now holding the No. 1 spot with the UA tennis team, Novo has had one incredible journey.

Novo said he is trying to forget his past in Bosnia, including a civil war which left 250,000 people dead and his hometown of Sarajevo under constant siege from 1992 until a NATO-brokered peace deal in late 1995.

"Between 16 and 21, I was away from my family," Novo said. "That part of my life is missing for me."

He would say nothing more about his experience during the war, preferring to focus on his life after he came to the United States.

Novo attended Pima Community College for two years, where he was a national champion in 1995-96, followed by a third place national finish in his second year.

Despite those impressive finishes at the JC level, Novo had a rough beginning when he transferred to UA in 1997, said his teammate, senior Pascal Salasca.

"He started out as the No. 5 or 6 player last year," Salasca said. "He improved dramatically over the summer to now hold the No. 1 position."

Salasca believes Novo should definitely receive the most improved player of the year award.

"He is an unbelievable player. I wish more people would come out (to the courts) and watch him in action," Salasca said.

Head coach Bill Wright also said Novo has improved.

"He has become a phenomenal player," Wright said.

Another teammate and friend, junior Jean-Noel LaCoste, agreed with Salasca.

"I have never seen anyone improve that much," LaCoste said. "It was a pleasant surprise."

Novo himself was rather humble about moving up to the No. 1 spot on the team after being a preseason pick for the No. 5 slot.

"I was not expecting to be first," he said after playing his first match on court one earlier this year.

Last weekend Novo beat Arizona State's No. 1 player Gustavo Maraccio, who is currently ranked No. 29 among all college players by the International Tennis Association.

"This was a great win for me," Nova said. "I just had to keep telling myself it was a practice match, no big deal."

Novo's philosophy in approaching matches is to treat every one like a practice. In doing this, Novo said he has been able to keep his temper down and not go ballistic on the court.

Junior Alex Brown said he was impressed with Novo's concentration level.

"He is always focused," Brown said. "He never strays from the court, his eyes are always focused on the next play."

As a child Novo traveled all over Europe playing in tennis matches.

"I have played tennis since I was six-years-old. Fourteen years, that's a long time," he said.

With tennis, Novo said he has traveled a lot and learned a lot about himself and others through his travels.

"Tennis is my hobby, it's my life. I love playing here at the UA and I love the team," he said. "I definitely think that the UA has one of the best athletic programs in the nation."

As he nears the end of collegiate play, Novo has kept a positive outlook on his matches.

"I am just going to do my best (and) try to reduce the stress usually connected to competitive playing," he said.

Novo's plans for after graduation are still up in the air.

"I will go home when I graduate because America is just too fast for me," he said. "The pace of life in America is much faster than that of any European country."

He said the need for cars, the predetermined pattern of life from school to work and the distance people keep from each other are all factors that keep him from loving America.

When Novo returns home after college he will be an American citizen with the freedom to travel freely, he said.

"I want to go home because of my family," Novo said. "We have a very deep connection. I want to be with them.

"I try to go home as much as possible, but it is difficult because it's so far away."

Novo estimates he has about one more year left of school after the end of this semester, but his eligibility on the court will run out at the end of this season.

"It has been a part of my life for so long," he said.

Novo said continuing to play tennis is not out of the picture.

"I might still participate in some tours and maybe try for pro, but I'm not sure," he said.

After playing for 14 years, tennis has begun to lose some of its edge for Novo, but not all.

"Tennis can be difficult, but I still love it and don't want to resent it," he said.